Chapter 15: Bites and Stings
Animal and Human Bites
An estimated one of every two Americans will be bitten by an animal or another person
Dogs will account for about 80% of all animal-bite injuries
Rabies
Rabies is caused by a virus found in warm blooded animals that spreads from one animal to
another in the saliva, usually through a bite or lick.
An animal should be considered rabid if:
 The animal attacked without provocation
 The animal acted strangely or not its usual self
 The animal is a high-risk species (skunk, raccoon, or bat)
Care for an Animal Bite
 Wash the wound with soap and water under pressure, but avoid scrubbing so it doesn’t
bruise the tissues
 Then, flush the wound thoroughly with running water under pressure.
 Control bleeding and cover the wound with a sterile or clean dressing.
 Seek medical care for further wound cleaning and closure , and possible tetanus or rabies
care
Snake Bites
Only four native snake species in the U.S. are venomous:
 Rattlesnakes
 Copperheads
 Water moccasins
 Coral snakes
Recognizing a Venomous Snake Bite
The signs of a pit viper bite include:
 Severe, burning pain
 One or two small puncture wounds about a half inch apart
 Swelling
 Discoloration and blood-filled blisters, and nausea, vomiting, sweating, and weakness
Care for a Venomous Snake Bite
 Get the victim and bystanders away from the snake
 Keep the victim calm and limit movement. If possible, carry the victim or have the
victim walk slowly to minimize physical exertion
 Gently wash the bitten area with soap and water
 Stabilize a bitten extremity as you would a possible fracture. Keep the extremity below
heart level despite the fact that swelling may occur
 Call 911
Insect Stings
Severe allergic reactions to insect stings are reported in 1 in 200 people in the U.S (anaphylaxis)
Recognizing an Insect Sting
Common signs of an insect sting include:
 Pain
 Itching
 Swelling
Signs of a severe allergic reaction include:
 Difficulty breathing
 Tightness in the chest
 Swelling of the tongue, mouth, or throat
 Dizziness
Care for an Insect Sting
 If a stinger is embedded, remove it. Scrape the stinger away with a hard object such as a
plastic credit card.
 Wash the area with soap and water
 Apply an ice pack over area to relieve pain
 To relieve pain further, use aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.
 Observe the victim for at least 30 minutes for signs of servere reaction. If victim is has a
reaction, call 911
Spider Bites
Most spiders are venomous but lack an effective delivery system.
A spider bite is hard to diagnose without seeing the spider that bit the victim.
Recognizing a Black Widow Spider Bite
Signs of a black widow bite include:
 Victim feels a pinprick when it first bites, within 15 minutes, a numbing pain develops
 Two small fang marks will look like tiny red dots
 Severe abdominal pain
 Headaches, fever, vomiting
Recognizing a Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Signs of a brown recluse bite include:
 Mild to severe pain and itching occur within hours of bite
 A blister will develop after days looking like a bulls-eye
 A scab will form that falls off in a few days, tissue destruction in this area will continue
for weeks or months
Recognizing a Tarantula Spider Bite
Tarantulas only bite when provoked
The bite can be painless or a have a throbbing pain for only one hour
Care for all Spider Bites
 If possible, catch the spider to confirm its identity
 Wash the bitten area with soap and water
 Apply an ice pack to relieve pain and delay effects of the venom
 Seek medical care
Scorpion Stings
Scorpions look like mini lobsters, they have a long, curled tail with a poisonous stinger
Recognizing a Scorpion Sting
The main sign of a scorpion sting is immediate pain and burning and later, numbness and
tingling feeling occurs
Care for a Scorpion Sting
 Gently wash the sting site with soap and water
 Apply an ice pack over the area
 Seek medical care
Tick Bites
Most ticks are harmless, but some carry diseases.
A tick could remain embedded for days because the bite is painless.
Care for Tick Bites
 Remove the tick with tweezers
 Wash the area with soap and water
 Apply ice pack to reduce pain
 Apply calamine lotion to relieve itching
 Watch the bitten area for a month for a rash. If rash appears, seek medical care
Marine Animal Injuries
Most marine animal bites are for defense and injuries include wounds and allergic reactions
Marine Animals that Bite, Rip, or Puncture
Sharks injuries are similar to injuries caused by boat propellers and chain saws.
Barracudas are also marine animals that can bite but the chance is very small.
Moray eels bite people who handle or tease them.
Care for Bites, Rips, or Punctures from Marine Animals
 Control Bleeding
 Care for Shock
 Call 9-1-1
Marine Animals that Sting
Marine animals that sting lead the list of adverse marine animal encounters
Jellyfish sting more than one million people each year
Care for Stings from Marine Animals
 Scrape off any tentacles remaining on the skin
 Apply vinegar to neutralize nematocysts
 Immerse the affected part in hot water as soon as possible
Marine Animals that Puncture by Spines
Stingrays are peaceful bottom feeders.
