Author: Anders Nielsen | Ctrl-D saves this page

Pictures of snake bites wounds, blisters and scars

This first picture illustrates a relatively mild injury resulting from a Water snake bite. Apparently, the result from the victim's scratches caused the bite was an allergic reaction and blisters. The person with the blisters should definitely have a tetanus immunization. If you are looking for more repulsive bite photos, look further down.

Bite from a snake

The majority of bites from venomous species are left untreated and are supposed to heal automatically.

As most people are capable of surviving a venomous snake bite despite envenomation, antivenom is unnecessary in most cases. Secondly, most antivenoms have detrimental effects on people's organs, and should be left out of a medical treatment whenever feasible.

The first detrimental effect of antivenom is that it distorts kidney function, and in some cases seriously damages kidneys. Most Copperhead and Cottonmouth snake bites are not treated with anything else than soap and tetanus injections.

Whenever antivenom is not given, the doctors evaluates that the potential side-effects are worse than the consequences of the venom.



Factbox snake bites

Snake bite pictures

Wounds are either chronic or non chronic, and below are examples of both. Some of the scars below eventually became nice, but some did not.

Fatalities from snake bites are relatively rare, but snake bites are not, and while the number of bites increasing, the number of fatalities remains practically constant.

Avoiding bites

By following three simple guidelines, the risk of acquiring a bite from a snake you randomly encounter decreases significantly.

Also a rather common bite wound caused by a snake
  • Do not handle a snake if you are net educated in snake-handling
  • Stay away from tall grass and remain on hiking paths
  • Avoid rock climbing and be cautious when climbing in rocks

Necrosis

Venomous snake bites and necrosis with death of tissue at the location of the bite accompany each other. The picture below shows how widespread necrosis becomes severe cases. The severity of the necrosis depends on how venomous the snake was.


The most common indication that a snake has bit you is if you experience intense pain. Above is a picture of a Labrador that was bit in the face by probably a Copperhead or Cottonmouth snake.

Some of the most common snake bites symptoms are: intense pain, discharge of blood from the wound, marks in the skin and swelling at the location of the snake bite, diarrhea, severe pain around the bite location, convulsion of unpredictable severity, blurred vision, powerlessness, dizziness and fainting

If you, following a discharge from the hospital, experience that your gums begins bleeding, or any sort of unusual bleeding, you should immediately return to the hospital.

This poor labrador went into the forest and came back crying. The bite is most likely from a copperhead or a cottonmouth

For more information on procedures to follow after a venomous snake bite, please visit Alabama Herps.

A snake bite wound days after the incident

The photo below show how a snake bite might develop several days after the injury.

A hand with blisters caused by snake venom

Amputation - the last resort

Worst case scenario is bites in locations where no medical help is immediately available. In such acute incidences amputations may be the ultimate alternative to death. The African child in the image below was in that situation, and the doctors evaluated amputation of his left leg as the best option.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Oakley Origins for allowing me to use his photo.

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