Four types of snakes in the USA are considered to be dangerous because of their venom: copper head, rattle snake, coral snake, and cottonmouth water snake.

People are individual, there will some variation in the effects of venomous snake bites from person to person. However, the signs you should look for if you suspect that you have been the victim of poisonous snake bites are:
• Fang marks in the wound
• A fluid mixed with blood seeping out from it
• A burning sensation and pain emanating from the affected area
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Rapid heat beat
• Being excessively thirsty
• Diarrhea
• Profuse sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Numbness
• Tingling Sensation
• Fainting
• Fever
• Impaired motor ability
• Convulsions

You must get treatment immediately if you have been bitten by a venomous snake. Time is of the essence, the longer you wait the more serious the snake bites become.

There are still things that can and should be done while you are waiting for the ambulance to come.

Stay calm and immobile

Make sure the site of the wound is never raised above the heart, in other words to not raise your arms if the bite was on the arm etc.

You will need to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water.

You will need to apply a salve or cool compress to sooth the snake bites, and keep down swelling.

Cover the area

Keep a close eye on vital signs.

Sometimes victims of snake bites are so far away from help, they cannot be medically treated within a half hour of the snake bites. If this is the situation, the American Red Cross recommends that the following actions be taken:

To slow the continually release of venom within the wound site, it is important that you apply a loosely fitting bandage (loose enough to slip a finger through) about four inches above the site. In turn the bandages will not be too tight, resulting in the interruption of blood flow.

You should have a snake bite kit that is sold in retail or wilderness stores. Within that kit is a device to suck up the venom from the bite. Never, cut the skin around the bite wound as it could cause even more infection.

Once seen by a doctor, the most common treatment is an anti venom product derived from the blood serum of a horse.

A few simply steps will minimize your chances of being bitten by a poisonous snake. First of all, stay away from the areas they inhabit wherever possible. Wear high boots to avoid stepping on them. Do not pick up rocks or other things from the ground without vigilantly checking the area first. Stay away from tall grass or areas where it would be difficult to see the snakes. Never, provoke a snake or try to kill it by hitting it with sticks you will be increasing your chances of getting bit.

• Supervise young children around dogs
• Teach them to treat dogs with care
• Do not roughhouse with dogs
• Do not fight with them, hurt them, kick them etc
• Do not try to pull apart dogs that are fighting amongst each other
• Avoid sick animals especially if they do not know you
• Do not pull food away from strange animals or bother them when they are eating
• Keep your dogs on a leash when outside
• Select your dog carefully, taking into consideration its temperament and your household requirements

First Aid Steps to take if you suffer from dog bites:

• To stop the bleeding you need to apply pressure to the dog bites
• Gently wash the wound with soap and water
• Apply an antibiotic
• Wrap the area in a clean bandage
• Make sure the wound is elevated above the heart to slow down swelling and/or infection
• Continue to apply antibiotics several times a day
• Report the dog bites to the police and identify the dog in question

See your doctor when dog bites produce these conditions

• A large gaping or deep cut
• Dog bites on the hands, feet and head
• The wounds are red, swollen or tender
• The dog bites feel warm or hot to touch
• You develop a fever
• There is pus seeping from the site
• There is continuous bleeding for at least 15 minutes
• Broken bones
• Nerve damage is suspected
• Other serious injuries

You will also need to seek medical attention if:

• You did not have a tetanus shot within the last five years
• You suffer from Diabetes, AIDS, Liver or Lung Disease, Cancer, and any other serious condition that can affect your immune system.

What to expect when you see your doctor for dog bites:
• The doctor will check for nerve damage, broken bones, tendon damage
• Check for infection
• Clean the wound with an antibiotic solution
• Possibly suture the wound
• Administer a tetanus shot if applicable
• Schedule a follow up appointment
• Refer to a specialist
• Intravenous antibiotics for special cases
• Surgery for bad mauls

The question of the transmission of rabies always comes up when humans suffer dog bites. Rabies in general, does not possess a threat in the United States. If you know the owner of the dog that bit you, you will want to ask for its medical papers to show that it has had its rabies shots. When you don’t know the dog that bit you, the animal control center will locate the dog and test for rabies. If the dog has not been found your doctor may schedule a series of rabies shots for you; just as a precaution.

