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Rattle Snake Bites - I have lived in Baja California for 39 years and I have only heard of three people being bitten by a rattle snake. All survived.
We have tried to get antivenom to keep at our ranch but have been told that the untrained application of antivenom can result in fatal overdose, that it needs to be applied by an experienced person who can determine the type of antivenom and the amount that needs to be applied. I was told to try to capture the snake and bring it along with the patient to the medical facility so that the health care worker can determine what type of rattlesnake it is and the amount of antivenom to be applied. Bites are not usually immediately fatal so the patient does have time to get to a hospital.
A few years ago someone in Todos Santos was bitten and went to La Paz but could not find antivenom. He then drove to Cabo to Amerimed and found the care he needed. It is my understanding that they have a supply of antivenom on hand. Before you go call to make sure and let them know you are on your way so they can be prepared.
Below are some suggestions of what to do if you are bitten.
When a bite occurs, the amount of venom injected cannot be gauged easily. Symptoms and swelling may occur quickly, and may cause death easily but in some cases hours may pass before serious effects appear.
Experienced health workers typically gauge envenomation in stages ranging from 0, when there is no evident venom, to 5, when there is a life-threatening amount of venom present. The stages reflect the amount of bruising and swelling around the fang marks and the speed with which that bruising and swelling progresses. In more severe envenomation cases (stage 4 or 5) there may also be proximal symptoms, such as lip-tingling, dizziness, bleeding, vomiting, or shock. Difficulty breathing, paralysis, drooling, and massive hemorrhaging are also common symptoms.
Quick medical attention is critical, and treatment typically requires antivenin/antivenom to block the tissue destruction, nerve effects, and blood-clotting disorders common with rattlesnake venom. Most medical experts recommend keeping the area of the bite below the level of the heart. It is important to keep a snake bite victim calm in order to avoid elevating their heart rate and accelerating the circulation of venom within the body. Untrained individuals should not attempt to make incisions at or around bite sites, or to use tourniquets, as either treatment may be more destructive than the envenomation itself.
At our ranch we keep peacocks, roadrunners and chickens to keep snakes away from living areas. Peacocks are especially effective. - Elena , e@elenamoreno.com, 61