Overview

Poisonous snake or lizard bite

A bite from a poisonous (venomous) snake or lizard requires emergency care. If you have been bitten by a snake or lizard that you know or think might be poisonous, call 911 or other emergency services right away. Don't wait for symptoms to develop.

If you aren't sure what type of snake or lizard bit you, call the Poison Control Center right away to help identify the snake or lizard and find out what to do next. Medicine to counteract the effects of the poison (antivenom) can save a limb or your life.

It's important to stay calm.

Poisonous snakes or lizards found in North America include:

• Pit vipers (family Viperidae), such as a:
  • Rattle snake.
  • Copperhead snake.
  • Cottonmouth (water moccasin).
• Coral snakes.
• Gila monsters and Mexican beaded lizards.

Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii are the only states that don't have at least one poisonous snake species in the wild.

Symptoms of a pit viper snakebite often appear from minutes to hours after a bite. Severe burning pain at the site usually starts within minutes. Then swelling starts spreading out from the bite.

Several things affect how severe a poisonous snake or lizard bite will be. They include:

• The type and size of the snake or lizard.
• How much venom was injected (if any).
• How potent the injected venom is.
• Where and how deep the bite is.
• How many bites there were, and where they occurred on the body.
• The age, size, and health of the person who was bitten.

If you don't have symptoms within 8 to 12 hours, it may be that no venom was injected. This is called a dry bite. At least 25%, and perhaps up to 50%, of bites are dry. If poison is released in the bite, about 35% of the bites have mild injections of poison (envenomations), 25% are moderate, and 10% to 15% are severe.

It's important to remember that a snake only injects part of its venom with each bite. So a snake is still dangerous after the first strike. A bite from a young snake can be serious. And a dead snake, even one with a severed head, can still bite and release venom by reflex action for up to 90 minutes after it dies. Even if you don't have symptoms within 8 hours, keep watching for symptoms for 2 weeks or more.

Nonpoisonous snake or lizard bite

Most snakes and lizards in North America aren't poisonous. Bites may be scary, but most don't cause serious health problems. A bite from a small nonpoisonous snake might leave teeth marks, a minor scrape, or a puncture wound without other symptoms. Home treatment often relieves symptoms and helps prevent infection.

Most nonpoisonous snakebites can be treated at home. But a bite from a large nonpoisonous snake (such as a boa constrictor, a python, or an anaconda) can be more serious. In North America, these snakes are found in the Florida Everglades and zoos, but they may also be kept as exotic pets. The force of the bite can injure the skin, muscles, joints, or bones. Other problems can occur with a nonpoisonous snake or lizard bite even if the reptile is small. A snake or lizard's tooth may break off in a wound. Or a skin infection may occur at the site of the bite.

Self-Care

Poisonous snake or lizard bite

If you were bitten by a snake or lizard that you know or think is poisonous, call 911 or other emergency services right away. Don't wait for symptoms to develop. Symptoms may progress from mild to severe rapidly.

If you aren't sure what type of snake or lizard bit you, take a picture of it. But don't do this if it will delay treatment or put someone at risk for more bites. Don't waste time or take any risks trying to kill or bring in the snake. Only trap a poisonous snake if the chances are good that it will bite more people if you let it go. It's important to remember that a snake only injects part of its venom with each bite. So it can still hurt you after the first strike. And a dead snake, even one with a severed head, can bite and release venom by reflex action for up to 90 minutes after it dies.

Medicine (antivenom) to counteract the effects of the poison can save a limb or your life. Antivenom is given as soon as a doctor decides it's needed, usually within the first 4 hours after the snakebite. Antivenom may be effective up to 2 weeks or more after a snakebite. Take these steps after a poisonous snake or lizard bite.

• Start home treatment right away.

  But don't delay getting emergency care while you start home treatment.

  • If you think the snake bite is an emergency, call 911.
  • Stay calm, and try to rest quietly.
  • If you aren't sure what type of snake or lizard bit you, call a Poison Control Center right away to help identify the snake or lizard and find out what to do next.
  • Remove any jewelry. The limbs might swell, making it harder to remove the jewelry after swelling starts.
  • Use a pen to mark the edge of the swelling around the bite every 15 minutes. This will help your doctor estimate how the venom is moving in your body.
• Avoid doing anything that might cause more problems with the bite.
  • Do not cut the bite open.
  • Do not suck on the bite wound or use any kind of extraction device.
  • Do not use a constriction band, such as a tourniquet or bandage, on a bite.
  • Do not soak your hand or foot in ice water or pack your arm or leg in ice. It can increase damage to the skin and cause a cold-induced injury, such as frostbite.
  • Do not raise the bitten arm or leg above your head. It may increase the flow of venom into the bloodstream.
  • Do not drink alcohol.
  • Do not give any prescription or nonprescription medicines after a poisonous snake or lizard bite unless your doctor tells you to. Some medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, may cause increased bleeding.

Nonpoisonous snake or lizard bite

If you are sure that the snake or lizard wasn't poisonous, you can use home treatment to reduce symptoms and prevent infection.

• Stop bleeding with direct pressure to the wound.
• Inspect the wound.
  • Look at the wound to make sure that a snake or lizard tooth isn't in the wound.
  • Remove a tooth with tweezers. Take care to not push it farther into the wound.
• Clean the wound to prevent complications.

  Clean the bite as soon as you can. This will help reduce the chance of infection, scarring, and tattooing of the skin from dirt left in the wound.

  • Wash the wound for 5 minutes with large amounts of clean, warm water.
  • Do not use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or Mercurochrome. They can harm the tissue and slow wound healing.
• Bandage the wound, if needed.

  Puncture wounds usually heal well. They may not need a bandage. But you may want to use a bandage if you think that the bite will get dirty or irritated.

  • Cover the wound with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a nonstick bandage.
  • Apply a clean bandage when your bandage gets wet or dirty.
• Determine whether you need a tetanus shot.
• Apply ice.

  An ice or cold pack may help reduce swelling and bruising. Never apply ice directly to a wound or the skin. It could cause tissue damage.

For the next 4 to 5 days, soak the wound in warm water for 20 minutes, 2 to 4 times a day. The warmth from the water will increase the blood flow to the area. This helps reduce the chance of infection.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

• New or worse signs of an infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or a fever.
• Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.

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