"Eeek! A Snake!"

How to Keep Your Summer Snakebite Free and What to Do if You Get BitIf you're planning to camp, hike or hunt, you're likely to see a snake while out in the wilds of Texas forests, fields, deserts, lakes and plains. Every year in the United States thousands of people are bitten by snakes, and approximately 10 people die as a result. Most people bitten by venomous snakes receive their bites from rattlesnakes. Other venomous snakes in Texas are copperheads, cottonmouth water moccasins and coral snakes.

"If you are bitten by a venomous snake, get medical care as quickly as possible. Antivenin treatment is best started within a few hours," says Guy Moore, a wildlife biologist at the Zoonosis Control Division of the Texas Department of Health (TDH).

If you may have been bitten by a venomous snake:

• Keep calm. Take deep breaths to relax yourself. Frantic activity will cause the venom to spread faster. Reduce movement of a bitten limb.
• Do not try to capture or kill the snake; it will probably just bite you again.
• If possible, keep the area of the bite lower than your heart.
• Remove jewelry, such as rings and watches, and tight-fitting clothes before the onset of swelling.
• Do not try to remove the venom yourself.
• Do not apply heat or cold to the bitten area.
• Do not apply home remedies to the bite.
• Do not use a tourniquet or constricting band around the bite.
• Do not use aspirin or related medications because they increase bleeding.
• Do not eat or drink, especially alcoholic beverages.
• Get medical attention as soon as possible. Call 9-1-1, your local emergency number or the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-POISON-1 (1-800-764-7661). The Poison Control Center can tell you which medical centers carry the appropriate antivenin. If possible, provide emergency medical personnel with a description of the snake. If no emergency medical care is available, get to the nearest medical treatment facility. But keep calm, walk rather than run, drive safely rather than race.

Don't be fooled by the fact that there may not be any symptoms. "The bite of a coral snake in particular can be deceptive. Without exception, all snake bites should be seen by a doctor immediately," says Bradley Hicks, a TDH wildlife biologist. Coral snakes are brightly colored with bands of black, yellow and red. Some non-venomous snakes mimic the coloration to a degree, but the coral snake is the only one with red bands next to yellow bands. Just remember the old saying, "Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, venom lack."

There is no real reason to be scared of snakes; in fact, snakes help control insect, mice and rat populations. Most snakes are eager to avoid confrontations with anything larger than themselves and will quietly leave if given the opportunity. So, exercise some precautions when out hiking, camping or hunting, and chances are you will be safe.

You can help prevent snake bites by:

• Being aware if the area you are in is inhabited by venomous snakes.
• Wearing high leather boots and long pants when in areas where there are snakes.
• Not reaching into areas where snakes may be resting if you cannot see it is safe. Snakes like to hang around logs and under leaves, waiting for mice, lizards and other small prey.
• Watching where you walk so that you don't accidentally step on a snake. Do not step over logs or rocks if you cannot see the other side.
• Avoiding walking at night in areas where there are snakes.
• Not handling or harassing snakes. Most people are bitten while handling or trying to kill a venomous snake.

- Texas Department of Health

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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