Snake Bite Kit

NCIC105

New member
Here is the reason to carry a snake bite kit when in the woods!
Friend from Alabama

Link Removed

The pic is of left leg after being struck by a 6ft timber rattler today while turkey hunting. The snake bit through my hunting pants and Muck Boots (I usually wear snake boots when turkey hunting, but could not locate them this morning). The initial bite felt like being hit in the calf by a baseball bat at full swing followed by excruciating pain radiating out from the bite wounds. Fortunately, I carry a snake bite extractor kit in my turkey vest, and was able to remove the majority (I guestimated 3-4 cups) of the venom contaminated blood. Following the instructions from the kit, I kept my heart rate down as best I could, and slowly limped the 200 yds to my vehicle, and was able to drive myself to the hospital which, thank the good Lord, was about 20 min away. Once there, I was administered the anti-venom, antibiotics, ect. The ER Doc told me that, based on the distance between the two fang punctures and their diameter and depth, if I had not used the venom extractor kit, I would have died before I ever made it to my truck. So, if you do not already own one, I want you to go to a sporting goods store and purchase a venom extractor kit ASAP. I bought mine at academy and it was around $10.00. I would urge you to buy a couple. Put one in each vehicle in your household, in your hunting or hiking pack, and especially your B.O.B. ect,,,,they are about the size of a bar of soap and can literally save your life or someone you love. Please don't blow this off. Do it tomorrow!!!!
I am spending one night (hopefully) in the hospital, and may require some minor surgery to remove any damaged tissue from the poison, but that is a far cry from losing my leg or passing through the pearly gates!!!!


 
Nasty stuff, My sister in law stepped on a small diamond back. With in a few weeks the effects of anti venom hits ya and you are sick again. That is what we were told, and it did happen. They also stated it was a one time shot. Dont know but it is a bad deal and those snakes are hard to see.
 
One this big can be deadly.....I have seen one 5 footer but never a 6 footer...

That is a huge rattler.
 
That's one big effen snake! I've never been bitten and certainly will do whatever it takes to not get bitten. I swell up and look like Jabba the Hut after a mosquito sting...I would probably immediately explode after a snake bite.
 

Good post and link. I've been teaching wilderness medicine for almost twenty years, and the professional and scientific literature is pretty solidly in the "doesn't accomplish anything" camp when it cones to snake venom extractor devices. Even Sawyer, the maker of the only one worth anything at all, says used optimally it only removes 30% of delivered venom, and we all know "optimal" is a dream in the field. That said, I'm glad the OP recovered without ill effects from a nasty bite.
 
3-4 cups of blood sucked out? 4 cups is a quart! I'm surprised that you didn't pass out from blood loss if you actually extracted that much blood. Get well soon.
BTW, did you shoot that sucker after he bit you?
 
This is from a friend in Al...IO'm sure he was guessing as I think from that much blood you would need to be given blood and can't imaging driving yourself......I told him he had to be wrong in this estimate...He said they gave him some good drugs for the pain....
 
One thing cool about these kits, is using them for bug bites. If you're sensitive to certain types, you can extract the whatever it is they inject that causes swelling and itching thereby reducing the effects.
 
They've been shown to reduce the inflammation resulting from allergic reaction to the venom, but no study shows much reduction in venom after the first few seconds have gone by. You're right, though, in that they can reduce the swelling and itching associated with insect innoculum. They also work great on zits.
 
Four cups is the average amount to put a person into shock. He was obviously overestimating dramatically...


I talked to him last night...What he was referring to was 4 of the suction cups full...Now a measuring cup...Bet most of it was venom.
 
snake bite kit

Here is the reason to carry a snake bite kit when in the woods!
Friend from Alabama

Bad idea! Do some research. The venom infuses quickly into the tissues and all the kit does is to make a wound that is more susceptible to infection. Best to remain calm as possible, tie a slight tourniquet, and get somewhere asap where they have antivenom.
 
Yes, folks, the venom does immediately start moving through the bloodstream, but not at the speed of light. He used a type of kit that does not make you cut an x and suck the venom out. (That's usually what causes infection and complications.)The kit has a suction device that can take out quite a bit of residual venom if used immediately. I've carried one of those since I was an Army Medic. If I couldn't get one of those I used a syringe. Every state where I served had venomous snakes, so I used the kits or a syringe several times in my career.I wish him well on his recuperation.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
49,523
Messages
610,662
Members
74,992
Latest member
RedDotArmsTraining
Back
Top