3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue 1 & 2 Jan - Apr 2 3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue | Page 13

Snakebites
Do’s and Don’ts
What to do if a snake bites you. You
won’t always see the snake that bites
you, in fact you might not even realise
that you’ve been bitten. Get help.
Do’s
Apply a firm bandage and splint to
immobilise and stop the venom
spreading.
Stay put - the patient should move as little as
possible, by moving you will speed up the spread
of the venom. Either put the patient on stretcher
or bring transport to them.
Seek urgent medical help, venom can cause
severe damage and even death within hours.
Don’ts
Do not wash the wound or try to suck out the
poison. Traces of venom in the bite can be
used to identify which snake bit you.
Don’t waste time looking for the snake – venom
identification is quicker, safer and more accurate.
Do not apply a high tourniquet – this is extremely
dangerous and could result in death when the
tourniquet is removed.
Men are much
more likely
to be bitten by a
snake.
3⁄4 of
snakebites
are men in
their 30’s.
Snakebites
happen
in urban areas.
You are more
likely to be
bitten close to
home rather
than in the
bush.
Vol 4 | Issue 1 |Jan - Feb 2019
Lookout for
snakes on your
property.
Going for a
walk and
gardening are
the most
common
activities when
bites occurred.
Symptoms of a
Snakebite:
Puncture Wound
Swelling And Redness Around The
Wounds
Pain At The Bite Site
Difficulty Breathing
Vomiting And Nausea
Blurred Vision
Sweating And Salivating
Numbness
Brown snakes
can be
aggressive.
41%of the
recorded bites
are from the
brown snake.
Check arms
and legs
for puncture
wounds.
Over 90% of
snakebites
were found to
occur on the
upper and
lower limbs.
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