EASTERN ARIZONA COURIER (Safford, Arizona) 28 August 06 Venomous rattlesnake strikes child (Steph Slater)
Even with the abundance of monsoon rains and the needed moisture in the Gila Valley, there are always dangerous trade-offs, such as flooding, sudden lightning strikes and the strike of the venomous rattlesnake.
“There have been six rattlesnake bites seen and treated in the Emergency Room in the last few weeks, and that is comparable with historical numbers for this time of year,” Roland Knox, chief operating officer of the Mt. Graham Regional Center, said. “The type of rattlesnake that has bitten patients is usually not documented in the medical chart so we can not confirm the type of rattle snake.”
During the monsoon season and into the fall, rattlesnakes take to the outside world in search of a meal, warmth and a cozy place to slumber. Tall, dense weeds and piles of rocks, harbor these illusive reptiles, and become a danger to humans, especially small children.
“The first indication was a scream, and she is not a screamer,” Eastern Arizona Courier Managing Editor Aimee Staten said, referring to her daughter, Aubrey.
Around 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, Staten’s 7-year-old daughter came inside from playing in the backyard with a small wound on her toe.
“I looked at her toes, and there were two drops of blood,” Staten said. “I thought it was a scorpion bite, and we began treating it as such.”
After elevating the wound and giving their daughter a shower, Staten’s husband, David called the Arizona Poison Control (APC). By that time, Aubrey’s foot was black and had swollen three times its size.
“Poison Control immediately realized that it was a snakebite and not a scorpion bite,” she said. “They told us to take her to the Emergency Room right away.”
Staten said Poison Control called ahead and told the ER to admit Aubrey as soon as she arrived. Once admitted at the hospital, she was put on an anti-venom drip and the swelling of her foot was measured. The staff also gathered information about the attack.
“I saw something pink go out and then go in,” Aubrey said.
Aubrey was eventually flown out via helicopter to Tucson’s University Medical Center (UMC) and kept for several days until she was released on Monday, Aug. 21. She was given seven vials of anti-venom to combat the poison in her system.
Physician Assistant Mark Scott of the Main Street Medical Center said medical professionals need an accurate description of the snake so they can determine whether or not it’s poisonous and what medication to administer. The color, size, head shape, markings and other characteristics, such as a rattle, are very important.
“The most important thing is to stay calm, which is very hard in that situation,” Scott said. “A person does not want to increase their blood flow and circulate the venom throughout the body.”
Scott also said the old adage of sucking out the venom from the wound is a bad idea because it does not work. Following a snake bite, it is crucial for the victim to get to a hospital right away.
Of course, the best course of action is to prevent a snake bite. When an encounter with a snake occurs, stay away from it and do not try to move or kill it. If a person lives in a residential area, call animal control to get help from a professional, Scott said.
“Keep the grass and weeds cut back, and try not to grow plants that a snake could easily hide under,” Scott said. “Wear protective clothing, especially when hiking.”
A snakebite is far more serious for children or the elderly, so families should take extra precautions and be on the look-out for snakes in the spring and during monsoon season.
Ultimately, Scott said the venom of a poisonous snake can lead to death or amputation due to cellular destruction and decreased blood flow in a person’s body.
“It was a really scary experience for all of us. We are just thankful God provided us with good doctors to care for Aubrey,” Staten said.
The APC also sent doctors to UMC to follow up with Aubrey, Staten said, and were extremely helpful during the incident.
“I would especially like to thank the local ER, RN Shirley Worley, ER tech Robert Ketcum and Dr. Jeff Beeley,” Staten said.
Field Supervisor Hans Koenig of Arizona’s Game and Fish Department said the Gila Valley is a region of the southwestern United States where there are types of rattlesnakes who have an extremely toxic level level of venom.
“Predominantly, in the lower elevations of the Gila Valley, there are Mohave and Western Diamondbacks,” Koenig said. “The Western Diamondbacks are pretty aggressive and very common.”
The Western Diamondbacks are also responsible for more bites and deaths than any other rattlesnake in Arizona, and the Mohave rattlesnake has the most venomous bite in comparison to other rattlers, reportedly 10 times higher than other rattlesnakes.
When a person is bitten by anything or has wrongly ingested any drug, call the Arizona Poison Control and Drug Information Center at 1-800-362-0101.
Venomous rattlesnake strikes child