Snake bite: what to do if bitten by a snake, and how to avoid a bite. Bitten by a poisonous snake: what to do, how to provide help, consequences of a bite Snake bite signs and first aid

Fifty grams of vodka inside will help against a reptile bite, but not sucking the poison out

Summer residents and tourists venturing into the forests near Moscow are trumpeting: “There are more snakes,” “The reptiles are literally swarming under our feet,” “We are afraid to let children and dogs into the forest.”

Has the population of poisonous snakes really increased in the Moscow region? What can provoke their aggression? What to do if the snake does bite? In what cases can death occur? - we asked the scientist-naturalist, the most famous snake catcher in the country, a former venom extractor in the serpentarium, Alexander Ognev, and the leading herpetologist of the Moscow Zoo, Doctor of Veterinary Sciences Dmitry Vasilyev.

Usually, encounters with vipers occur at the interface between environments: a swamp - the edge of a forest, a mowed part under power lines - the edge of a forest, garbage on summer cottage- vegetable garden. Photo from personal archive.

“The snake is smooth, the viper is velvet”

Alexander Ognev has just returned from the upper reaches of the Volga. On the border of the Moscow and Tver regions, he caught frogs for his pet snakes. His apartment has been reminiscent of a real zoo for four decades now. One room is completely dedicated to enclosures, terrariums, and aquariums. There are about 70 snakes alone. He is especially proud of non-venomous snakes, which with their “shirts” disguise themselves as poisonous ones. While I was getting frogs for my pet snakes, I also caught a couple of vipers for the Moscow Zoo.

“My vision is no longer good, but I feel snakes intuitively,” says the herpetologist. “We caught those who hissed and gave themselves away.” I probably missed another 30 or so that were silent. Now it is no longer the season for catching, the grass has grown, the snakes, having warmed up in the sun, run away quickly.

— What poisonous snakes are found in Moscow and the Moscow region? Who should we be afraid of?- I ask the naturalist.

- The only one poisonous snake, which lives in the Moscow region, is a common viper. It is also called fire viper and marsh viper,” says Alexander Ognev. — Among all the snakes in the world, it has the most extensive range - the area of distribution: from Great Britain and northern Spain to Lake Baikal. Most of the range is in Russia. We can say that this is the most “Russian snake”. The common viper can also be found in Siberia. The rivers there flow from south to north and are a carrier of heat.

— Can a viper be confused with any of the non-venomous snakes?

“In the same territory, perhaps a little to the south, there lives an ordinary one. It is black or dark gray. At the base of its head it has two spots - yellow, gray, white, orange or pink. There may be snakes without spots. Sometimes they are such a dark gray color that the spots blend into the general background and are not visible. The grass snake has smoother scales, so it shines in the sun. And the viper is like velvet, it has a comb on every scale.

The grass snake is a fast-moving snake; when in danger, it curls up into a tight ball and hisses. If he sees that the danger has not passed, he can pretend to be dead. At the same time, it emits a terrible odor reminiscent of garlic. For this purpose it has special anal glands.

“Vipers and snakes prefer different biotopes - habitats, vipers - the edges of swamps and clearings, and areas near rivers and lakes,” says Dmitry Vasiliev, in turn.

- What about the copperhead?

— This snake belongs to the family of colubrids. It is not dangerous for humans,” explains Alexander Ognev. — The place closest to our strip, where it is very rarely found, is the south of the Tula region. The copperhead lives in the mountains and steppes. Its diet is based on fast lizards. Unlike the viviparous lizard, which lives everywhere in our Moscow region, the sand lizard incubates its eggs in the sand, and therefore gravitates towards the forest-steppe, steppe zones.

- You can say that last years Has the population of snakes in the Moscow region increased?

— On the contrary, there are fewer and fewer snakes in the Moscow region. These are people who are “creeping away”. More and more so-called inconvenient land is being distributed for summer cottages - land unsuitable for agricultural work. These are tall, mixed forests, sphagnum swamps are exactly the places where vipers live. They simply have nowhere to go, which is why they catch people’s eyes more often. And the snake population is decreasing. Roads are being built, construction is actively underway, forests are being cut down, thereby reducing the places suitable for wintering snakes.

— What places should you avoid to avoid encountering a viper?

— In the spring they are close to their wintering areas. And wintering grounds for vipers can be quite widespread. For example, Nikolsky’s vipers overwinter in numbers of 2 thousand,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - Thus, in the spring there can be a lot of snakes in a small clearing. And then, after molting and mating, they spread out. According to research, females usually migrate close, up to 800 meters, and males can crawl up to 11 kilometers. In the fall, they crawl to the places where they spent the previous winter.

In spring, when there is little sun, vipers can be found in some open places. And in summer they can be seen early in the morning and in the evening. Usually, encounters take place at the interface between environments: a swamp - the edge of a forest, a mowed part under a power line - the edge of a forest, garbage on a summer cottage - a vegetable garden. Vipers do not just like forests or open fields; they are there only as migrants. But the permanent places where they spend the night are associated with shelters; these should be shaded places where they can hide - holes, heaps of branches, and so on.

- So there are no vipers in the dense forest?

“They need to be able to warm up somewhere in the open.” If this is a forest, then there should be a clearing nearby.

