How to Determine if a Wound Was Caused by a Snake Bite

Jul 15, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Liu Wenmin

Introduction

Often presents with two deeper puncture marks, possibly accompanied by small teeth marks around them. The distance between the puncture marks varies depending on the species and size of the snake, differing from the lacerated wounds or multiple irregular teeth marks caused by other animal bites. Swelling and pain will rapidly develop at the wound and surrounding area, possibly accompanied by numbness and changes in skin color. In some cases, blisters or tissue necrosis may occur, with symptoms progressing rapidly.

Generally, determining whether a wound is caused by a snakebite can be done by evaluating the wound appearance, local symptoms, distance between fang marks, the environment where the incident occurred, and systemic reactions. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Wound Appearance: Snakebites often present as two deep puncture marks in a point-like pattern, possibly accompanied by smaller tooth marks around them. The distance between the fang marks varies depending on the species and size of the snake. This differs from the lacerated appearance or multiple disorganized tooth marks typically seen in bites from other animals.

2. Local Symptoms: Swelling and pain rapidly develop at the wound site and surrounding area, which may be accompanied by numbness, changes in skin color, and in some cases, blistering or tissue necrosis. The progression of symptoms is relatively fast, clearly distinguishing it from the local reaction of ordinary trauma.

3. Distance Between Fang Marks: Different snake species leave different distances between bite marks. Smaller snakes leave closer marks, while larger snakes leave marks farther apart. This feature can help distinguish whether the injury was caused by a snakebite.

4. Incident Environment: Snakebites commonly occur in areas where snakes are frequently found, such as grassy areas, forests, and near water sources. If the injury occurred in such an environment and no other clear cause of injury can be identified, a snakebite should be considered as a possibility.

5. Systemic Reactions: In some cases, systemic symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing may appear. These symptoms are associated with envenomation caused by snake venom entering the body and are generally not seen in ordinary trauma.

If a snakebite is suspected, one should immediately move away from the environment where the incident occurred to avoid secondary injury. After performing basic wound management, seek medical attention promptly and inform the doctor of the incident details and potential snake characteristics to enable timely administration of appropriate treatment measures.

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