Most Venomous Snake Species in the World; Cobra Bite Symptoms and Treatment
What is the most venomous snake in the world?” That’s a question that just about every outdoorsperson has either asked, or certainly wondered. Snakes are highly effective predators, and some species that rely on venom for hunting and self-defense can deliver a bite toxic enough to kill animals many times their size. The bite of a king cobra, for instance, can kill an elephant. Yet, despite the fear of snakes that has such a deep hold on the human psyche, the critters aren’t out to get us. “Snakes don’t attack people,” says Luke Welton, collection manager in herpetology at the Kansas University Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum. “They are most often startled or put in a situation where they feel the need to defend themselves, and they do so by the only means they have available—escape, musk, bite. It just so happens that the means these snakes have is venom
A dangerous African snake named for its black mouth
The barba amarilla (“yellow chin”) of Latin America
One of the most dangerous snakes in Africa
The quintessential Australian cobra
A dangerous snake with a triangular-shaped cross section
Mojave Rattlesnake Bite Symptoms and Treatment
The venom of the Mojave Rattlesnake is extremely deadly, and nearly matches the toxicity of several elapids (such as the King Cobra and Black Mamba).
Bites from the Mojave Rattler often have delayed symptoms, prompting individuals to often underestimate the severity of their bite. However, within hours, vision problems, difficulty speaking/swallowing, as well as muscle weakness are very common. Moreover, the venom often causes difficulty breathing and often leads to respiratory failure if prompt medical treatment is not sought.
Despite its potency, however, fatalities from the Mojave Rattlesnake are relatively rare due to the prominence of CroFab antivenom. This antivenom, which uses the Mojave Rattlesnake venom in its manufacture and development, is highly effective for neutralizing the effects of the snake’s bites.
Philippine Cobra Bite Symptoms and Treatment
Composed of a postsynaptic neurotoxin that directly affects the respiratory system of its victims, the venom of the Philippine Cobra is extremely potent. It is also known to cause paralysis of the neuromuscular system.
Symptoms of a cobra’s bite include extreme nausea, vomiting, migraines, abdominal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, difficulty speaking and/or breathing. Unlike the Mojave Rattlesnake, symptoms often appear very rapidly (within 30 minutes).
Although treatments are available to help mitigate the venom, they are not always successful, and the cobra’s bites often result in death. To make matters worse, the Philippine Cobra also possesses the ability to spit its venom at potential victims
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