FIeld Med Kit Item - Snake Bite Kit

[CraginS]

For at least 15 years I have had an inexpensive venom kit in my field gear - good for snake bites and other stings.
A news report today, with photos, shows the value of having such a kit when out in the woods, where we often launch and land:
http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/p ... nake-bite/

Luckily, I have never had to use it for a snake bite. I have, however, used it successfully for many bee and wasp stings.

I highly recommend everyone who enjoys the mountains and forests pick up this kit at any major outdoor supplier, and keep it handy.

[Danny Brotto]

Arg! Sorry Craigin but these snake bite kits are useless and can actually do more harm than good! As a reptile enthusiast (and sometimes field collector), I thought I should I should chime in and help dispel the inaccuracy.

I can imagine that such a suction device might prove beneficial for bee or wasp stings as the venom sack is superficial to the victims skin. Venom continues to be injected post sting by pulsating muscles left with the venom sack at the site of the sting. So the suction could serve to help keep additional venom from being injected however any injected venom is not coming out. Another more economical technique would be to simply scrape the venom sack and stinger off with a knife or key. Trying to pull it out will simply squeeze more venom into the wound so don’t do that!

Venomous snake inject venom deeply into the wound. You are not going to suck, cut, or bleed it out. At the same time not all venomous snake bites are ‘wet”… venomous snakes can bite but withhold venom making a “dry” bite. Any venom lost in a defensive maneuver means less/no venom for its next potential meal.

More information here: http://pet-snakes.com/useless-tool-snake-bite-kit

Danny Brotto

[CraginS]

Danny,
Thank you. That is some valuable added information. There are some nuances in the topic that I'd like to hear your comment on.
First is the reported physician's testimonial in the article I linked to. It appears he specifically credited the removal of the venom using the suction pump as contributing to the hiker's survival. That seems contrary not only to the reference link you posted, but also to a couple more added to the parallel thread over on Oz Report Forum, courtesy of Helen in Oz:

"http://www.stjohn.org.au/images/stjohn/ ... kebite.pdf
or, more detail here: http://www.csl.com.au/docs/422/417/0910 CSL IH First Aid Flyer - A4 Compressed,0.pdf
"Your Mayo Clinic recommends the same treatment as St John. Note all specifically recommend NOT trying to remove the venom. In Australia, this is partly because it may help identify the snake before antivenom can be administered.
"It's also highly probable that extractor pumps don't work: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14747805 "

-= -= -=

Second is a detail in the petsnakes page you linked. The description of the snake bite kit is of the kits we carried as Boy Scouts, 50 years ago" two small red rubber suction cups, a small razor, and a tourniquet. First aid training has not called for either the cutting or the tourniquet for at least 30 years that I am aware of, and probably longer. I don't think that kit form has been sold in decades. The current model venom kit shown in both the article I linked and the petsnakes page you provided contains only a few alcohol swabs and the suction plunger with a set of several sizes of cups to place against the skin.

The differences in kits noted, it still is helpful to learn the more accurate current treatment for snake bites. As I mentioned, I have used the suction pump with very positive results on insect stings, bee and wasp. I've used it on myself and others.

From all this updated information, it seems the best advice is to use the pump for stings, but not for snake bites.

I look forward to learning more - I love the breadth of expertise we have in our club, and in the sport worldwide.


Thanks!

Craig