Amador County sees record number of rattlesnake bites

Seven Amador County residents have required treatment at Sutter Amador Hospital for rattlesnake bites this year.

“Six of those victims were admitted to the hospital and required anti-venom,” according to Eduardo Morin, PharmD, pharmacy director at Sutter Amador Hospital.

Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County Public Health officer, notes that the emergency department usually sees three to four bite victims per year. “No one keeps official statistics, but the most we can remember in any year is seven. We’re already there and the season’s only half over.”

Most bites occur in the hand, when the person is attempting to pick up the snake or working in brush or wood piles. Alcohol consumption is involved in more than 50 percent of bites.

Symptoms are usually pain and stinging at the site, swelling, oozing of blood from bite and bruising. Sometimes, a person will have a metallic or mint taste in the mouth or muscle twitching.

There are about 8,000 venomous snake bites per year in the United States. Only about five to six people die from rattlesnake bites per year.

If bitten, the best thing to do is get to the emergency room right away. Sutter Amador Hospital keeps an adequate supply of anti-venom on hand.

Prevention is the best medicine:

Never handle snakes – dead or alive

Know the habitat where the snakes live: wood piles, brush

Know snake habits – out more at dusk and dawn

Keep rattlesnake enemies around: dogs, cats, guinea hens, and pigs

Wear boots and long pants

Trim bushes and shrubs so you can clearly see underneath

Field treatment

If a bite occurs:

Be calm

Remove jewelry and constrictive clothing

Immobilize limb in level position

Find car keys and cell phone

Get to emergency room

Do not:

Cut and suck

Apply ice

Apply tourniquet