Found primarily in the Midwest and Southeastern United States, brown recluse spiders are known for their distinct violin pattern on their cephalothorax. Brown recluse spider bites are not generally easy to spot – at first. The initial bite is generally quite painless. At the most, it will feel like a bee sting. Within a few hours, however, the real symptoms of brown recluse spider bites appear.

In most cases, brown recluse spider bites tend to become rather painful. Victims might feel pain, itching, nausea, fever and even start vomiting. After the initial bite, the bitten area will appear red and will likely have fang marks. Eventually, brown recluse spider bites will blister and may even lead to necrosis of the skin.

Initial first aid for brown recluse spider bites involves very basic steps. Ice may be applied to lessen swelling. The area should be washed with cool water and soap and elevated. Strenuous activity should be avoided. It is not smart to apply heat to an area where brown recluse spider bites have taken place. Also, creams should not be applied and suction should not be used to remove the venom. The best bet if brown recluse spider bites are suspected is to seek medical attention immediately.

Because brown recluse spider bites can cause serious complications in some people, medical attention is always advised. Although brown recluse spiders do have a nasty reputation, fatality is usually not a concern, but it is not out of the question. In some cases, these bites can leave incredibly nasty reminders behind. Due to concerns about secondary infections, it is not uncommon for these bites to involve hospitalization as part of the treatment. Antibiotics are also normally prescribed to ward off infection. If necrosis of the bite area does present, plastic surgeons may be called in on the case to help.

Brown recluse spider bites are rather uncommon outside of the spiders’ main territory. Only a few cases have been reported in states outside the Midwest and Southeast. If a brown recluse bite is suspected, immediate first aid and professional medical attention is strongly urged, however. Bites can cause serious complications with the affected skin and may lead to secondary infections that can be quite dangerous. While these bites are not very common, immediate action should be taken if brown recluse spider bites are suspected.

Many times the victim of a bite did not see the actual spider and may mistake the spider bite for a mosquito bite. Spider bites are characterized by two puncture marks, whereas mosquitoes will only produce one. Having pictures of spider bites would be the first step in diagnosing which type of spider is the culprit. Some spiders are harmful to humans while others are not. Treatment is contingent upon which spider has done the biting.

The black widow spider is the most dangerous to humans. Its venom can kill a human and medical treatment at a hospital is needed immediately after noticing the bite. If you are not sure if you have been bitten by a black widow, you can view pictures of spider bites on the internet. The telltale sign of a black widow bite is a red circle around the puncture.

The Brown recluse spider is a pretty dangerous spider. Pictures of spider bites produced on the internet are not pretty in pink at all. The spider will puncture human skin with wound marks.

The Brown recluse spider venom releases a kind of digestive fluid which is toxic to humans. The area around the bite becomes pink to dark red resulting from inflammation. The wound site is pretty visible because a lesion filled with dark fluid appears. However, the pictures of spider bites of this variety, is not sufficient to actually see the puncture marks; that must be done with a microscope. The skin tissue around the bite will begin to die and it takes months before any healing effectively occurs.

The hobo spider will produce a venomous bite similar in appearance to mosquitoes and the brown spider. The area surrounding the bite will become red and inflamed and the wound will eventually harden and scab over.

Though both these spiders rarely result in death of the afflicted human, pictures of spider bites where the skin has already rotted away is not a pretty sight. The open black wound is very deep and ghastly looking. Looking at pictures of spider bites is not for the faint of heart.

Of the many species of shark, (roughly 400 or so) less than 35 species are known for attacking humans. The sharks in question are usually over six feet in length and the most dangerous species are the great white shark and the tiger shark. Most sharks even the largest ones, normally eat sea creatures, plankton, sea lions, sea birds, sea turtles, other mammals, fish, and invertebrates but not humans.

