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Modern first-aid authorities do not recommend cutting into a snake bite or sucking out the venom, especially with your mouth. Cutting and sucking will only work to spread infection into the wound. Many snake-bite kits come with a suctioning device that may be used, but it is imperative to remember two important facts – the suctioning should not delay other first-aid measures, and suctioning almost never provides any additional benefits when the other first-aid measures are applied.
First Aid for Treating a Snake Bite
1. Move away from the snake if it continues to stand its ground.
2. Call 911, if possible. Be detailed but succinct. Answer all the operator’s questions.
3. Have the victim sit or lie down, but always keep the bite below the heart. The victim should not move. This will raise their heart rate and cause the venom to spread more rapidly.
4. Remove jewelry, clothing, and shoes from the area of the bite. When the bite swells, jewelry and clothing will cause additional damage.
5. Wash the bite with warm water and soap. If you have no warm water or soap, cold water alone is still better than nothing.
6. If the bite is on a limb, wrap it with an elastic bandage. If you do not have an elastic bandage, constrict the areas on both side of the joint closest to the bite in the direction of the heart. For example, if the bite is on the calf, lightly constrict the areas above and below the knee. This is to restrict lymph flow, not blood. It should not be so tight that blood stops flowing.
7. Wait 20 minutes for the venom to localize in the area before moving. Walk slowly toward a known source of help if you are not expecting any help to arrive.
 Posted 5393 day ago
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