Nine people in Maricopa County have been treated for rattlesnake bites so far this month, according to Banner Health Poison and Drug Information Center in Phoenix. That’s compared to only two last March.
Amy Burnett with Arizona Game and Fish said while 20 percent of rattlesnake bites are “dry,” meaning no venom was released, it’s still important to go to the hospital immediately.
“Don’t put a tunicate on. Don’t suck up the venom or cut yourself with a knife or do anything that will make more problems in the long run. Snake kits don’t work. They can cause more damage than the actual snake bite,” Burnett said.
