In addition to the sweltering heat to be expected this Labor Day weekend, there are rattlesnakes to watch out for.
Rattlesnake.
Photo: Tigerhawkvok / Wikimedia Commons
The city of Calabasas, located in the hills west of the San Fernando Valley, He reminded everyone that the heat wave can attract a dangerous visitor: rattlesnakes.
The Los Angeles County city tweeted a video on Friday taken near Anza Park, commenting that If you go for a walk, be alert and watch out for your pets:
If you’re out and about this holiday weekend, look out for these guys! Summer heat means rattlesnakes. Resident Kristine Clark captured these images near Anza Park. Stay alert and keep pets near you at all times. pic.twitter.com/Qs1ZWjTOcc
– City of Calabasas (@CityofCalabasas) September 4, 2020
Each year, between 7,000 and 8,000 Americans are bitten by poisonous snakes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An average of 800 bites occur annually in California, which is home to a wide variety of snake species, but only one is native and poisonous: the rattlesnake.
The poison is generally weaker in winter. In summer it is stronger because snakes are more active while fighting for food and territory.
The effects of a rattlesnake bite can vary: from the absence of apparent clinical symptoms, or a localized injury at the site of the bite, to life-threatening problems in major organs.
The effects can start in minutes or can sometimes linger for hours.
Early treatment is important to help stop the advance of the venom.
In case of a bite, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
While you are waiting to be seen, you can:
- Stay calm and move beyond the snake’s attack distance.
- Remove jewelry and tight clothing before swelling begins.
- If possible, position yourself so that the bite is at or below the level of the heart.
- Clean the wound, but don’t rinse it with water. Cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
- Do not use a tourniquet or apply ice.
- Do not cut the wound or try to remove the poison.
- Do not drink caffeine or alcohol, which can speed up the body’s absorption of the poison.
- Do not try to capture the snake or take it to the emergency department. Try to remember its color and shape so you can describe it, which may help with treatment.