— What are the most “snake” areas of the Moscow region?

“These are the Savelovskoe and Volokolamsk directions,” says Alexander Ognev. — Near Volokolamsk the viper has now been practically knocked out; near Dmitrov and Iksha they still remain. A sufficient number of outbreaks have been preserved in the area of Taldom and Dubna.

- I will agree. Traditionally, there are a lot of snakes in the Savelovsky direction, near Konakovo and Verbilki,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. — Also in the Shatursky direction, in the Dmitrovsky district. At one time, between the “119th kilometer” and “Temp” platforms, I caught 40 vipers in half an hour.

- Is it true that the viper does not attack a person first?

— First of all, I would like to note that Russia has a very safe environment. It greatly discourages our compatriots,” notes Alexander Ognev. “That’s why I’m not at all surprised that in Cambodia only Russian tourists are pricked with sea urchins, because not a single European would think of stepping on one.” sea urchin. Or stick your fingers into the crevices of the coral to see if a moray eel is hiding there. A huge number of dangerous animals live further south. Take Turkey, where there are not only poisonous snakes, but also poisonous spiders, fish, jellyfish. In central Russia, one should take it as a common rule: do not go into the forest barefoot or in shorts. And the worst thing there is not a viper, but a tick, which can give you a whole bunch of diseases. And the mortality rate from the viper is very low. She doesn't chase people, she never attacks herself. This is a rather cowardly creature; in case of danger, it will try to run away. The only thing is, if you come across a pregnant female, it will be difficult for her to quickly disappear, she will curl up into a ball, begin to hiss and defend herself. What are our people doing? They start hitting her in the face with a slipper, and the snake, accordingly, bites their leg. Then they say, “A snake attacked me.” In fact, they were the ones who attacked the viper.

I know several places in the Moscow region where local residents and vipers coexist perfectly. Snakes have their own “patch”, they do not leave this territory, there is an excellent food supply there, full of rodents and frogs. And the villagers, accordingly, do not interfere in their snake “state” and do not disturb the reptiles.

You have to be careful when picking berries and mushrooms. Before you step into the grass, move a stick along it. But there is no need to hit the bush with a stick. There were many cases when mushroom pickers accidentally picked up a snake, lifted it with a stick to their face, then were horrified: “A viper jumped on me.” She can't jump 1.5 meters! The viper can throw upward a maximum of 10-15 centimeters. Sneakers, high boots or boots can serve as protection. The snake does not bite through them; the length of its teeth is 4-5 millimeters.

- If a viper sees a person, it will follow him. Before he steps on her, she will make her presence known by hissing,” says Dmitry Vasiliev, in turn. - If the viper is heated, you won’t even see it, it will run away so quickly, it will only rustle the grass. Bites occur when people try to play with the viper, pick it up, or accidentally step on it or sit on it.

— At what time of day are snakes active?

“They usually go out half an hour before dawn and take positions where they can bask in the sun. “They sunbathe” until 9 am, and when they warm up, they go into hiding, says Alexander Ognev. — A snake can be seen during the day. These are so-called fattening snakes that are in search of food. The second peak of snake activity begins after four o'clock in the afternoon and lasts until sunset. My latest discovery of a viper was around 10 p.m.

“No tourniquets or immobility: let the poison dissipate”

— What to do if the viper does bite?

- Firstly, when you go into the forest, you must remember that you are the enemy there and that you are going into someone else’s territory. And you need to dress appropriately. Secondly, you need to put at least suprastin in your pocket. The fact is that the danger from a bite, according to my observations, is largely due to an allergic reaction to the poison. Poison is a protein, and different people react to it differently. Death is usually associated with anaphylaxis. Swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx can develop within 2 minutes - and the person dies.

I don’t have any allergies to viper venom; some of my snake-catching friends had swelling in their face and nasopharynx, and some had difficulty breathing. To avoid this, you need to take some kind of antihistamine with you to the forest: tavegil, claritin, cetrin, pipolfen. For example, I always had diphenhydramine with me. This medicine, in addition to everything, also has a powerful sedative effect - it relaxes and relieves pain, which is important when bitten by a snake.

If you not Small child, but as an adult or teenager, a viper bite is unlikely to be fatal for you. Yes, it hurts, you will get sick. Teenagers or women can spend a week in bed. Men, being more massive creatures, cope with a viper bite in three to four days.

(Alexander Ognev knows what he’s talking about. Poisonous teeth sank into him 91 times. 20 years of work in the serpentarium had an effect. Plus, during the capture, the herpetologist was touched by: green rattlesnake, copperhead, steppe viper, Caucasian viper, common viper, bamboo keffiyeh, etc.)

— How correctly do those who try to suck out the poison from a wound act?

“It has more of a psychological effect.” It’s not a bad lesson, but don’t forget about placebo (from the Latin placebo, a substance without obvious medicinal properties, used as medicine, the therapeutic effect of which is associated with the patient’s belief in the effectiveness of the drug. - Author). Of course, you won’t suck out any poison there, but your mouth has occupied itself with something and is already distracted from the perception of the bite. We have to hear a warning - the main thing is that there are no wounds or caries in the mouth. All this is nonsense! I remember how a colleague of mine, who was present at a performance by visiting guest performers in Sochi, volunteered to drink snake venom that he had drunk right on stage. Everyone around, including the fakir, was speechless. And Igorek, a professional with a capital P, knew well that poison only works if it gets into the blood. Even if there are sores or cuts in the mouth, it is difficult to imagine the rapid absorption of protein into the body. Viper venom is not an ointment that is absorbed into the skin.

