Snake Bite

DEFINITION

  • Bite from a snake antivenom

General Information: Snakebites most commonly occur on the hands, arms, ankles, or legs when an individual attempts to play with or capture a snake.

Types of Snakebites

  • Known poisonous snake
  • Known non-poisonous snake
  • Unknown (unidentified) snake

Poisonous Snakes

  • Poisonous snakebites result in 12 to 15 deaths per year in the United States. (1 to 2% of the total poisonous bites).
  • There are two main families of poisonous snakes in the U.S. and Canada:
    • Pit Vipers: The different members of the pit viper group include rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths (water moccasins). The venom from pit vipers first causes localized pain and swelling and then later causes generalized symptoms of weakness, nausea, and sweating.
    • Coral Snakes: The venom from a coral snake is toxic to the nervous system. A bite can cause severe weakness or paralysis with minimal pain or swelling at the bite mark. The patterning and coloration consists of bands of dark-red, yellow, and black. The red bands have yellow bands on each side. There are various rhymes that have been made up to remember this pattern. One example is "Red on Yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, venom lack."
  • Symptoms
    • Poisousness snakes have fangs that leave fang marks (1-2 tiny puncture wounds) on the skin at the snakebite site.
    • No symptoms. In about 20% of poisonous snakebites, no venom is injected (dry bites).
    • Local symptoms. If the venom was injected (envenomation), the fang marks will begin to burn and hurt within 5 minutes and swell within 30 minutes. (Exception: the coral snake can cause severe weakness or paralysis with minimal pain or swelling at the bite mark.)
    • Systemic (generalized) symptoms. General body symptoms (e.g., nausea, sweating, weakness) may take several hours to develop. The severity of symptoms depends on the quantity of venom injected, degree of venom toxicity, location of the bite, snake species and size, and the victim's age and size.

Non-Poisonous Snakebites

  • Most non-poisonous bites occur during attempted capture or are from pet snakes.
  • A non-poisousness snakebite may appear as a semi-circular pattern of small teeth marks. Often, the small teeth of the non-poisonous snake leave a scrape that doesn't even puncture the skin.

Unknown (Unidentified) Snakes

  • Sometimes the snake disappears shortly after the bite. In other cases, the snake has been killed but is hard to identify. Most bites are from harmless snakes.
  • Generally, you can assume that it is a non-poisousness snakebite of there is no local pain, no local swelling, and no fang marks (puncture wounds).

FIRST AID Advice for Poisonous Snakebites

  1. General Measures: The following first aid measures are recommended for ALL poisonous snake bites:
    • Move away from the snake.
    • Victim should remain calm and minimize activity (to reduce absorption and circulation of the venom).
    • Promptly transport victim to a medical facility.
    • Victim should not eat or drink anything.
  2. Antivenin: The most important treatment for poisonous snakebites is to go to a hospital emergency department as rapidly as possible so that you can receive appropriate antivenin (antivenom) and other emergency measures.

The following outdated First Aid treatments are NOT RECOMMENDED for snake bites:

  • Incision and Suction (or "Cut and Suck"): Do NOT perform incision and suction. The majority of experts recommend against this. In addition, an incision performed by a hurried, nervous, and inexperienced individual may result in damage to an artery, nerve, or tendon.
  • Suction: Research studies suggest that suction devices (e.g., Sawyer Extractor) do not work.Do NOT suck the bite wound with your mouth.

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call 911 Now (you may need an ambulance) If
  • Passed out (fainted)
  • Very weak (can't stand)
  • Difficult to awaken or acting confused (disoriented, slurred speech)
  • Difficulty breathing
  • NOTE: see First Aid

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If
  • You feel weak or very sick
  • Poisonous snakebite
  • Snake with red, yellow, and black bands
  • 1 or 2 puncture marks (fang marks) are present
  • Blood blisters, purple spots, or bleeding in the bite area
  • Bite from unknown type of snake and the bite area burns, hurts, or becomes swollen
  • Muscle cramps occur
  • Numbness or tingling of face
  • Bite looks infected (e.g., spreading redness, pus) (Note: infection doesn't start until at least 24-48 hours after a bite).
  • You feel sick in any way (e.g., weakness, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever)
  • NOTE: see First Aid

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If
  • You think you need to be seen
  • No tetanus booster in more than 10 years

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If
  • You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home If
  • Non-poisonous snakebite with no complications and you don't think you need to be seen

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR NON-POISONOUS SNAKEBITE

  1. Cleansing: Wash the bite thoroughly with soap and water. Apply an antibiotic ointment (over-the-counter) once to the bite mark.
  2. Call Your Doctor If:
    • You develop any other symptoms in the 6 hours after the snakebite.
    • Bite begins to look infected (redness, swelling, warmth, tender to touch, or red streaks)
    • You become worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Author and Senior Reviewer: David A. Thompson, M.D.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2007

Last Revised: 9/30/2006

Content Set: Adult HouseCalls Online

Portions Copyright 2000-2007 Self Care Decisions LLC; Copyright LMS, Inc.
 
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