A MAN was bitten by a venomous stiletto snake on Saturday night after accidentally stepping on the reptile. The Stiletto snake is also known as the Burrowing Asp. According to Durban North snake man, Jason Arnold, the man was bitten in Phoenix.
“He accidentally stood on the snake while walking around outside his home in Phoenix. A friend of the patient phoned me from the hospital to help with identifying the snake that they had killed. Doctors are often inadequately trained (if at all) when it comes to snake bites and have very little to no experience in treating snake bites in many cases.
“Fortunately I was called upon and able to advise the doctor that under no circumstances should any antivenom be used in this case, as there is no antivenom effective for the bite of this particular species, and that treatment should be purely supportive and symptomatic,” he said.
The man was lucky to escape serious injury. Arnold added a bite from this snake is extremely painful but typically not fatal. At times loss of limb is common. Other side effects from a bite include severe swelling of the affected area, disorientation, and even nausea.
“Stiletto snakes are most common after rainfall. Other snake species have most definitely welcomed the increased heat, higher humidity levels and regular rain fall as well,” he said.