“In the French Legion, for example, soldiers are given a special locking syringe with which they can suck out snake venom,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - It is believed that in this way it is possible to remove somewhere around 10-15% of the poison. But it should be noted that snake venom contains a special enzyme - hyaluronidase, which instantly removes the venom from the bite point. And it is better not to do any traumatic effects, in particular cuts, treatment with some chemical agents such as potassium permanganate. Because of all this, you can subsequently limp for the rest of your life, lose a finger, and so on.

— Someone tries to apply a tourniquet when bitten by a snake. This is right?

- There is no need to do this. It’s just better if the poison disperses throughout the body,” says Alexander Ognev. “It’s bullshit that the poison can be stopped somewhere.” One of the enzymes contained in viper venom causes tissue necrosis. If you apply a tourniquet, the likelihood of necrosis increases, gangrene begins - and you will have to amputate the part on which you applied the tourniquet. Any intoxication is measured in milligrams of poison per kilogram of weight of the bitten person. I believe that when a snake bites you, the whole body should “work”, and not the part where the snake bit you. Let the poison dissipate. General poisoning will be more noticeable, but overall it will pass much faster and easier. I had a record of four hours.

When bitten by a snake, most guides advise staying still. I did the opposite. Firstly, I drank alcohol, alcohol has a wonderful property, it works as a vasodilator. Secondly, I kept moving. A snake bit me left hand, I worked intensively with a brush, the same way when blood is taken from a person’s vein. My hand swelled very quickly and I began to feel dizzy. It started two hours later severe itching, and this is usually a signal that the poisoning has ended and the body has begun to fight. After 4 hours the swelling began to subside.

- You definitely need to keep this in mind when you sleep. On the first night after a bite, many people cannot sleep due to severe pain. Most often, a snake bites a person on the hand. It swells so much that it hurts even to touch it. At night, you need to build a pyramid out of pillows and place the bitten hand 15-20 centimeters above the heart; if it is lower, it will be much more painful due to the rush of lymph and blood.

— When bitten by a snake, do you need to drink more fluid?

- This is true. I went through various options, watermelon came first, followed by beer and coffee. All of them have good diuretic properties. If you are in the forest, make tea and throw in a handful of lingonberry leaves. Lingonberries also have a pronounced diuretic property. The fact is that poison is eliminated from the body only through the kidneys. Therefore, we need to write, write and write again. And for this you need to constantly refill your body with water.

— Why do they say: if you are bitten by a snake, never drink alcohol?

“Our people, for the most part, don’t know how to drink alcohol in small portions, and after drinking a fair amount of it, they lose touch with reality and become disoriented. For myself, empirically, I found the right dose, this is 50-70 grams of vodka. No more, alcohol should work as a superficial vasodilator. I also used fresh water with the addition of dry wine. Acidic environment disinfects, you never know what kind of E. coli you pick up from the local pond.

“There are those who apply half a cut onion to the bite site. Does this have any effect?

- There is no use in doing this. There is no more poison at the site of the bite, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — There is such a demonstrative experience. The spots on both sides of the guinea pig were shaved down to bare skin and poison tinted with methylene blue was injected into one point, and saline solution with methylene blue into the other. The area of the spot where the poison was injected was a hundred times larger than the place where the saline solution was injected. That is, the conductors in the venom instantly lead it away from the bite point. It “flies away” to the nearest lymph node.

Unless there is an allergic component, the viper's venom is not strong enough to cause death in an adult. But if, within an hour after the bite, severe headache, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding from the mucous membranes, clouding and loss of consciousness, a feeling of flashing light in the eyes - the person must be urgently taken to the hospital.

Herpetologist Alexander Ognev was bitten by poisonous teeth 91 times. Photo from personal archive.

“You cannot use a serum prepared from the venom of other snakes against a viper bite.”

- What do you say to those who, going to the forest, take with them an antidote - ampoules with anti-snake serum?

“The fact is that allergies to serum are more common than to poison,” says Alexander Ognev. “We must remember that this is not a vaccine, this is serum that is obtained in biofactories. To make it, snake venom is injected into the body of a horse or mule. They give an injection containing poison in a dosage significantly lower than the lethal dose. Then gradually increase the dose. Antibodies accumulate in the animal, then blood is taken from it, blood cells are separated, and pure plasma is used to prepare serum. Such horses and mules are worth their weight in gold. I want to warn you: you cannot use serum prepared from the venom of other snakes against a viper bite.

And it’s better if it’s administered to you in a medical facility. Doctors will first do a test, an injection with a minimum dose and look at the reaction so that there is no redness. Then the serum will be injected subcutaneously, but not with one injection, but eight to ten, in small doses, injected into the bite site. I have never injected serum in my entire life. I repeat: if you are bitten by a common viper, if you are an adult, it is not necessary to do this.

