When a Rattlesnake Bites

The weather's warming up, people are on the trail and so are RATTLESNAKES. There seems to be plenty of wives tales out there regarding rattlesnake bite treatment so we went straight to people who know. Tim Gaines, our resident First Aid/CPR expert and our resident E.R. doc, Matt Solley get us up to speed on rattlesnake bites.

The best advice? Don't let it happen. Stay alert when you're on the trail.

That being said, if you encounter someone who has been bitten or you are bitten by a rattlesnake bite, here's what to do:
Rule #1: Call 911 (If your phone doesn't work, go immediately to Rule #2)
Rule #2: GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Rule #3: Monitor the patient's AIRWAY, BREATHING, & CIRCULATION but don't forget the goal of Rule #2.
Rule #4: Remove jewelry, watches or tight clothing. The bitten extremity will swell dramatically and hinder circulation. They'll also be much more difficult to remove.
Rule #5: Remain calm and limit movement of the bitten part if possible. This becomes complicated for the leg or foot, especially if you're alone. If you have a SAM Splint or something similar, quickly splint the bitten extremity. Use common sense and don't do anything that will prevent or delay the Goal of Rule #2. If you're alone get to a phone or get help as soon as possible.
Rule #6: Do not try to suck out the venom. It doesn't work. Remember the Goal of Rule #2.
Rule #7: Don't use a tourniquet. It only wastes time. Remember the Goal of Rule #2
Rule #8: Don't ice it. It only wastes time. Remember the Goal of Rule #2
Rule #9: Leave the snake alone after it bites you. If you want to prove that it was a rattlesnake take a picture.
Rule #10: Monitor the progress of the swelling of the bitten extremity every 15 minutes. You can do this by drawing a circle around the swelling with a pen or marker but make sure you're working on the Goal of Rule #2.
Rule #11: Keep your cool. You'll probably be fine if you get to the hospital and get anti-venom in you.

One last bit of advice: Get some medical insurance if you don't have any. Rattlesnake anti-venom is very expensive. You'll get taken care of in the ER regardless of your insurance status, but I'd hate to see you get slammed with a 100k doctor bill later on. As an aside, if you're reading this then you're pretty active so have a decent chance of getting hurt anyways in some other way, shape or form.