Venomous Snake Bite Death at my house

[manofthecoldland]

I didn't personally know the poor 10 year old child, by I am severely rattled and writing this to try to get past this tragedy.

I am out of country currently and back in the cold land until January, but feeling quite saddened. Just want to mention the dangers of vipers in the PI is a real and always present danger to both the unwary and wary as well. Accidents do happen and when you unintentionally surprise a snake.....

My wife went down to Iloilo a few days ago to attend a relative's funeral. She had a  comadre house sit like she often did in the past. Usually people don't like to be alone in this culture, so the mother brought her young daughter along for the brief stay as usual. 

While in Iloilo, the comadre contacted the wife to report seeing a snake in the house. Here, the details get hazy for me since the wife's texted English is not very precise. Apparently they had another Ate's experienced adult nephew do a search, but no luck in finding it. Then the next day the young girl went out on the porch to take her uniform off a clothes line, and surprised the snake, which bit her.

The mother took her to the hospital and they put her under observation, but the venom was too much for her body and she died the next day. When my wife returned the girl died a few hours later.  A very tragic experience to learn from the hard way re snakes that make their way onto your property. Times of flooding and high water drive them to high ground, which makes our lot a target since it sits near rice fields and marshy empty lots.

A snake finds its way in every 2 or 3 years (that we are aware of , at least), and I always figured that they were most likely the common and non-venomous types, but my assumption is invalid.

 

[OnMyWay]

So sorry to hear this tragic news.  Condolences to the girl's family and your family too.  May she rest in peace.

[Snowy79]

1 hour ago, manofthecoldland said:

I didn't personally know the poor 10 year old child, by I am severely rattled and writing this to try to get past this tragedy.

I am out of country currently and back in the cold land until January, but feeling quite saddened. Just want to mention the dangers of vipers in the PI is a real and always present danger to both the unwary and wary as well. Accidents do happen and when you unintentionally surprise a snake.....

My wife went down to Iloilo a few days ago to attend a relative's funeral. She had a  comadre house sit like she often did in the past. Usually people don't like to be alone in this culture, so the mother brought her young daughter along for the brief stay as usual. 

While in Iloilo, the comadre contacted the wife to report seeing a snake in the house. Here, the details get hazy for me since the wife's texted English is not very precise. Apparently they had another Ate's experienced adult nephew do a search, but no luck in finding it. Then the next day the young girl went out on the porch to take her uniform off a clothes line, and surprised the snake, which bit her.

The mother took her to the hospital and they put her under observation, but the venom was too much for her body and she died the next day. When my wife returned the girl died a few hours later.  A very tragic experience to learn from the hard way re snakes that make their way onto your property. Times of flooding and high water drive them to high ground, which makes our lot a target since it sits near rice fields and marshy empty lots.

A snake finds its way in every 2 or 3 years (that we are aware of , at least), and I always figured that they were most likely the common and non-venomous types, but my assumption is invalid.

 

Sad news and a good reason why most people should be made aware of the proper treatment for snake bits as some although venomous can be treated very successfully, Pit vipers being one. 

A bit late now but for the future I'd join this group.  It has many snake experts who if someone has been bitten and you put the information here someone will contact you and talk you through the basic first aid plus liase with the nearest hospital as sadly a lot of medical experts aren't aware of the correct treatments. https://web.facebook.com/groups/567981097251087

[Tommy T.]

4 hours ago, manofthecoldland said:

I didn't personally know the poor 10 year old child, by I am severely rattled and writing this to try to get past this tragedy.

I am out of country currently and back in the cold land until January, but feeling quite saddened. Just want to mention the dangers of vipers in the PI is a real and always present danger to both the unwary and wary as well. Accidents do happen and when you unintentionally surprise a snake.....

My wife went down to Iloilo a few days ago to attend a relative's funeral. She had a  comadre house sit like she often did in the past. Usually people don't like to be alone in this culture, so the mother brought her young daughter along for the brief stay as usual. 