— If you go to the nearest hospital, can you be sure that they will have anti-snake serum in stock?

“I don’t know what their situation is now.” Previously, the pharmacy where you could buy the serum was guaranteed to be located on Tishinskaya Square. The whey was produced in Stavropol and Nizhny Novgorod. Now you can buy it online. (“MK” checked and made sure that there are more than enough offers. An ampoule with serum against the venom of the common viper costs 450-550 rubles. The shelf life is no more than a year, it must be stored in the refrigerator. It is freely sold to private individuals. The courier is ready to deliver the serum to any point.)

“There may not be serum in small rural hospitals, but it is always available at the Poisoning Center of the Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine, at the Filatov Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 13, as well as in regional hospitals,” says Dmitry Vasiliev.

— How does viper venom affect cats and dogs?

- About the same as for a person. Dogs of large breeds of the Malos group are sensitive to snake venom, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — Dogs most often receive a bite in the area of the nasolabial triangle, that is, when they sniff a snake. Swelling develops quickly and dogs may have difficulty swallowing food or water. And, for example, hunting dogs and dachshunds tolerate snake bites quite easily. In cops and drathaars, symptoms of poisoning spontaneously disappear after 6 hours, which does not exclude future complications associated with the kidneys. Large breed dogs may experience heart murmurs, wheezing, and pulmonary edema. Therapy for dogs is the same as for humans. In the hospital they are injected with anti-snake serum. And then they carry out symptomatic treatment: if the pressure drops, they raise it, “drip” antihistamines and painkillers.

— Could other types of poisonous snakes appear in the Moscow region due to warming?

“Due to warming, other species may appear, but we must take into account that the formation of a species takes about 5-6 thousand years,” says Alexander Ognev. — The closest point where there is a viper is the spurs of the Talginsky ridge, northwest of Makhachkala. The northernmost point where there is a cobra is the desert and the Ustyurt plateau of the same name in the west Central Asia, at the junction of the borders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

—Can a snake bite while in water?

— The viper swims, and quite well. Another thing is that it does not live where there are large bodies of water. And she easily swims across small rivers,” says Alexander Ognev. - In the river, if you grab it with your hand, of course, it can attack. But this is not her native element; in the river she is thinking about how to get away from you.

“I know for certain two cases when a snake bit a person in the water while trying to throw it away,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - This is despite the fact that in order for a snake to bite, it must take a certain position. In order to throw the front third of the body forward, it needs some kind of solid support. And water is not very convenient for this. If someone mentions a snake in the water, then it is most likely a snake. They swim very willingly.

— Can a water snake be found in rivers near Moscow?

— The closest point to the Moscow region where there are water snakes is Saratov region, says Alexander Ognev. — Some diversity appears, starting from the Tula region. Nikolsky's viper, a copperhead that is not poisonous, already appears there. Closer to Volgograd you can meet steppe viper, yellow-bellied snake. South of Volgograd - Sarmatian and patterned snake. The further south you go, the more species of snakes there are. But still this cannot be compared with the tropics, subtropics, the Caucasus and Far East.

— How can you protect your garden plot from snakes?

— In the morning, about 8 o’clock, when the sun is just starting to get hot, walk around your territory and inspect everything carefully. Usually snakes warm themselves and are motionless. To avoid encountering a viper at your dacha, perform hygiene in the area and remove construction garbage, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — If you see a faded snake skin, reclaim these places and fill up all the holes.

“It is impossible for the garden plot to have deposits of firewood, piles of boards, pieces of roofing felt left after repairs,” explains Alexander Ognev, in turn. — Few people are interested in neatly stacked firewood. But the piled up, rotten boards and heaps of garbage - perfect place for sheltering rodents and lizards. A viper can also climb there and feel completely safe. Regularly mow the grass around your garden plot and it will lose its attractiveness to lizards, shrews, voles, and vipers.

You can distinguish a poisonous individual from a non-dangerous snake by a number of specific signs:

The head of a reptile with a poisonous apparatus is similar to a triangle. In addition, the neck is separated from the head by an isthmus. But in non-dangerous individuals, the head has an oval or round shape, smoothly blending into the body;
Harmless reptiles have round pupils, while dangerous reptiles have pupils similar to those of a cat;
Poisonous snakes have a bright color, and when the mouth is opened, two fangs become visible. This is not the case in harmless individuals;
at dangerous snakes Between the nostrils there are so-called heat-sensitive pits. But non-dangerous reptiles do not have these;
the main sign of a dangerous individual is a rattle-shaped tail;
after a bite from a poisonous reptile, a trace of fangs will remain on the human body, but from a bite from a non-dangerous reptile, only minor scratches will be visible.

Of course, when meeting a snake, a person is unlikely to remember the differences described. Therefore, you still need to behave carefully. In the event that an individual inflicts a bite, it is important not to panic and try to pull yourself together.

As mentioned above, a venomous reptile has fangs with which it injects poison during a bite. As a rule, after an attack, two small wounds remain on the human body. In addition, when attacked by a poisonous snake, the following signs are observed:

after a few minutes swelling appears around the bite;
the victim is in severe pain;
the temperature rises sharply.

