The Dry Bite
Whilst dry bites can be painful and cause swelling and redness, the bite itself is “dry” as the snake does not release venom. Remember, you can’t always tell which type of snake bite a person has suffered so you should always seek medical attention.
The Venomous bite
As mentioned previously, a venomous bite is where the snake releases venom containing poison into a wound. This poison is used to stun, numb or kill the victim. Venomous bites will also result in swelling and redness as well as nausea, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, breathing difficulty and a number of other symptoms.
It is essential to act quickly after a snake bite.
Here are our top 6 do’s and don’ts if you are bitten by a snake:
Do seek medical help immediately as the venom can cause severe damage to health or even death within a few hours.
Do NOT allow the victim to walk or move their limbs. Use a splint or sling to minimise all limb movement. Put the patient on a stretcher or bring transportation to the patient.
Do NOT incise or cut the bite or apply a high tourniquet. Cutting or incising the bite won’t help. High tourniquets are ineffective and can be fatal if released or result in loss of limb.
Do bandage firmly, splint and immobilise to stop the spread of venom. To slow the spread of venom, major medical associations recommend placing a folded pad over the bite area. Then apply a firm bandage to wrap the entire limb, from bottom to top. It should not stop blood flow to the limb or congest the veins. Only remove the bandage in a medical facility, as the release of pressure will cause a rapid flow of venom through the bloodstream.
Do NOT wash the area of the bite or try to suck out the venom. It is extremely important to retain traces of venom for use with venom identification kits.
Do NOT attempt to catch/kill the snake. Recent advances in medication mean that snakebites can be treated with a generic polyvalent anti-venom, so you do not need to stay in the area to identify the colour and type of snake.
Once initial first aid has been applied in any situation, medical attention should be sought immediately. When it comes to emergencies, empowered agricultural employees are safe employees
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