SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A girl from Chico, CA, was bitten on her foot by a rattlesnake last week and is currently recovering, according to reporting by local station KDRV.
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Alice Germar, 3, was barefoot in her driveway when she was bitten by the wily reptile. She was outside her home in Butte Creek Canyon Thursday evening with her father, taking out the trash, the station reported.
She was quickly taken to a nearby medical center and given antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin.
She has since been transferred to UC Davis for follow up care.
Tia Germar, Alice's mom, told the station that it’s not the first time they've spotted a rattlesnake near their home but this is the first time a member of the family has suffered a bite.
Going forward, they'll take extra precautions and make sure they wear shoes outside, she told the station.
Rattlesnakes are more commonly found during warm months, according to the California Poison Control System website. They're often found on hiking trails and rural areas.
Most bites occur between the months of April and October, and even baby rattlesnakes can be dangerous as soon as they hatch.
"While the odds of being bitten by a rattlesnake are small (more than 300 cases are reported to CPCS annually in California, with additional other cases managed by physicians and hospitals) compared to other environmental injuries, by following some precautions outdoors, people can minimize the chance of being bitten," said Dr. Cyrus Rangan, Assistant Medical Director for the CPCS on the website.
To better prevent the chance of being bitten, people should make sure they follow certain guidelines, as laid out on the CPCS website:
- Wear boots and long pants when hiking.
- Stay on trails when hiking, away from underbrush and tall weeds.
- Do not touch or disturb a snake, even if it appears dead.
- Carefully inspect logs or rocks before sitting on them.
- Never hike alone in remote areas.
- Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency.
- Teach children to respect snakes and to leave them alone.
Symptoms of a bite include swelling, bruising, bleeding, nasuea, swelling in the mouth and throat, lightheadedness, drooling. In rare cases, symptoms can even inlcude collapse and shock.
When bitten, people should seek immediate medical attention, as symptoms can set in within minutes.
To treat a bite, people are advised not to apply ice or use a tourniquet or constricting band. They also shouldn’t try to suck out the venom or cut or slice the bite site.
It's best to keep calm and keep the affected area elevated.
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