What is a snake bite?

Australia is home to 20 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world. Venom is a type of poison that gets into your blood through a bite or sting.

While not all snakes are venomous, it can be hard to identify snakes. All bites by snakes should be treated as a medical emergency — including sea snakes.

In Australia, about 1 in 3 hospital visits for snake bites are from brown snake bites.

What symptoms are related to a snake bite?

Snake bite symptoms can depend on the type of snake that bit you.

Symptoms of a venomous bite include:

• bite marks on the skin — these might be obvious puncture wounds or almost invisible small scratches
• swelling, bruising or bleeding from the bite
• severe pain around the bite — this might take time to develop

Once the venom starts to spread in your body, you may develop other symptoms, such as:

• breathing difficulties
• irregular heartbeat
• nausea (feeling sick), vomiting (being sick) or abdominal pain
• headache, confusion or dizziness
• blurry vision
• muscle weakness or paralysis (being unable to move)

Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)

If you or someone near you has symptoms of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction), call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. If you have access to an adrenaline autoinjector (EpiPen™ or Anapen™), use it, and continue to follow the steps of an ASCIA allergy action plan, if one is available.

Rarely, some people have a severe allergic reaction to a snake bite. This is called anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include:

• difficult or noisy breathing
• a swollen tongue
• swelling or tightness in your throat
• wheeze or persistent cough
• difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
• dizziness or collapse
• being pale and floppy (young children)

What causes snake bites?

All snake bites are a medical emergency — call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

Snakes make venom in their salivary glands. This venom is forced out under pressure through 2 fangs (large teeth) in their top jaw.

Snake venoms are a mixture of many poisons. These are designed to stun, numb or kill animals and can cause a range of effects in humans.

Some Australian snakes that have venom that can kill you are:

• black snakes
• brown snakes
• death adders
• rough scaled snakes
• many sea snakes
• taipans
• tiger snakes

Each year in Australia, between 1 to 4 people die from snake bites.

How are snake bites diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you if you saw the snake that bit you and what it looked like. They will examine you and the bite area.

Your doctor can organise blood tests to see if you were bitten by a venomous snake.

When should I see my doctor?

All snake bites must be treated as potentially life-threatening. If you have been bitten by a snake, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

If you think you have been bitten by a snake you need to go to hospital.

How are snake bites treated?

All snake bites must be treated as potentially life-threatening. If you have been bitten by a snake, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

Snake bites should always be looked at by a doctor even if you seem well.

First aid for snake bites

Keep calm, and follow these steps:

• Get the person away from the snake.
• Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance (if calling triple zero does not work on your mobile phone, try calling 112).
• Keep the person who has been bitten still and help them to stay calm.
• Apply a pressure bandage (see below).
• Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally.
• Stay with the person until the ambulance arrives.

Below is a list of things you SHOULD NOT do after a snake bite.

• Do not wash the bite area — venom left on the skin and clothing can help identify the snake.
• Do not apply a tourniquet (a strap to stop blood flow).
• Do not cut the wound.
• Do not try to suck the venom (poison) out.
• Do not try to catch or kill the snake — many Australian snakes are protected species.

Pressure immobilisation bandage

Follow these steps to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage:

• First, put a roller bandage (10cm to 15cm wide) over the bite.
• Next, use a second roller bandage on the arm or leg. Start just above the fingers or toes of the bitten limb and move up the body. The bandage should be tight — you should not be able to easily slide a finger between the bandage and the skin.
• Stop the limb from moving by using splints.
• Write down the time of the bite and when the bandage was put on
• If possible, mark the site of the bite on the bandage with a pen or take a photo of the site.

Medicines for snake bites

About 5 in 100 people bitten by a snake will be given antivenom. Antivenom stops the snake's venom from working. Antivenom is injected into your bloodstream.

The type of anti-venom used will depend on:

• the type of snake you were bitten by
• your symptoms
• the type of snakes that live in the geographical area where you were bitten

Antivenom is available for all snakes that are native to Australia.

Your doctor will work with a clinical toxicologist (a doctor who specialises in managing poisonings) to decide if you need this treatment.

Complications of snake bites

In some people, snake bites can cause you to bleed a lot. The doctor will treat this after you have been given antivenom.

Some people may need to have surgery.

Sometimes, snake bites can cause rhabdomyolysis (where your muscle tissue starts breaking down). If this happens, you will be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) and given intravenous (IV) fluids through a drip.

Can snake bites be prevented?

You can help to prevent snake bites by knowing where snakes live and what to do if you see a snake.

Don't panic if you see a snake. Back away to a safe distance and let it move away on its own. Snakes often want to escape when disturbed.

Snakes come out during the day and at night.

Places where snakes live or might hide include:

• around water — creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes
• in long grass
• woods, forests and bushlands
• backyards
• piles of dead leaves, or leaf litter
• sheds and houses
• near things they will eat, like frogs, reptiles, mice and rats

Other things you can do to prevent snake bites are:

• Use a torch if you are walking outside at night — even in your garden.
• Make noise and stomp your feet when walking in the bush, to let any snakes know you are there.
• Be careful where you walk, sit or put your hands when you are in the bush.
• Wear thick clothing, such as jeans and boots, for extra protection against bites.

Resources and support

For advice on snake bites, contact the National Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

St John Ambulance Australia has a quick guide to the first aid management of snake bites. St John Ambulance Australia has a printable poster on first aid resuscitation procedures and applying pressure immobilisation bandages.

The Australian Red Cross also has a handy guide on how to treat snake bites.

For more information on anaphylaxis and an ASCIA allergy action plans, visit the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) website.

The Australian Bites & Stings app contains first aid instructions on what to do if bitten or stung by a venomous creature, and is free to download.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.