Most stings occur when the victim step on stingrays
Care for Punctures from Marine Animal Spines
 Relieve pain by immersing the injured body part in hot water for 30-90 minutes
 Wash the wound with soap and water
 Flush the area with water under pressure to wash out as much of the toxin as possible
 Care for the wound
Chapter 15: Bites and Stings
Animal and Human Bites
An estimated one of every two Americans will be bitten by an animal or another person
Dogs will account for about _______________________________________________
Rabies
Rabies is caused by a virus found in warm blooded animals that spreads from one animal to
another in the saliva, usually through a bite or lick.
An animal should be considered rabid if:
 _______________________________________________
 The animal acted strangely or not its usual self
 The animal is a high-risk species (skunk, raccoon, or bat)
Care for an Animal Bite
 _______________________________________________________________________
 Then, flush the wound thoroughly with running water under pressure.
 Control bleeding and cover the wound with a sterile or clean dressing.
 Seek medical care for further wound cleaning and closure , and possible tetanus or rabies
care
Snake Bites
Only four native snake species in the U.S. are venomous:
 _______________________________________________
 Copperheads
 _______________________________________________
 Coral snakes
Recognizing a Venomous Snake Bite
The signs of a pit viper bite include:
 _______________________________________________
 One or two small puncture wounds about a half inch apart
 _______________________________________________
 Discoloration and blood-filled blisters, and nausea, vomiting, sweating, and weakness
Care for a Venomous Snake Bite
 Get the victim and bystanders away from the snake
 Keep the victim calm and limit movement. If possible, carry the victim or have the
victim walk slowly to minimize physical exertion
 _______________________________________________
 Stabilize a bitten extremity as you would a possible fracture. Keep the extremity below
heart level despite the fact that swelling may occur
 Call 911
Insect Stings
Severe allergic reactions to insect stings are reported in 1 in 200 people in the U.S (anaphylaxis)
Recognizing an Insect Sting
Common signs of an insect sting include:
 Pain
 _______________________________________________
 Swelling
Signs of a severe allergic reaction include:
 _______________________________________________
 Tightness in the chest
 Swelling of the tongue, mouth, or throat
 Dizziness
Care for an Insect Sting
 If a stinger is embedded, remove it. Scrape the stinger away with a hard object such as a
plastic credit card.
 Wash the area with soap and water
 _______________________________________________
 To relieve pain further, use aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.
 Observe the victim for at least 30 minutes for signs of severe reaction. If victim is has a
reaction, call 911
Spider Bites
Most spiders are venomous but lack an effective delivery system.
A spider bite is hard to diagnose without seeing the spider that bit the victim.
Recognizing a Black Widow Spider Bite
Signs of a black widow bite include:
 Victim feels a pinprick when it first bites, within 15 minutes, a numbing pain develops
 _______________________________________________
 _______________________________________________
 Headaches, fever, vomiting
Recognizing a Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Signs of a brown recluse bite include:
 Mild to severe pain and itching occur within hours of bite
 A blister will develop after days looking like a bulls-eye
 A scab will form that falls off in a few days, tissue destruction in this area will continue
for weeks or months
Recognizing a Tarantula Spider Bite
Tarantulas only bite when provoked
The bite can be painless or a have a throbbing pain for only one hour
Care for all Spider Bites
 If possible, catch the spider to confirm its identity
 _______________________________________________
 Apply an ice pack to relieve pain and delay effects of the venom
 Seek medical care
Scorpion Stings
Scorpions look like mini lobsters, they have a long, curled tail with a poisonous stinger
Recognizing a Scorpion Sting
The main sign of a scorpion sting is immediate pain and burning and later, numbness and
tingling feeling occurs
Care for a Scorpion Sting
 _______________________________________________
 Apply an ice pack over the area
 Seek medical care
Tick Bites
Most ticks are harmless, but some carry diseases.
A tick could remain embedded for days because the bite is painless.
Care for Tick Bites
 _______________________________________________
 Wash the area with soap and water
 _______________________________________________
 Apply calamine lotion to relieve itching
 Watch the bitten area for a month for a rash. If rash appears, seek medical care
Marine Animal Injuries
Most marine animal bites are for defense and injuries include wounds and allergic reactions
Marine Animals that Bite, Rip, or Puncture
Sharks injuries are similar to injuries caused by boat propellers and chain saws.
Barracudas are also marine animals that can bite but the chance is very small.
Moray eels bite people who handle or tease them.
Care for Bites, Rips, or Punctures from Marine Animals
 Control Bleeding
 _______________________________________________
 Call 9-1-1
Marine Animals that Sting
Marine animals that sting lead the list of adverse marine animal encounters
Jellyfish sting more than one million people each year
Care for Stings from Marine Animals
 _______________________________________________
 Apply vinegar to neutralize nematocysts
 Immerse the affected part in hot water as soon as possible
Marine Animals that Puncture by Spines
Stingrays are peaceful bottom feeders.
Most stings occur when the victim step on stingrays
Care for Punctures from Marine Animal Spines
 Relieve pain by immersing the injured body part in hot water for 30-90 minutes
 _______________________________________________
 Flush the area with water under pressure to wash out as much of the toxin as possible
 Care for the wound