Though snake bites rarely happen on Missouri float trips, it’s important that rafters and campers are prepared in the event that they are bitten. Nearly half of all reported snake bites occur in children. While there is no record of anyone dying from a copperhead snake bite, recognizing the symptoms and knowing what to do for treatment is crucial, especially for children whose smaller body size means they’ll have a larger concentration of venom.
Missouri’s venomous snakes are members of the pit viper family with a characteristic pit between their eye and nostril on both sides of their heads. The most common venomous snake in Missouri is the copperhead. Other venomous snakes include the Osage and southern copperhead, water moccasins (cottonmouths), massasauga rattlesnake, western pygmy rattlesnake and timber rattlesnake.
Symptoms of snake bites depend on the size and type of snake, the victim’s health, size and age and the location of the bite on the body. Not all snake bites result in evenomation, the discharge of venom. In fact, nearly 25% of poisonous snake bites do not. Missouri’s pit vipers have hemotoxic venom, meaning venom that causes damage to blood and other tissues. Their bites often show two characteristic fang marks. Victims experience intense pain and swelling at the site of the bite within five minutes of being bitten. Other symptoms include weakness, rapid pulse, numbness, tingling sensations, bruising, bleeding disorders, an unusual metallic taste, vomiting and confusion.
If someone gets bitten by a poisonous snake, they should be transported to a hospital as soon as possible to be evaluated by an emergency medical care facility. The area where the victim was bitten should be immobilized. Wash the bitten area with soap and water. Apply a wide constriction bandage, like a tourniquet, two to four inches upstream from the bitten area. Be sure the pressure isn’t too tight. You should be able to slide one or two fingers under the band. You don’t want to block arterial blood flow to the affected area. This will worsen tissue damage. Avoid incising (cutting) and suctioning the bite area. A 2004 study of mock venom showed that incising and suctioning the bite area is not beneficial. Never apply ice or cooling packs to the bite area because this may result in greater harm. Once at the hospital, medical doctors and staff will evaluate the victim for symptoms of evenomation and determine if antivenin (antivenom) is needed.
If your dog or pet is the victim of a snake bite, get your pet to a vet as soon as possible. Clean the bite wound with soap and water to prevent infection. Keep calm and reassure your pet that everything is going to be fine. Do not put lotion or tourniquets on your pet and do not incise the bite area. This will only hurt your pet and alarm them even further. To help with the swelling give smaller dogs 10 mg. (1 pill) of Benadryl and two Benadryl pills for big dogs.
Ben Franklin once said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to snake bites, prevention is the key. Stay on trails while hiking. Avoid wooded areas. Keep an open eye along shores of ponds, rivers and lakes. Keep Benadryl on hand for your pets and seek immediate medical attention at a hospital or veterinarian if you or your pet is the victim of a snake bite.