The shark is an incredible predator, with well developed sense of sight and smell. They also have an organ common to certain species of fish that is sensitive to electrical currents in and around the water. These organs are called ampullae of Lorenzini and they no doubt will be able to pick up on the motion of a human swimming or bobbing in the water.

There are three styles of shark bites

The most common style occurs when the shark will take one big bite but leaves the victim alone after that. Shark experts believe that the attacking shark has mistaken the human for its normal food supply.

Another form of attack is when the shark bumps the swimmer then returns for more shark bites.

Shark bites can also occur without warning, with the shark sneaking up on the victim and then returning later on for more shark bites.

Both “bump and bite” and sneak attacks are the most severe and fatal forms of attacks for humans.

A bump from a shark can result in scratches. The shark skin has the texture of sandpaper containing tooth like structures called denticles. The mighty jaws of a shark contain several rows of serrated teeth which shed and are replaced constantly. Shark bites are either a series of parallel scrapings (cuts) against the skin or a single crescent shaped bite. It goes without saying that a bite from a shark can cause massive tissue damage, or total severance of a limb. It can also be relatively mild in comparison with very little bleeding or nerve damage depending on the species involved. There may be broken bones, and fragments of shark teeth left in the wounds.

Prevention

• Do not swim in shark infested waters; they like the point where the water goes from shallow to a deep plunge.

• Do not go swimming while menstruating, sharks are attracted by blood

• Do not wear shiny jewelry or bright and shiny clothing to attract their attention

• Splashing all about may get their attention and they may consider you their natural food source.

• Do not swim alone, or a dusk, dawn and nighttime. Sharks generally do not attack a group of swimmers.

• Do not fish or spear fish in shark infested waters

First Aid Care for Shark Bites

• Keep the victim calm

• Apply direct pressure on the wound if there is any bleeding

• Wash minor cuts with soap and water

• Bandage the cuts

• Make sure the victim is warm after coming out of the water

• Transport the victim to the nearest hospital or medical center

At the hospital center the doctors may do any of these things:

• Clean wounds

• Apply pressure to stop bleeding

• Prescribe antibiotics

• Administer IV’s

• Take Xrays

• Perform Surgery (if necessary to remove dead tissue)

• Suture wounds

• Administer a tetanus shot (if the victim has not had one in the previous five years

After initial visit to the doctor

Continue to inspect the wound and notify your doctor immediately if infection sets in or worsens (seepage of reddish brown fluid, blisters around the cut, pain, red streaks around the cut, swelling and fever)

Lyme Disease is transmitted by deer tick bites and must be clinically diagnosed. It presents itself as a body rash and has three stages. The length of the disease is contingent upon how long the person has been infected. Young children will be treated with amoxicillin; everyone older than eight years of age will be treated with doxycycline.

Deer tick bites will also transmit a disease called Ehrlichiosis. Victims of this disease sometimes experience a rash over the upper body (trunk). But more frequently suffer from chills, shaking, headaches and fever. The treatment for Ehrlichiosis is doxycycline; chloramphenicol and rifampin

Rocky Mountain Spotted fever is transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood and American Dog tick bites. This disease commonly affects young children and seniors. The disease manifests itself as a spotted rash, with associated symptoms of fever. The tick bites are prevalent from April to September. Patients are treated with doxycycline for a period of seven to ten days. The disease can become fatal if left untreated.

Tularemia also known as Rabbit Disease is transferred to humans by either tick bites or some sort of contact with sick rabbits. This disease is also a virus. Type A affects humans and animals alike in North America, while the Type B variety is more prevalent in Europe and Asia. The common symptoms are fever, headaches chills and muscle pain. Tick bites will become ulcerated. There are also signs of enlarged lymph nodes. The disease can be fatal if left untreated.

Clinical diagnosis involves various tests; especially an antibody test. The medication most often prescribed is streptomycine, while doxycycline is also used. Currently research is being done in the USA to create a vaccine.

