Adventure Doc Reptiles

Another quote from Dr. Shockley’s section in Emergency Medicine Secrets. “A snakebite is Yukon Jack and Rose’s Lime juice although some experts make a snakebite with ale or lager and a hard cider.” That is a good way to begin the section on snakebites.

First, not all snakes are poisonous. Second, not all snakes bite. Third, Try not to get bit by giving all snakes a lot of room. In the USA, there are two groups of poisonous snakes, Elapidae and Viperidae (sub group Crotalinae). Now, this only means that these two families are native in America. There is every type of snake in the world found in America, thanks to zoos and reptile collectors. Hopefully, they are in secure cages.

The Crotalinae family is represented by rattlesnakes, cottonmouth, copperhead and water moccasins. The Crotalinae snakes are also know as pit vipers (they have a pit near the eyes that senses heat).

The Elapidae family is represented by the Coral Snake.

Snakebites in America are rare. In 1999, there were a reported 5766 snakebites, total. During that same year, only two people died from snakebite. One was from a rattlesnake and the other was unknown. 90% of snakebites occur between April and October. Males are nine times more likely to be bitten than women. 50% of the victims are between 18 and 28 years old. 80% of the bites were on the fingers or hand and 15% were at the foot. Alcohol intoxication was a major risk factor in being bitten.

There exists anti-venin for each specific poisonous snakebite. If you are bitten, go to the hospital and get the anti-venin. Try to describe the snake that bit you, if possible. Some myths about snakebites and treatment include the “cut and suck” method. Never do this! Cutting the skin over a snakebite only does more damage and sucking the poison into your mouth is just plain stupid. Tying a tourniquet above the site of the bite is also bad, as this just traps the venom in that limb, giving it more time to do damage. Further, when the tourniquet is removed, a large dose of the venom is suddenly flooded into the rest of the body.

Go to the nearest Emergency Department. Try to give as good of a description of the snake as you can. The easier it is to identify the snake, the quicker the venom doctor can give you the correct anti-venom. Antivenin is specific to each type of snake. On the way to the hospital, especially if it is a long distance, a pressure band has been shown to decrease the venom effects. This is not a tourniquet! This is wrapping the area of the bit and a little bit above with a wide band. Do not make the band very tight. You want it to be loose enough to fit two fingers between the band and the skin. An Ace bandage works well for this. The point is to slightly close off the veins and lymphatic channels to slow the spread of the venom, until you get to the Emergency Department. See the first page of this section for instructions on making a pressure immobilization dressing.

A brief word on poisonous lizards. There are two found in North America, The Mexican beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum) and the Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum). Both live in the southwestern desert and Mexico. They have venom similar to the crotalinae snakes. Sometimes, worse than their venom is the jaws. Once the bite, they like to hold on and not let go. Their teeth often cause deep cuts, as the victim tries to forcibly remove the lizard.