Reptile & Amphibian Forums

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061005/ap_on_fe_st/snakebite_treatment;_ylt=AhUUPSVpu5aXO3FSZkDhmx.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

Agreed, it was pretty good. A preasure bandage is much more suitable if the bite requires such first aid.

Unfortunately it isnt as cut and dry as they make it sound. The new article holds true if one were bitten my a Crotalus, Bitis, Bothrops etc but what about dendroaspis?

For one to know the proper first aid treatment one most also know the snakes venom compisition and what complications come along with each individual bite.

For "hemotoxic" snake bites a preasure bandage or any attempt to cut off or supression of the bitten area would be a bad thing because you isolate the tissue destroying venom in one spot. However, if I were bitten by a N.kaouthia lets say, a snake known for both its tissue destroying qualities as well as the hi chance of prayalsis I would definately presure badage the areas because whats worse, necrosis or death from your lungs being shut off?

In the case of Taipan, Mamba, Some Naja bites etc a preasure bandage is the best first aid treatment you can administer because the venom can kill you in under 30 mins and the preasure bandage slows down the progression expenentialy.

For the sake of the article it was good info but for those of us who come into contact with exotics, well, this info only holds merit in some envenomations. I would also be wary to not preasure bandage bites from Corals and Mojaves.

Kinda preaching to the quire since most of us here know this. Just wanted it to be made clear to any novices on the site just incase they took this post as endorsed by an experince keeper in which case Larry definately is.

To put it simply, if the snakes has Nerutoxins and is known to produce fatal envenomations you definately want to slow doewn and isolate the venom's progression.

P.S I mentioned preasure bandgae instead of Tourniquet because its pretty common knowledage that completely cutting off your circulations is only hurtinmg things. A preasure badage employs the same usage but still allows blood flow.

The disadvantages the article mentioned regarding the tourniquet holds true for preasure bandage as well, save for the examples I mentioned above.

>>Kinda preaching to the quire since most of us here know this. Just wanted it to be made clear to any novices on the site just incase they took this post as endorsed by an experince keeper in which case Larry definately is.

Agreed. I should have specified that the reason I liked the article was that it got this info out to the general U.S. public who, for the most part, will never have to worry about elapid bites.

Anyone keeping exotic hots ought to educate themselves well beyond what's in this quick article, and know whether or not to use a pressure bandage for each species they keep.

I also do have a couple of picky issues with this article (and the one Wes psted 67 seconds ahead of me).

1) After making the excellent point that pressure bandages should almost never be used, they go on to say that they think the guy might not have made it if he took ten minutes longer to get there...which, if it's true (probably not), would mean that this was one of those rare cases where it might have been a good idea... But then there was no way to know that ahead of time, so "darned if ya do..."

2) After making another excellent point that using a suction device probably won't help, they go on to say that they should only be used by medical personel... I think it's pretty well accepted that IF they are going to help at all they have to be applied within seconds... So I guess you need to carry a nurse around on your back in rattlesnake territory...