With this phenomenon, it is important to provide prompt assistance to the reptile victim. Otherwise, death is possible.

Signs of a non-venomous snake bite

If a person was attacked by a non-dangerous reptile, bite marks will be visible in the form of barely noticeable dots or scratches. The bite of a snake that does not have a venomous apparatus is not dangerous. After an attack by an individual, the wound is washed with any antiseptic.

If attacked by a poisonous snake, the first thing that is required of the victim is to pull himself together and not panic. If there are no loved ones nearby, you will need to provide assistance yourself. It is important to remember: after a bite you should not move much. Because the more a person moves, the faster the poison spreads throughout the body. When attacking, actions must be consistent and calm.

If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, you will need to do the following:

calm down and do not make sudden movements with the injured limb;
It is important to squeeze the poison out of the bite area as soon as possible. This procedure takes 3-5 minutes. The best option would be to suck out the poison, provided that oral cavity not affected by caries and no bleeding gums;
if the above options are unacceptable, you can make an incision in the wound. The incision must be made in such a way as not to damage the veins or arteries. The optimal incision depth is 1 cm. Excision less is not advisable, since there will be no effect;
It is recommended to disinfect the bite site. For these purposes, you can use alcohol, brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide;
after emergency care, you need to get to the hospital as quickly as possible;
the bite of a poisonous snake is fraught with the development of severe allergic reaction. Therefore, you need to try to take any allergy medication as quickly as possible;
After providing assistance to the victim, you need to drink a lot of water. An ordinary liquid without gas speeds up the process of removing poison from the body.

Whether complications due to a reptile bite can be avoided depends on the correctness of immediate actions. If an adult is injured by a snake, with timely assistance, the body will return to normal on the third day after the attack. In children, the rehabilitation period can take up to 5 days.

If a person is attacked by a poisonous individual, those who were nearby at the time of the bite must take the following actions:

calm the victim and try to carefully place him in a horizontal position;
the affected area should be at rest. You can fix an arm or leg by tying it to a stick or board;
the wound is treated with a disinfectant and a sterile bandage is applied;
give a lot of water to drink;
call an ambulance.

When treating a stranger, it is not always possible to squeeze out the poison, much less make a cut. Therefore, the safest option would be to quickly deliver the victim to a medical facility.

After an attack by a poisonous individual, it is strictly forbidden to do the following:

drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol promotes the rapid spread of poison throughout the body;
try to cauterize the wound. Reptile venom consists of natural elements that do not disintegrate even with strong heat. In view of this, the cauterization method will not only not bring positive result, but on the contrary, can aggravate the victim’s condition;
pull the bitten limb tightly. By tightly tightening the victim’s arm or leg with a tourniquet, soft tissue necrosis can occur. And this in turn will lead to amputation of the limb.

Currently, there are a number of developed antivenom serums for snake bites. However, it is more advisable to use them for bites of the most dangerous individuals that live in tropical and subtropical conditions.

As for snakes living in our latitudes, the use of antivenom serum is not advisable, since after its administration a number of serious complications can form. Moreover, coping with the complications that arise is many times more difficult compared to the consequences of a bite.

The introduction of serum can provoke the following negative phenomena:

cause a severe allergic reaction;
disorders of the kidneys and liver;
heart failure, which in some cases leads to death.

Additionally, it is important to note that snakebite antivenom is only effective when the serum is administered promptly and correctly. Only medical professionals can ensure this, as well as eliminate the occurrence of side effects.

In the case where, after a reptile attack, it is not possible to get help in a medical facility, the most correct thing would be to administer an antihistamine intramuscularly and a medicine that blocks the development of shock.

The severity of symptoms during an attack by a poisonous reptile depends on many factors:

what is the body weight of the victim? As a rule, the less the victim weighs, the more pronounced the symptoms after the bite. Due to this, children endure an attack much harder than an adult;
location of the bite. The greatest danger comes from bites made in the area circulatory system, in the head and neck area;
season. The hotter the weather, the more active intoxication occurs;
the amount of poison released. Reptile attacks do not always involve the injection of poison. As a rule, if a viper has recently bitten into a victim, then a new portion has not yet had time to develop.

As for the symptoms that appear after the attack, they are as follows:

in the attack zone, redness of the surface of the skin is observed;
local temperature is observed;
traces of the reptile's fangs are clearly visible;
swelling forms around the wound;
the tumor spreads up the limb;
a person feels weak in the body;
dizziness may occur;
severe pain in the head area;
tachycardia is observed;
Nausea and urge to vomit appear.

Similar symptoms are typical for adults. In cases where the symptoms are more severe:

the affected arm or leg goes numb;
gradually paralysis affects the entire body, including the face;
breathing becomes heavy;
swallowing function is impaired;
Possible failure of the heart muscle.

In addition, the child may experience uncontrolled urination. If you experience such symptoms, it is important to immediately contact a medical facility for help.

If you plan to visit places where poisonous individuals live, it is important to adhere to a few simple rules:

wear socks made of thick fabric and high rubber boots on your feet;
It is better to give preference to wide trousers that are tucked into boots;
if a person visits the habitats of snakes in search of berries and berries, it is better to use a long stick with which to push the bushes apart;
When faced with a poisonous individual, you should not make sudden movements, much less throw stones and sticks at it. The best way is to slowly begin to retreat.

