Snake Bites

[curlyangel]

My Mother was bitten by a snake, and it has caused her to miss out on a lot of things that were important for my senior year of high school. I was just wondering if anyone knew of the protocol for a snake bite. She was in the hospital, her foot was the size of a football, and she was never given antiventom or the poison was never sucked out. I was thinking that was weird, especially when they had to rush her into emergency surgery, and she still may need some skin graphs. Any information that you can offer would be much appreciated!! Thank you for your help!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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[BWSmith]

I am sorry to hear that. Are you wanting to know what the first aid is for a snakebite, what the paramedics should do, or what the hospital should do?

It sounds as though it was a pretty severe envenomation. Any info on what type of snake it was? I am suprised that antivenin was not adminstered. Perhaps none was available is one scenerio. Doctors are still reluctant to administer it because they are still under the impression that CroFab is as prone to anaphylaxis as Wyeth Crotalidae Polyvalent. This is not the case. And sucking out the venom dose no good for a bite. The venom spreads entirely too quickly.

These are just some quick basics. Can you be more specific on the information you are looking for? If I went over everything about envenomations, I would get carpel tunnell syndrome [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[GldDrgn]

maybe if they did not know what kind of snake bit her they were worried about what antivenom to give her. as many of them are made for a specific snake. (hopefully BWsmith can clarify that one)

bwsmith i have heard and been told that sucking out the venom on site can just as easaly envenomate the sucker as well. say you have a cavity or small cut in the mouth.

i do hope your mom is doing better.

_________________
Life and death walk hand in hand, for you may not have one with out the other. Death comes on gossamer wings like that of a moth to the flame, yet life comes kicking and screaming into the world. What is better? You decide [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[BWSmith]

Actually int he US, we use a Polyvalant Antivenin. This means one AV for many kinds of snakes. Pretty much everything native to the US (excpet the Coral Snake) is treated with Wyeth Crotalidae or CroFab.

Actually the venom disperses so quickly into the blood and muscle that sucking will remove litte if any. Theoretically, if the "sucker" has an open wound in the mouth and he does manage to get some venom out, then the venom could enter the wound and get intot he bloodstream causing a mile envenomation.
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[GldDrgn]

cool. thanks bw for clearing that up for me. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

hehehe you should publish a book or something. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[BWSmith]

There are already quite a few books out on envenomation and so forth, in addition to countless papers. Someone does need to put together a massive compilation of everything. I am sure someone with letters after their name will try it eventually [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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[RevMojo]

Can't suction also concentrate the venom in the wound, rather than dispersing it, (assuming it was begun almost immediately after envenomation) and make the wound worse (assuming hemotoxic venom)


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[BWSmith]

That may also be a concern. uch the same theory as to why you do not put on anything to restrict blood flow. Hemotoxins and cytotoxin could do much more damage if not allowed to dissipate.
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	hemotoxin are toxins that destroy red blood cells (that is, cause hemolysis), disrupt blood clotting, and/or cause organ degeneration and generalized tissue damage. The term hemotoxin is to some degree a misnomer since toxins that damage the blood also damage other tissues.<br> Hemotoxins are frequently seen in venomous animals, such as pit vipers. Animal venoms contain enzymes and other proteins that are hemotoxic or neurotoxic or occasionally both (as in the Mojave Rattlesnake and similar species). In addition to killing the prey, part of the function of a hemotoxic venom for some animals is to aid digestion.The venom breaks down protein in the region of the bite, making prey easier to digest.