GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The John Ball Zoo hosted Venom Day Thursday morning to assist practice docs on how to reply to snake and reptile bites.
Reptile specialists at John Ball Zoo are hoping what they educate docs on Venom Day will assist them save lives.
Herman the Gila Monster is a venomous lizard.
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The Gila Monster, a poisonous lizard that’s part of the John Ball Zoo collection. (Jan. 25, 2024) -
The Gila Monster, a poisonous lizard that’s part of the John Ball Zoo collection. (Jan. 25, 2024) -
The Gila Monster, a poisonous lizard that’s part of the John Ball Zoo collection. (Jan. 25, 2024) -
A training session using a fake lizard prop, simulating a bite from a Gila Monster at John Ball Zoo. (Jan. 25, 2024) -
The Rat snake, a non-venomous snake that is part of the John Ball Zoo collection. (Jan. 25, 2024) -
A training session simulating a snake bite at John Ball Zoo. (Jan. 25, 2024)
The team also showed the students two non-venomous snakes to teach them about snake behavior and handling.
“Here at John Ball Zoo we have many different venomous snakes and lizards and this gives us an opportunity to work with the emergency departments and their staff and their trainees to actually simulate what it would be like if one of us was bitten,” said Tess Dugas, reptile curator with John Ball Zoo.
The training is normally held at the zoo every three years but has not been held since 2018 because of the pandemic.
Residents with Corewell Health and the Michigan State College of Human Medicine are put through different scenarios. The zoo staff plays the role of a patient and assists the doctors conducting the training.
While there is only one venomous snake native to Michigan and bite cases are rare, Brian Lewis, a toxicologist and emergency medicine doctor, said a fast response is crucial.
“What we’re making an attempt to get them to remove is easy methods to shortly acknowledge and begin remedy for a snake envenomation, whether or not that’s one thing that lives in Michigan or one thing that’s been introduced in right here, that approach they’re ready to forestall any harm to somebody’s limb or threat to their life,” Lewis stated.
Getting correct medical care may also help scale back the chance of dropping a limb or different accidents.
“If you encounter a snake and you don’t know what it is or you think it’s venomous, don’t approach it and back away from it, leave it alone. But if you do end up getting bit, the most important thing is to seek medical care immediately,” Lewis stated.
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