While in Iloilo, the comadre contacted the wife to report seeing a snake in the house. Here, the details get hazy for me since the wife's texted English is not very precise. Apparently they had another Ate's experienced adult nephew do a search, but no luck in finding it. Then the next day the young girl went out on the porch to take her uniform off a clothes line, and surprised the snake, which bit her.

The mother took her to the hospital and they put her under observation, but the venom was too much for her body and she died the next day. When my wife returned the girl died a few hours later.  A very tragic experience to learn from the hard way re snakes that make their way onto your property. Times of flooding and high water drive them to high ground, which makes our lot a target since it sits near rice fields and marshy empty lots.

A snake finds its way in every 2 or 3 years (that we are aware of , at least), and I always figured that they were most likely the common and non-venomous types, but my assumption is invalid.

 

Condolences for the family of that poor child.

L told me that she was out playing when a young child and that one of her family's dogs came across a spitting cobra. Apparently, the cobra spit venom that hit the dog on the side of his head. According to her, the venom actually burned into the skin of the animal and it died soon thereafter... I never knew that just a skin contact might injure or kill a person or animal... More reason to be so careful regarding snakes here!

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

A sad and tragic tale.  Thanks for sharing it.  Heaven has gained another angel  

[Clermont]

Condolences, I’m all ways careful but sometimes it’s not enough. Just a thought, someone with MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE could they put the right procedure on handling snake bite as a post .Australia has some of the deadliest snakes and the procedure is simply in itself. 

[GeoffH]

2 hours ago, Clermont said:

Australia has some of the deadliest snakes and the procedure is simply in itself. 

True but most treatment here revolves around putting a snake bite bandage on the limb (or in the old days a tornequet released briefly every 15 minutes) to buy time for anti venom to be administered.

I honestly don't know if anti venom is widely available in the philippines (or indeed if it's available at all).

You have made me consider putting a snake bite first aid kit into the next balikbayan box though...

[Colsie]

17 hours ago, manofthecoldland said:

 

A snake finds its way in every 2 or 3 years (that we are aware of , at least), and I always figured that they were most likely the common and non-venomous types, but my assumption is invalid.

Very sad to hear this, its very unpleasant news to hear of a child being killed by a snake. 

At one time I would rarely gets snakes here. In the last month or so I've had to kill a few spitting cobra's as GF has many pets and poultry here that attracts them. Only yesterday I tried to kill one but it was going to strike and l couldn't get to it with the weapon at hand and it got away... 

[hk blues]

12 hours ago, Colsie said:

Very sad to hear this, its very unpleasant news to hear of a child being killed by a snake. 

At one time I would rarely gets snakes here. In the last month or so I've had to kill a few spitting cobra's as GF has many pets and poultry here that attracts them. Only yesterday I tried to kill one but it was going to strike and l couldn't get to it with the weapon at hand and it got away... 

Same here - I had seen 2 in 7 years and I saw 2 in one day here -it may have been the same one twice admittedly. And, there were 2 reports on local media of pretty big snakes just a couple of hundred yards from my place.

More than likely just coincidence - hopefully!

[Viking]

17 hours ago, Colsie said:

Very sad to hear this, its very unpleasant news to hear of a child being killed by a snake. 

At one time I would rarely gets snakes here. In the last month or so I've had to kill a few spitting cobra's as GF has many pets and poultry here that attracts them. Only yesterday I tried to kill one but it was going to strike and l couldn't get to it with the weapon at hand and it got away... 

I am by no means any expert of snakes but I am a member of the FB group mentioned earlier and the general advice is to NOT trying kill the snake. In fact, many accidents happen that way.  If at all possible it is recommended to stand still, slowly move back and give the snake a way to escape.

If that's not possible it's recommended to spray water on it from a distance with a hose.

Best way to get rid of snakes is keeping the area around you clean to attract less rodents, probably easier said than done.

However, if a snake is killed it will soon be replaced by another one, if there is plenty of food for them.