Fortunately, bites from venomous snakes are very uncommon and are rarely lethal when prompt medical attention is provided. The document in this series entitled Preventing Encounters between Children and Snakes includes guidance on discouraging snakes from entering school grounds and a brief educational presentation that teachers can give to students to educate them about snakes.
A free PowerPoint presentation with speaking notes is also available by email request from Dr. Steve A. Johnson—tadpole ufl. Having an action plan in place that involves access to immediate medical care and communication with a Poison Control Center will help ensure that snakebite victims get the best care possible. The document in this series entitled Emergency Snakebite Action Plan provides guidance on what to do in the event of a venomous snakebite.
Preventing Encounters between Children and Snakes. Recognizing Florida's Venomous Snakes. Home Experts Topics. Introduction As Florida's human population continues to expand, natural areas are increasingly replaced and interspersed among residential areas and other urban land uses, including schools. Figure 1. Teaching children, parents, and school staff to respect snakes and adopt "a leave-them-alone" attitude will help to prevent snake bites.
Credit: Monica E. Initially, antivenom production was limited to the venom of the Cape Cobra and Puff Adder , but in , Gaboon Adder venom was introduced.
The venom of the three southern African mambas were added to the polyvalent antivenom in During the s the venoms of various other cobras were also added. A monovalent antivenom was developed for the venom of the Boomslang in South African Vaccine Producers in Johannesburg manufacture a monovalent antivenom that is effective against the venom of the Boomslang , a polyvalent antivenom that provides protection against the venom of the Puff Adder , Gaboon Adder , Black and Green Mambas , the Rinkhals and all of the dangerous cobras in southern Africa, as well as a monovalent antivenom for the Saw-scaled Viper that does not occur within our range.
Snakebite kits contain two 10 ml vials of antivenom and can be purchased directly from the SAVP. Any exposure to high temperatures will alter its effectiveness. The kit has a three-year shelf life; each vial has an expiry date beyond which it should not be used.
Antivenom is NOT a first-aid measure and, if required, should be injected by a doctor in a hospital environment. The dosage depends on the amount of venom injected, rather than the weight of the victim; a child will therefore receive the same amount of antivenom as an adult. Most snakebite victims that are treated with antivenom receive 8 — 12 vials. In some cases patients go into anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition during which the blood pressure drops and the heart may stop beating.
Doctors treat such patients with adrenaline. Snakebite in southern Africa. Home Snakebite in southern Africa. Snakebite in southern Africa Snakebites can be serious and sometimes life-threatening and require swift and appropriate treatment. The majority of victims do, however, experience a full recovery without the administration of antivenom. In many instances venomous snakes will bite in self-defence and inject no venom at all — such bites are referred to as dry bites. Another possibility is that a potentially deadly snake may inject a small amount of venom — far too little to do serious damage — and, in such instances, antivenom would not be required.
Doctors need to do a thorough assessment of the condition of a snakebite victim before antivenom is administered. Snakebite Symptoms Snakebite symptoms vary dramatically from bite to bite. First Aid Measures for Snakebite — Get the victim to a hospital as soon as possible and in a safe manner Keep the number of the closest hospital with a trauma unit and ambulance service on your cell phone and call ahead to notify them of the emergency.
Download the ASI Snakes app — Keep the victim calm and as still as possible Movement speeds up the spread of venom in the lymphatic system. Pressure Bandages Pressure immobilisation may be beneficial and inhibit the spread of venom while the victim is transported to hospital. Application of a Pressure Bandage — Immobilise the limb and immediately apply firm pressure to the site of the bite with a hand. Artificial Respiration In serious snakebite cases involving snakes with predominantly neurotoxic venom, like the Black Mamba or Cape Cobra , the victim may experience difficulty with breathing.
Pets, Farm Animals and Snakebite Many dogs are bitten by snakes, usually while trying to kill a snake. Know Your Venom Snake venom is complex in composition and varies dramatically from species to species.
Antivenom The development of antivenom Antivenom was first used in and, in , the first South African antivenom was produced in Pietermaritzburg in small quantities.
Antivenom today South African Vaccine Producers in Johannesburg manufacture a monovalent antivenom that is effective against the venom of the Boomslang , a polyvalent antivenom that provides protection against the venom of the Puff Adder , Gaboon Adder , Black and Green Mambas , the Rinkhals and all of the dangerous cobras in southern Africa, as well as a monovalent antivenom for the Saw-scaled Viper that does not occur within our range.
Emergency Numbers If you spend a great deal of time in the bush, check whether your medical aid company provides a helicopter evacuation service in medical emergencies and record the appropriate telephone numbers. Mpumalanga Courses. Northern Cape Courses. North-West Courses. Limpopo Courses. Free State Courses. Western Cape Courses.
Gauteng Courses. KwaZulu-Natal Courses. Eastern Cape Courses. Download Herp Bulletin. Before you download this resource, please enter your details:. Sadly, habitat loss and fragmentation associated with development are serious threats for many snake species, as is wanton persecution by people who are ignorant of the important roles snakes play in Florida's ecology or who cannot confidently identify snakes.
Several species of Florida's snakes are now considered threatened or endangered, and even commonly seen species that seem to thrive in urban areas are at risk of being killed by pets, lawnmowers, vehicles, or residents who are unfamiliar with Florida's snakes. In residential areas where human-snake encounters are likely, we recommend a three-part proactive approach for coexisting safely with snakes:.
Education—Learn to identify commonly encountered non-venomous and venomous snakes, and teach others—especially children! Learn to understand and respect snakes, and to be safe in areas frequented by snakes. Prevention—Take steps to discourage snakes from entering homes and high-use areas of residential properties, warn children and pets to stay away from areas frequented by snakes, and adopt a leave-it-be attitude.
Emergency Plan—Establish an emergency action plan for the unlikely event that a resident, child, or pet is bitten by a venomous snake. This fact sheet is the first in a series of four by Dr. Steve Johnson and Monica McGarrity that provide information to Florida's residents on how to identify snakes that are commonly encountered in residential settings, how to prevent negative encounters from occurring in the first place, and how to respond in the unlikely event that someone is bitten by a snake.
Anyone living in Florida, especially people new to the state, will find these fact sheets useful. Identifying Commonly Encountered Snakes. Carmichael, P.
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