Types of Poisonous Snakes

Poisonous Snakes are of Three types:

• Cobra & Krait – these secrete Neurotoxic venom and cause Paralysis.
• Viper – these secrete Haemotoxic venom and cause Haemolysis and Haemorrhage.
• Sea Snakes – secrete myotoxic venom and cause Muscular pain.

Features of Poisonous & Non-Poisonous snakes

• Head – Triangle – except Cobra
• Fangs – Present
• Pupils – Elliptical pupil
• Anal Plate – Single row of plates
• Bite Mark – Fang Mark

• Head – Rounded
• Fangs – Not present
• Pupils – Rounded
• Anal Plate – Double row of plates
• Bite Mark – Row of small teeth.

Symptoms due to Snake bite

Cobra or Krait
Mild Local symptoms — burning, redness, swelling, superficial necrosis.
Marked Neurotoxic effects.
Earliest symptom – Ptosis – inability to keep Eyes open.
Giddiness, Lethargy, Muscle weakness.
Spreading Paralysis – causing difficulty in speaking and breathing, Salivation, Vomiting. Frothing around mouth.

Viper
Haemotoxic venom is very painful
Severe Local symptoms — Intense Pain, Inflammation, Oozing of haemolytic blood.
Marked Vasculotoxic effects.
Bleeding from mucous membrane of the Mouth, Anus, Nose and haemorrhages under the skin.
Because of local damage to circulatory cells, hemotoxic venom spreads more slowly and has a slower action than the neurotoxins.
Vascular Collapse – Cold Skin, Rapid feeble Pulse, Dilated Pupils insensitive to light, Gradual loss of consciousness.

Sea Snakes
No Local symptoms.
Severe Pain while moving Neck, Trunk and Limbs. A few hours later urine turns Brown to Black due to the presence of muscle protein Myoglobin.