In the case when a person goes into the forest to spend the night, the risk of a reptile attack can be reduced by observing the following rules:

Before setting up the tent, it is recommended to create strong vibrations in the ground. To do this, jump well or stomp your foot hard. Reptiles cannot tolerate such movements and rush to leave this area as quickly as possible;
Close the tent properly. To do this, use stones and heavy wooden blocks;
It is not recommended to leave personal belongings behind the tent;
When walking through the forest at night you need to be as careful as possible. These individuals are especially active at this time of day.

By observing these precautions, you will be able to avoid a dangerous encounter in the forest.

Poisonous snakes of Russia

Over 90 species of snakes live on the territory of the Russian Federation. However, not all of them are poisonous. The following types of reptiles are considered the most dangerous:

all varieties of vipers;
viper snake;
Cottonmouth

The viper and copperhead are found in almost all regions of the country. But the viper chooses mountain steppes and semi-desert regions as its habitat. When attacked by these individuals, the first thing the victim needs to do is take any antihistamine and seek medical help.

When snakes bite

Snakes never attack first. Often, the throwing of this individual is just an attempt to protect itself from an uninvited guest who has wandered into its territory. Therefore, in order not to provoke the reptile, you should avoid its habitat.

More often, snakes choose the following areas to live:

overgrown and deserted lakes;
high grass;
marshy area;
abandoned quarries;
tree trunks and stumps.

These places are best avoided. But if there is a need to visit them, you need to wear protective clothing and carefully look at your feet while moving.

Poisoning by snake venom is not considered a rare occurrence. Quite often, snake bites happen in nature - for example, on a hike or during field work, so absolutely everyone should know the basics of clinical toxicology, rules of behavior for snake bites and symptoms.

There are quite a few species of snakes on earth, but humans most often suffer from bites of only three types of reptiles - vipers, colubrids and slates.

Table of contents:

Types of poisonous snakes and characteristics of their bites

Family of already-like

The most common species are the common snake and the copperhead. The bites of these snakes do not pose a danger to human life, and they cannot radically affect one’s health. But the bite itself is accompanied by powerful painful sensations, and suppuration of the wound may develop.

Viper family

The most striking representative of this species is the common viper. This snake is peaceful, bites a person only in case of direct disturbance - for example, if a person grabs the viper with his hands and steps on it. In general, having seen a person, the common viper tries to crawl to the side, hide, or continues to lie quietly, watching the potential enemy.

The mortality rate after a bite from this type of poisonous snake is only 1% of the total mass. This low rate is due to the fact that the snake injects a small amount of poison into the human body; it saves it - creating and accumulating the next portion is too tiring for the reptile.

The venom of a common viper, when bitten, can enter muscle tissue, under the skin or into the lumen of a vessel. The last option is the most difficult - the spread of the poison is instantaneous, the symptoms are too severe.

Aspid family

A striking representative of this species is the Central Asian cobra. Often, a cobra first warns the enemy of an attack, and can even imitate a bite - it stands in a characteristic stance, widens its neck, emits a loud hiss and makes a sharp lunge towards the lower limbs of a person, hitting them with its head with its mouth closed.

The main component of the venom of the Central Asian cobra is a neurotoxin - it blocks the sensitivity of the skin, impairs the conduction of nerve impulses, and provokes the development of paralysis and paresis.

Symptoms of poisonous snake bites

It may happen that a person does not notice a snake bite, so you need to know the main symptoms of snake venom poisoning in order to be able to help medical care.

Symptoms of a common viper bite:

If severe intoxication develops, the above symptoms will be accompanied by the following signs:

severe weakness;
clearly defined pallor of the skin;
limbs become cold;
confusion is noted;
Fever and shortness of breath, loss of consciousness and kidney failure may develop.

Symptoms of a Central Asian cobra bite:

there is a sharp, burning pain at the site of the bite, which subsides only after a few hours;
the color of the skin at the site of the bite practically does not change;
there is swelling in the area of the wounds, but not as pronounced as with the bite of a common viper;
bloody clear fluid may ooze from the wound;
the functions of the affected limb are impaired, paralysis develops in the ascending direction;
the facial muscles suffer - the eyelids involuntarily droop and lower jaw, the movement of the eyeballs is impaired.

When bitten by a Central Asian cobra, symptoms of general intoxication quickly develop:

Note:If a person does not receive medical assistance after being bitten by a Central Asian cobra, then his death occurs within 2-7 hours from respiratory arrest.

What determines the severity of symptoms after a poisonous snake bite:

Age of the person bitten. The symptoms of snake venom poisoning are most intense in children and the elderly. The presence of internal diseases, the level of immunity and general health also play a role.
Type of snake, its size and age. It is believed that the common viper is less dangerous than the Central Asian cobra, although in any case the bite of these reptiles causes serious health problems. The bites of young snakes, small in size, are less dangerous.
Condition of the snake's teeth. If they are infected, then the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the wound will be a must - this aggravates the development of symptoms.
Bite site. Most often affected lower limbs, and then the symptoms will develop slowly. But there are snake bites in the neck, face, and the location of large blood vessels - the symptoms will develop rapidly.
Human behavior after a bite. If the bitten person actively moves and runs, the snake venom will spread through the body faster - the intensity of the symptoms will be powerful.

