Unknown Snake

In cases of snakebite, effective treatment often depends heavliy on identifying, to an adequate degree, what type of snake was responsible. While the exact species is not always important, some knowledge of the identity can be valuable in prognosis and in selection of the most appropriate antivenom.

Snakes are notoriously variable in their appearance, and visual identification can usually be considered unreliable. Consequently, the health professional must weigh the information from a number of sources judiciously.

1. If a swab can be made of the bite site, or there is a urine, blood or serum sample available, then identification of immunotype may be made through use of the Snake Venom Detection Kit.

2. In some cases, the field can be narrowed by reference to the clinical signs and symptoms.

3. Depending on the locality where the envenomation took place, species distribution may aid in confirming putative identification. This , of course, does not apply in cases where the snake is non-endemic, such as in private collections or zoos.

4. If identification of an endemic snake cannot be made, antivenom - when indicated - should be administered according to the table below. The table does not apply in Victoria or Tasmania in the case of non-endemic snakes, for which the Snake Venom Detection Kit should be used.

5. If no animal was seen, but snakebite suspected, the presence of two puncture wounds close together should suggest either spiderbite or snakebite (some small snakes' fangs are closer together than those of large spiders). In the absence of evident fang marks, differential diagnoses may be considered:

• Insect or other arthropod sting or bite (ant, bee, wasp, fly, beetle, bug, caterpillar, centipede)
• Puncture wound from an inanimate object (e.g., thorn, needle), with or without the introduction of antigens or toxins

Last updated: July 2005