First aid treatment in snakebite

Hi,
i'm interested in how would you handle a serious snakebite by a venomous snake.
it's definetly clear that everyone will set an emergency call and try to calm down and move as less as possible .
I'm mainly interested in your own first aid treatment for example when you have an anaphylaxia.
Does anybody try to cut and suck out the venom?
Does anybody take drugs e.g. Antihistaminika,cortisol or even an epipen when you have anaphylaxia?
Do you store all these things and do you store antivenom?
Would you administer yourself any other drugs while waiting for the doctor e.g. Mg, Ca+,K+?
Or would you do nothing until the doctor arrives ?
I have read an article about nitroglycerine ointment as first aid treatment in snakebites.

Bye Jan

first: forum language is english - no exceptions!
second: silly posts containing personal insults are not in accordance with our rules!
third: take that as a serious warning!

regards,
Peter

Hello Jan Claudius,

I don´t know the contents of the post above but your questions absolutely make sense and answers may be important for many keepers of venemous snakes.

Does anybody try to cut and suck out the venom? - I wouldn´t, especially not in snakes with venom that has an impact on blood-coagulation (anticoagulant). If a blood vessel gets damaged you can lose lots of blood in a short time bringing additional risk. Even if you desinfect the skin and tool there is a higher risk of infection of the wound than in a normal injury (at least in all venoms that have an influence on metabolism in cells in the area of the bite).
Another view: One friend of mine got bitten by a big Crotalus basiliscus, another one by a Dendroaspis polylepis. Both are convinced they had only a minor envenomation because they used the "Venomex" for cutting and sucking immediately. Maybe, maybe not, I rather suppose the Crotalus-bite was almost dry and the Mamba-bite totally dry.

Does anybody take drugs e.g. Antihistaminika,cortisol or even an epipen when you have anaphylaxia? - If you are allergic it may take too long until the ambulance or doctor arrive so the choice take it or not may mean life or death. The decision when to take it must be made by yourself according to the effect of the bite.
A friend of mine got bitten by a Vipera ammodytes (years before that by a Vipera aspis) and had severe anaphylaxy before the ambulance and doctor arrived. He had no emergency medication at home. He could be saved but a few minutes later he would have been dead.

Do you store all these things and do you store antivenom? - If you know that you have allergic reactions to any substances you should be aware of a possible allergy to snakes too. In this case it would be a good idea to have medication (to treat allergy, not antivenin) handy. If you know you are allergic to contents of the venom of any of your snakes I would call it a must.

Would you administer yourself any other drugs while waiting for the doctor e.g. Mg, Ca+,K+? - I wouldn´t
Or would you do nothing until the doctor arrives ? - I would watch myself and symptoms carefully and decide according to that. Many bites are dry without any consequences. In case you come into troubles - I think this question has been answered above.

Cheers,
Rainer

Okay, but it was not a affront against Jan but a joke, we know each other. PM probably had been a better way..

Jan:

Do you have the "snake bite guidelines" of Dr David Warrell??, send me your e-mail, and i will send to you.



Photo: Snakebite for Bothrops atrox (Dr Julio Demarini-Perú)

Greetings from Perú