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Avoiding and Treating Timber Rattlesnake BitesThe question that often arises when the word rattlesnake comes up is “what if one bites me?” Thelikelihood of being bitten by a rattlesnake is quite small. Timber rattlesnakes are generally very docilesnakes, and typically bite as a last resort. Instead, its instincts are to avoid danger by retreating to cover,or by hiding using its camouflage coloration to blend into its surroundings. If cornered, and provoked, atimber rattlesnake may respond aggressively. It will rattle its tail to let you know it is getting agitated. Thesnake may even puff itself up to appear bigger. Upon further provocation, the snake may bluff strike,where it lunges out, but doesn’t open its mouth. If this doesn’t work to scare away the threat (i.e. you or adog), the snake may strike with an open mouth. Because venom is costly for a rattlesnake to produce,and you are not considered food, a snake often will not actively inject venom when it bites. In fact, nearlyhalf of all timber rattlesnake bites to humans contain little to no venom, commonly referred to as dry ormedically insignificant bites.If you encounter a rattlesnake, or a snake you cannot identify, please do not try to capture or kill it. Statistics show there is a greater risk of being bitten when a person attempts to approach and kill asnake, rather than leave it alone. Do not try to harass the snake either.Death due to a rattlesnake bite is unlikely. Timber rattlesnake bites are rare. Most bitesresult from people intentionally handling rattlesnakes and often involve the use of alcohol or drugs.If a person is bitten by a timber rattlesnake, the following steps may benefit the bite victim.IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A BITE:Do:? Move away from the snake to avoid sustaining further possible bites? Remain calm? Remove rings, watches, braceletsConversely:? Do not cut the snakebite? Do not apply ice? Do not attempt to suck the venom out with your mouth? Do not administer alcohol or drugsBite Response Measures:Step 1: If a cell phone or radio is available, call for help immediately. Reassure the victim and do notallow unnecessary movement. Place the bitten limb in a comfortable position at a level slightly lower thanthe victim's heart. If the bite victim is in the field and is not accessible by vehicle/ATV, that person shouldwalk slowly and calmly out of the field, trying to keep his/her heart rate down.Step 2: Note the time that the bite occurred as the timeframe from bite to treatment is important fordetermining effectiveness of treatment. Look for the exact site of the bite (identify fang punctures). If youhave a pen or a marker, outline the red, swollen area around the bite. This allows medical personnel totrack the rate of swelling, which helps in determining the severity of the bite. If you do not have apen/marker, this step may be skipped. It is more important to get to a medical facility than to search for apen/marker.Step 3: Lightly wrap a wide constriction band around the bitten limb just above the bite site. Leave theconstriction band in place until the victim has arrived at a medical facility and anti-venom therapy hasbeen initiated if deemed necessary.Step 4: Get to a hospital that carries anti-venom as soon as possible, preferably within one hour of thebite. Call ahead, if possible, to alert them you are coming. Verify that they have CroFab Antivenom.Emergency Procedure for Crotalus horridus bites at Winterset site:See Bite Response Measures aboveTake person to the Madison County Health Care System in WintersetCall ahead (515)-462-2373 and let them know you are coming in, and that they should notify the Poison Control Center of incoming Timber rattlesnake bite.300 W Hutchings St, Winterset, IA 50273This hospital does not have anti-venom, but is the advised place to go in the case of a bite. They will monitor the patient’s condition and symptoms and work with the Poison Control Center to determine treatment measures.Poison Control Center of Iowa (800)-222-1222If anti-venom in deemed a necessary treatment, a hospital with anti-venom in stock will drive to the patient to administer the treatment.Hospitals with anti-venom change every two years depending on need evaluated by the Poison Control Center and include (as of September 2016 and will be changing soon):Iowa Methodist Medical Center(515)-241-62121200 Pleasant St, Des Moines, IA 50309Mercy Medical Center- Des Moines(515)-247-31211111 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314Keep in mind that the Poison Control Center of Iowa is probably the best resource for treatment and knowledge about anti-venom, after getting the patient to the nearest hospital. The fear of snakes is a learned behavior, which has been exacerbated by such things as myths andmedia misrepresentation. Public attitudes toward snakes are slowly changing. More people arebeginning to see snakes not only as fascinating creatures, but also as important animals in nature.Timber rattlesnakes, which feed primarily on small mammals, help to keep rodent populations in checkand help reduce threats associated with rodent-transmitted diseases.Timber rattlesnakes can be distinguished from nonvenomous snakes by a pronounced off-white rattle at the end of a black tail, by their head, which is solid brown/tan and noticeably larger than their slender neck, and by the dark, black bands running across their body. ................
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