Colorado Tick Fever is not a serious tick disorder. However patients afflicted by these tick bites will come down with flu-like symptoms as well. The symptoms of eye pain, muscle pain, chills, headaches, fever, vomiting and nausea last from three to five days. The treatment for this disease is to relieve the flu symptoms.

Relapsing Fever is a sneaky disease. There are bouts of fever that lasts about three days. At the time of the infection, there is also flu like symptoms: sweating, vomiting, chills, and headaches. They all go away. The afflicted individual appears to be well and then the fever and symptoms start over again. If left untreated after several outbreaks of this disease, the symptoms will develop into seizures, pneumonia, hepatitis, coma and even death. Once again doxycyline is used to treat this tick disease.

Tick Paralysis occurs when there is not only a tick bite but a part of the tick remains under the skin. If left untreated, the toxin injected from the bite may cause lung problems. The first aid step for this treatment is carefully removing the tick from the skin. The condition will clear up shortly after the tick has been removed.

Tick bites and their associated diseases are very serious and in many cases can lead to death. Prevention is always the best medicine. Ticks are known to inhabit woody and mountainous areas. Remember to use tick repellants and wear light colored protective clothing so that ticks can be seen on your cloths, but cannot penetrate the skin. If you have dogs or cats, or even pet rabbits have them treated with medication if you notice they have a tick infestation.

First Aid for Tick Removal

To remove a tick, you can use tweezers and grasp the tick but never squeeze. Be sure to grab hold of it as close to the skin as possible and gently and slowing pull it out. You can remove ticks by placing scotch or duct tape over the tick and pulling it off. You can also use tick shampoo. Check for any visual signs of the tick remaining in the wound. You may need to use a magnifying glass to see them. If the head is still in the wound, you must see a doctor immediately. Wash around the tick bite with soap and water. If you notice any flu like symptoms after tick removal contact your doctor without fail.

Either way; wild or domestic, do not ignore animal bites, even if they seem quite harmless they can cause allergies and or infections.

The fact of the matter is domestic animals are responsible for most of the reported bites. Even though a dog is most likely attributed to biting, do not overlook the common house cat. Cats, especially kittens can transmit a bacterial disease known as Cat Scratch Disease when they bite or scratch. This infection normally clears up in about three weeks but will cause swollen glands around the afflicted area. There will be redness and sometimes pus seeping out of a blister or sore. The doctor you see for treatment may have to drain the fluid. He or she will prescribe an antibiotic. Though not usually very dangerous, Cat Scratch Disease can cause permanent retinitis (inflammation of the eye). A blood test will confirm the presence of Cat Scratch Disease.

General Information on all animal bites

Infections from bites can slowly creep up days after the wounds or immediately within hours depending upon the severity of the bites. Some common signs of infected bites to look out for are:

• Redness

• Red streaks around the bites

• Tenderness

• The infected area feels hot

• Swelling of the glands at the site

• Inflammation

• Pus

• Pain

For immediate first aid care of minor wounds where the skin is barely broken and you are sure the animal does not have rabies:

• Wash and clean the wound with soap and water,

• Apply an antibiotic agent,

• Elevate the bites site above the heart to avoid infection and slow down swelling

• Cover with a bandage.

But if there is heavy bleeding or the cut is deep; do not try to care for the wound on your own, bandage the wound to stop the bleeding and rush right to the emergency center of your local hospital to have the bite or bites attended to by a medical professional.

If you suspect that the animal may have rabies see your doctor immediately for a tetanus shot. Any animal that you don’t know can be considered suspect. Actually, health care specialists recommend that we all should be inoculated with the tetanus vaccine every ten years. If you have an animal bite and it was at least five years since your last inoculation your physician will recommend that you get a booster shot within 48 hours. Health care professionals will also recommend a booster shot for deep or very dirty cuts.

You will also need to see a doctor immediately after a bite if you have, diabetes, AIDS, lung disease, liver disease, cancer. or a compromised immune system.

Your doctor will also check for bone or tendon damage and the presence of infection. Depending upon the severity of the bites and the animal responsible for it, you may require sutures and even plastic surgery.

