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Venomous Snake Bite - What Would You Do?

ShooterMike said:
I’ve not yet had a snakebite patient, but what little I’ve read on the matter is to not try to evacuate the venom, and do not place a tourniquet. Do not apply ice either. Keep the extremity still and relaxed and in a low hanging position. Maybe consider splinting the extremity so as to keep it immobilized. Movement makes blood and lymph flow.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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Sound advice - thanks for sharing!
 
LoadedLimbs said:
@Weldabeast - I don’t think there’s any way a person can stay very calm and focus on keeping their heart rate from racing if they’re alone in the woods or swamp and they have just suffered a venomous snake bite. I think that would be a huge challenge (At least for me - but maybe others could pull that off).

I’m curious why you would elevate the bite - the recommended protocol is to minimize movement and to keep limbs in a neutral position. Wouldn’t you be concerned that elevating the bitten limb would hasten the return of blood (and venom) to your heart?
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I don't know....I always heard to elevate things when they are damaged....maybe that isn't correct ...I guess now that I think about it I would want the extremity below the heart.....I definetly think u can keep ur heart rate down...mind over matter.
 
I've actually never thought about what I would do because I'm not worried at all about getting struck....I think falling out of the tree is 10xs more likely then getting hit by a venomous snake.
 
MattMan81 said:
Out of curiosity. How many hunters out in snake land use snake proof boots or chaps when walking?
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Depending on where I'm going & environment, I wear steplite X bekina's with yoder snake chaps/waders from conkey's. Those things are comfy. Did 3 full days of hiking & bush hogging the other day & they felt great for work & hiking.

If I'm going in moccasin swamps or know I'm going to be busting through heavy brush & thickets I use em.
 

Then you got the coonass's too. They're a totally different kind of tough for sure. I can watch crazy cajun videos all day. Love those guys. Them & the canadians talking with bears. Almost better than japanese commercials.
 
I wear snake boots most of the time until just before Thanksgiving Right now farmers are digging and picking peanuts Corn has already been shelled and most of the soybeans are coming up around here So they are really moving and the chances of getting on one are really good Got to watch them feet
 
wyetterp said:
Sucks you have to have a script for epi pen. I'm going to talk with my doc to see if I can add a couple to my ifaks.
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I was thinking about looking into that myself - but I think they’re pretty expensive and the very, very low risk of receiving a venomous snake bite may not justify the expense. (Of course, when you need one, that’ll feel like a foolish decision!). Perhaps snake gaiters/boots/chaps would be a better use of limited funds?
 
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ketch22 said:
X2 on the great I for that me for sharing…..

but Me, I’m deathly afraid of snakes…. If I got hit by a non venomous snake I’d probably die of a heart attack in the spot.
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Same here. I’ve always thought if I got bit I’d just see red and decide “All right now that my fear has been realized there’s nothing to lose and it’s time for this blankity-blank spawn of Satan to die!!” and go animalistic and kill it. But pondering it in a more collected state of mind, I think exerting myself and getting worked up into a froth is probably the exact opposite of what should be done after a snakebite.
 
Weldabeast said:
I've actually never thought about what I would do because I'm not worried at all about getting struck....I think falling out of the tree is 10xs more likely then getting hit by a venomous snake.
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I agree with you on that point - it was just the recent discussion at my fish & game club that got me thinking what I should do to be prepared.
 
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Yeah I don’t how you southern fellas put up with them nasty slinkers. We have rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania but I never saw one until last summer and I never think about them come hunting season, it’s usually just too cold.
 
LoadedLimbs said:
I was thinking about looking into that myself - but I think they’re pretty expensive and the very, very low risk of receiving a venomous snake bite may not justify the expense. (Of course, when you need one, that’ll feel like a foolish decision!). Perhaps snake gaiters/boots/chaps would be a better use of limited funds?
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I mainly just want it for the ifaks in case me or someone else may need it. Never know. I probably go overboard. I always have tourniquets, chest seals, hemostatic agents & gauze, all kinds of stuff. I usually try & cover the airway, breathing & bleeding at least. The epi would just cover a few more bases. I still go hunting with people that don't even know if they're allergic to bees & never been stung. That blows my mind.
 
MattMan81 said:
Out of curiosity. How many hunters out in snake land use snake proof boots or chaps when walking?
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I haven’t yet, but I’m now thinking about it with the knowledge that there have been more sightings at my hunt club recently, and that there’s no anti-venom stocked in the nearby medical facilities, currently.
 
Mengle said:
I have to look at formularies (entire pharmaceutical list) for hospitals for work. It is crazy to me how many of them do not have crofab.
The CEO at a rural hospital I work with makes his pharmacist keep a good bit of crofab on hand. It is extremely expensive and they rarely use it.
He is a big outdoorsman. Coincidence? I think not. I don’t blame him either.
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@Mengle - Thanks for sharing that - between your post and the post from @Ckwilli, it sounds like it’s more the exception than the norm for emergency rooms to have a decent supply of anti-venom.
 
I’ve heard from several places that Benadryl can be helpful after a bite. Remove tight fitting clothing(rings/watches if the bite is on a hand), keep it elevated as much as possible, ID snake, call 911.
 
wyetterp said:
I mainly just want it for the ifaks in case me or someone else may need it. Never know. I probably go overboard. I always have tourniquets, chest seals, hemostatic agents & gauze, all kinds of stuff. I usually try & cover the airway, breathing & bleeding at least. The epi would just cover a few more bases. I still go hunting with people that don't even know if they're allergic to bees & never been stung. That blows my mind.
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jiwhite86 said:
I’ve heard from several places that Benadryl can be helpful after a bite. Remove tight fitting clothing(rings/watches if the bite is on a hand), keep it elevated as much as possible, ID snake, call 911.
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@jiwhite86 - Based on the links in my OP, I think elevating the bitten limb may not be a good idea - could hasten flow of venom to heart and other vital organs. The protocol appears to be to remove anything that can constrict when swelling occurs (like you said: rings, bracelets, watches, tight clothing) but to keep the bite sight below the heart and the limb in a neutral position.

Knowing that Benadryl can be helpful, perhaps that’s a more affordable and readily available option to add to one’s IFAK than an EpiPen, albeit slower-acting and less effective.
 
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