First aid for a poisonous snake bite

So, everything has already happened - a man was bitten by a poisonous snake. What to do in this case, how to help the victim and prevent the development of severe complications?

Firstly, you need to put the bitten person in a horizontal position and try to calm him down - anxiety, hysteria and panic certainly will not help. If the snake is fixed on the skin at the site of the bite (this, by the way, happens often), it must be removed and destroyed, but not thrown away anywhere - the reptile may need to be examined by a specialist.

Secondly, if possible, you need to immediately call an ambulance, contact rescuers or a recreation center or hotel. While you are doing all these steps, carefully monitor the victim - the absence of burning, swelling and pain at the site of the bite most likely indicates that the snake is not poisonous.

Thirdly, the affected part should be freed from clothing and jewelry - they can put pressure on the bite site and provoke increased swelling.

note: if the symptoms indicate that the person was bitten by a poisonous snake, then medical assistance should be provided immediately, without waiting for the ambulance team to arrive!

Urgent Care:

If a poisonous snake has bitten a limb, then it must be immobilized - a bandage or splint made from improvised materials (board, branch) can be applied to the leg or arm.
It is advisable to suction the poison from the wound within a maximum of 10 minutes after the incident. If you have a rubber bulb with you, then we work with it; if not, we use our mouth. First, you need to squeeze the bite wounds between your fingers and knead them slightly - this will help to “open” them, then we clasp the bite site with our teeth and begin to actively suck out the poison, helping with our fingers (as if “squeezing”). We immediately spit out the poison with saliva; the duration of this procedure should not exceed 20 minutes - during this time you can remove 50% of the total amount of poison from the body.
We treat the bite site with a disinfectant - hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, brilliant green are suitable. Do not treat the wound with alcohol.
A bandage made of a bandage or any piece of clean cloth is applied to the wound. In no case should it be tight - this fact is checked by inserting a finger under the bandage (it should pass freely).
Cold is applied to the bite site - ice is the best option. If this type of cooling is used, then every 5-7 minutes you need to take a break in the procedure for 5 minutes - this will prevent frostbite of the tissues.
The victim is given antihistamines - Tavegil, Diphenhydramine, Loratadine. If possible, such drugs are administered intramuscularly.
The person bitten should drink plenty of fluids - up to 5 liters of water per day. This will help reduce the manifestations of intoxication in the body. It is necessary to give the patient vitamins K and C, and, if possible, put on a glucose drip (5% solution in an amount of 400 ml).
The victim is given glucocorticosteroid drugs (Prednisolone or Dexamethasone), which can be administered intramuscularly.
If a person is bitten by a Central Asian cobra, his breathing may be impaired. To alleviate his condition, you need to periodically apply a cotton swab moistened with ammonia to your nose.
If respiratory and heart failure rapidly develops, then the bitten person is given Caffeine, Ephedrine or Cordiamine.
In case of complete stoppage of breathing and heartbeat, the patient is given artificial respiration and chest compressions.

What not to do if bitten by a poisonous snake

The problem is that when people are bitten by a poisonous snake, they begin to take actions that can lead to the development of serious complications. You need to clearly remember what you should never do in this condition:

cauterize the bite site;
apply heat to the affected area;
apply a tourniquet to the affected limb - this leads to rapid and deep spread of poison into the tissue;
cut the bite site to drain the poison;
drink any alcoholic beverages;
cover the limb with ice for a long time;

Antidotes

Poisoning with snake venom involves the administration of specific serums (antidotes) - this is advisable to do in the first day after the bite. In the future, if necessary, you can administer another dose of serum.

Serum "Antigyurza"

If a person is bitten by a snake of the viper species, then he needs to be administered the type of antidote in question in the first hours after the defeat. This remedy will help prevent the development of anaphylactic shock. Moreover, it must be injected according to a certain scheme and only into the subscapular region subcutaneously:

inject 0.1 ml of the product;
after 15 minutes, another 0.25 ml is administered;
if there are no signs of anaphylactic shock, then the patient is injected with all the remaining serum (it is available in ampoules of 500 IU).

If the degree of poisoning is mild, then the person is injected with a maximum of 1000 IU of serum, with a moderate degree - 2000 IU, with a severe degree - 3000 IU.

Serum "Atikobra"

This serum is administered for bites from snakes from the slate family and the Central Asian cobra. This antidote is administered in an amount of 300 ml with simultaneous intravenous infusion of Proserin solution and Atropine sulfate solution 0.5 mg every half hour.

Note:Treatment for a poisonous snake bite is carried out only in a medical institution under the supervision of medical workers. Prescriptions are made on a strictly individual basis, taking into account the general well-being of the victim, his age and the intensity of the symptoms of poisoning.

There are no specific preventive measures to prevent venomous snake bites. But there is a list of rules of conduct when meeting such reptiles:

The bite of a poisonous snake is unpleasant and even dangerous. But if you take measures to prevent the spread of poison in the body and correctly carry out first aid, then the consequences will not be terrible for human health and life.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category

But it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. That’s why being bitten is always scary.

