[Talisker]

Experts say you should never try to suck the venom out. In fact, Schaeffer says that could actually make it worse. Also, don’t use ice on the bite and don’t use a tourniquet to keep the venom from spreading.

Without some good reasons, I call bull.

[Axenolith]

Because then, you might decide to ride it out after getting most of it out and not contribute to the medical cash farming Industry.

An uncle of mine, and my late grandfathers toy poodle were both bitten by copperheads and managed without AV. Was touch and go with the dog for a couple weeks... Uncle said it was “like 2 hot pokers of FAR stuck into ma ankle!”

Granted, the lady might have an allergy, or be some candy ass liberal transplant... (ARF!)

[ro_dreaming]

My paternal grandfather was bitten by a copper head. He killed the snake, crosscut the Bute with his pocket knife to let it bleed out, and went about pulling potatoes from the patch.

/Story my dad recently told me, so this was mid 1950s rural Texas.

[driftdiver]

It’s good advice.

[trebb]

Experts say you should never try to suck the venom out. In fact, Schaeffer says that could actually make it worse. Also, don’t use ice on the bite and don’t use a tourniquet to keep the venom from spreading. Without some good reasons, I call bull.

Sucking the venom out is ineffective in most cases because it was injected further in than what most will be able to apply suction to and many have had complications from the cuts some try to use after watching the old movies.

Putting a tourniquet on will only exacerbate the biggest problem from most snake bites - swelling has been known to cut off blood supply to the point where amputation is necessary - the tourniquet only speeds up the process by limiting flow earlier in the game - most snake bites are highly survivable and unless the person has a bad heart or other problems, swelling is the biggest threat.

Got that info while attending rattlesnake roundups while stationed in Oklahoma - they taste like dry chicken....

[SJackson]

Pretty standard instructions, for circumstances when medical help is within an hour, not mentioned in the article. The only actual treatment is anti venom. Cutting increases the risk of infection, and the liklihood is you'll miss the actual venom deposit, fangs being curved and of indeterminate length. Tourniquet reduces circulation, inhibiting dilution of the venom, and may damage otherwise healthy, uninfected tissue. Same problem with cold. Some sources recomend a tight gauze bandage a few inches above the bite, allowing circulation. Sucking, you have the problem of not necessarily addressing the venom deposit, and risk to whoever is applying the treatment if they have any abrasions in their mouth. I don't think there's any problem with using a pump which is probably smart to carry if nearby help is questionable.

You can find multitudes of conflicting advice, but no tourniquet (tight gauze instead), no cold, no cutting or sucking seem to be pretty widely accepted. And no one seems to object to pumps, though they may not be effective and often include scalpels. Within an hour or so of help, a clean wound and preventing shock is probably more important.