Ask SAM: Got snakebite? Ignore the movies

This column is provided by Larimer County Extension's Small Acreage Management (SAM) Program to assist rural residents.

Dear SAM,

I saw a rattlesnake on our road yesterday. How do I protect myself from snakes, and what should I do if a family member is bitten?

Claudia

Dear Claudia,

We live in rattlesnake habitat and occasional encounters are inevitable.

Preventing encounters is the best way to avoid snakebites. During summer months, snakes seek out cool, damp shelters. These can include inside or under buildings. Check for holes or cracks around doors, windows and pipes entering the building. Seal all openings 1/4-inch or larger with mortar, caulking compound or 1/8-inch mesh hardware cloth. Use hardware cloth to enclose crawl spaces under houses.

Other rattlesnake hideouts include woodpiles, tall grass or brush or that pile of junk you are planning to take to the dump next week.

If a rattlesnake bites you, stay calm and get to a hospital as soon as possible. It may not be easy to remain calm as snake venom treks through your veins, but that is the recommendation from poison control centers.

Most snakebite treatments from Western movies should be avoided. Do not apply a tourniquet. Do not cut the wound with a knife or try to suck out the venom with your mouth. And, unfortunately, refrain from taking a shot of whiskey.

About 1,000 people are bitten by rattlesnakes annually in the United States. Fewer than a dozen people die from rattlesnake venom each year. Some, but not all, cases are treated with antivenin. Antivenin is expensive and adverse reactions can occur. Only a physician is qualified to make the judgment regarding use of antivenin.

Pets and livestock are more likely than humans to be bitten by a poisonous snake. Local veterinarians report that dogs, horses, llamas and alpacas are the species most often treated for rattlesnake bites.

Snakebite treatment for animals is similar to that for humans. Keep the animal calm. If possible, carry your pet to a vehicle to decrease its activity. Get the animal to a veterinarian as quickly as possible.

Your veterinarian will help you decide if antivenin should be given to your animal. While antivenin has been shown to improve outcomes for humans, benefits are not as apparent in veterinary practices. The effects of shock from the bite are often as threatening as the venom. As with humans, most animals will survive the bite if appropriate actions are taken quickly.

About one-third of rattlesnake bites are dry bites. While unpleasant, dry bites do not inject venom into the victim. If you are the victim of a rattlesnake dry bite, you are supposed to consider yourself lucky.

That's some kind of luck.

SAM

Have a question about rural living? Write to Ask SAM, Larimer County Cooperative Extension, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524 or e-mail emarx@larimer.org.