Let's figure out what it should be urgent Care When bitten by snakes, should you suck out the poison and be afraid of the snakes?

DANIIL DAVYDOV

medical journalist

To begin with: how to distinguish a poisonous snake bite

If you've already been bitten, it's simple.

After a bite, a poisonous snake leaves two red dots at a short distance from each other.

Step 1: Move away from the snake encounter

If the snake decides you are a threat, it may bite again. So just move away - most likely, she will crawl away on her own.

Do not try to catch or kill a snake: it is dangerous. Reptiles have well-developed reflexes, so even a dead snake can bite.

If possible, take a photo of the snake with your phone from a safe distance. The photo will help the doctor understand exactly who bit you. But if the snake has already slithered away, do not waste time looking for it.

Step 2: Remove jewelry and unbutton clothing

Snakes most often bite on extremities - legs or arms. The bite site swells quickly, so you need to remove rings and watches, unfasten cuffs or remove shoes. If this is not done, accessories and clothing will squeeze the blood vessels and increase swelling.

Step 3: Clean the wound and apply a bandage

Wash the wound with warm water and soap or wipe the bite site with a damp cloth - this is necessary to remove traces of poison from the skin. Cover the bite site with a clean, dry bandage.

Step 4. Relax, but do not pick up the bite area.

The greater the load on the limb, the faster the poison spreads. If you are bitten on the hand, do not take anything into it, and if you are bitten on the leg, try not to step on it.

In this case, the bitten person does not need to lie down and raise his limbs: if they are below the level of the heart, the poison spreads more slowly throughout the body.

Step 5: Call an ambulance

Don't be shy and don't waste time searching for the nearest hospital. Antidote serum is not available in every clinic, so it is better to entrust the choice to the ambulance staff - they know exactly where they can help you.

Varsenia Masalygina

What to do if you are bitten by a snake?

Snakes are a special class of reptiles, of which there are about two thousand species in the world. Appearing back in the era of dinosaurs, they evolved and were able to adapt to different conditions life. Snakes can simultaneously evoke fear and admiration, but it is still best to avoid encounters with them.

Snakes in Russia

Every corner of our planet is inhabited by snakes, so a person can easily become their victim. Of course, this depends on how venomous the snake is and what its level of aggressiveness is.

The video below presents the most poisonous snakes of the CIS countries:

There are two common types of snakes in Russia: snakes and vipers.

Already

It is a non-venomous snake. It has a large and slightly oblong head. The average length does not exceed 1.5 meters.

They come in a variety of colors, but the predominant colors are dark and olive.

Their diet consists of mice, fish, and frogs.

A distinctive feature of snakes is two light, symmetrical spots of almost white color.

Viper

In Russia the most common poisonous snake considered a viper. The length of the snake does not exceed 65 centimeters. The color of the viper can be orange, red, blue, brown.

Life expectancy reaches 15 years, but there have been cases where the snake lived up to 30.

It feeds mainly on lizards, rodents, and amphibians.

A special feature of the viper is the stripe running along the back; its color is darker than the main color.

Habitats

Snakes and vipers prefer the same terrain.

The best habitat for them is considered to be lake and river banks, swamps, and forests. They love to bask in the sun and spend a large number of time while swimming in the water.

Snake behavior

Neither the snake nor the viper are the first to attack people. This can only happen if they step on them.

Having noticed a person nearby, these snakes try to hide as quickly as possible. If the snake did not have time to hide, then it immediately begins to take a defensive position.

She tries to behave as aggressively as possible in front of a person, this manifests itself in hissing and hostile thrusts of her head forward.

In cases of real danger, the behavior of the snake and the viper differs significantly from each other.

So, for example, he pretends to be dead, but the viper, on the contrary, begins to show serious aggression.

What to do if you are bitten?

When confronted with a viper, it is necessary to exclude everything sudden movements, but try to move back smoothly and slowly.

In the place where the snake's venom got in, swelling instantly forms. It is followed by dizziness, headache, nausea, and internal blood clotting occurs.

If the case is very severe, then changes occur in the kidneys and liver.

A viper bite looks like two wounds just one centimeter apart from each other.

When bitten by a grass snake, there will be only small scratches.

The bite of a viper is very painful. It is considered the most dangerous if it is located closer to the head.

In cases of being bitten by a viper or other poisonous snake, you need to avoid any panic, and act clearly and decisively, adhering to certain rules:

You need to call an ambulance and begin to perform emergency actions yourself.
The victim should be placed horizontally, as this position will help slow down the blood flow and spread the poison.
Afterwards, you must definitely try to suck out the poison from the wounds with your mouth. But this can only be done by those who do not have any damage to the mucous membrane.
To open the wounds, it is enough to squeeze the skin at the site of the bite to allow blood to appear. You can also make small incisions and squeeze out the blood a little at a time.
All poison that has been sucked out should be spat out. The process of extracting the toxic substance may take 10-15 minutes.
A tight and clean bandage is applied to the bite site.
It is very important to keep the limb where the bite was inflicted immobile.
The victim should drink as much fluid as possible, which will help reduce the concentration of toxins entering the body.
To relieve an allergic reaction, you should take antihistamines.
After providing first aid, you need to take the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!