The habitat of the Brown Recluse is the Southeastern and Midwestern United State. To date the reported fatalities from Brown Recluse bites are limited to children under eight years of age.

Brown Recluses will live in dry places like cupboards, woodpiles, old tires, sheds, verandas, barns, basements, attics, and more; making a web in cracks and crevices. You will only come into contact with Brown Recluse bites if the spider feels it is threatened and only then will it bite.

Even though the venom of the Brown Recluse is more toxic than a rattle snake it carries less disease. Brown Recluse bites do not contain high quantities of venom. The venom from Brown Recluse bites is still powerful enough to cause necrosis or tissue death. When the skin and blood cells break down, a condition called gangrene can set in therefore further rotting away the immediate skin around Brown Recluse bites. Left untreated, the victim can suffer from kidney failure, lapse in a coma, or die.

However, victims do not always notice Brown Recluse bites or consider them dangerous in the initial stages. They might feel a burning sensational, itching, fever, and nausea or muscle pain days after the Brown Recluse bites. The Brown Recluse bite marks may only start out slightly red and heal in a few days. Sometimes the Brown Recluse bites blister and turn bluish in color (beginning of necrosis). If you suspect you have been bitten by a Brown Recluse, you will need to seek immediate attention and if at all possible bring the spider with you to the hospital.

There are no specialized tests to identify Brown Recluse bites, but your doctor will take a history of the bite, time, place, etc. He will also order a CBC (complete blood count), urine tests, electrolytes test, and kidney function tests.

First Aid home care should never replace medical care which is of the utmost importance. But in the interim before the ambulance from your 911 call comes in or before you can get to the doctor on your own, you can do a few of these things:

Wash the wound with cool soapy water

Apply an ice pack to the wound to reduce swelling

Raise the wound site above the heart (if possible)

Stay still and take a pain tablet

Do not apply topical creams such as hydrocortisones and do not try to suck out the venom or cut it out, you can cause even more damage to your skin and body that way.

Your doctor will be responsible for administering a tetanus shot, prescribe an antihistamine any other pain killers. There are some controversial methods of care reserved for the most severe cases such as the use of dapsone and steroids.

Your doctor will make a follow up appointment for you to see how the Brown Recluse Bites are healing. In some cases hospitalization and or plastic surgery may be required.

• Doctors looking for research study patients
• Students interested in looking at x-rays of real broken bones
• Curious people who are just interested in broken bones
• Family and friends who want to know what happened to a loved one

It’s easy to read about a spiral fracture or a transverse bone fracture, but it’s much harder to understand exactly what it looks like. When you need to see the real thing, it’s time to say to the world – show me pictures of broken bones! The internet has opened up whole new opportunities for study and learning, because you’re no longer limited to just pictures in a book.

There are all kinds of bones in the body. They are long, short, round, curved, flat and irregular. All together, most people have 206 bones in their body and any one of them can be broken. You have to be careful when you tell someone to show me pictures of broken bones. Thousands of pictures can be found on the internet showing any one of most of the 206 bones broken.

Broken bones hold a certain fascination for people, because we consider the skeleton to be the sturdiest component in our body. Most of us never actually see a bone either. Bones are just something we know we have and need, and really don’t pay much attention to until something goes wrong. It’s like the old adage says: out of sight…out of mind.

Through research, doctors have learned bones do a whole lot more than giving bodies structure and enabling us to bend and move. Bones contribute important elements to the whole system we call a body. Broken bones are a disruption of the system. When someone says to show me pictures of broken bones, he or she understands injuries to bones is a critical disruption of that system. We can all learn a lot from pictures.

In addition to all the serious reasons for wanting to see pictures of broken bones, there’s one not so serious. Some people say to show me pictures of broken bones out of simple curiosity. There’s nothing wrong with that either. The more you understand how the body works and the types of trauma it can experience, the easier it is to deal with situations when they arise. If you see pictures of bone damage done from stiff-arming an accidental fall, the images just might prevent broken bones during a future fall.

There’s so much to learn about broken bones, and a great place to start is with images. So show me pictures of broken bones!