Source: PCT Online
Publication Date: June 15, 2026
Medical Toxicologist(s): Stephen "Alex" Harding, MD
Keywords/Topics: bites, pit viper, coral snake

Baylor Expert Offers Guidance on What to Do After a Snake Bite

With the warm weather also comes snake bite season, understanding the magnitude of snake bites is crucial. A Baylor College of Medicine toxicologist and emergency medicine physician explains different snake bites and cautions how to react to nearby snakes.

“Typically, we encourage people to leave a snake alone if they see one. A lot of bites occur when people are messing with a snake or trying to capture it,” said Dr. Stephen “Alex” Harding, director of medical toxicology and assistant professor in the Henry J.N. Taub Department of Emergency Medicine at Baylor. “If you see one in your backyard or a place where you might have small kids or pets, one possibility is to spray it with a water hose from a safe distance, and usually, it’ll slither away and find somewhere else to be. You can also call a local animal control company to have the snake safely relocated.”

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Baylor said identifying snakes can be a challenge, so if a snake bites someone, they should go to the hospital as soon as possible to be evaluated by an emergency physician. Keep the extremity that was bitten elevated and try not to move it as much as possible in the meantime. If there is an opportunity to get a photo of the snake, that can help with identification, but most importantly, get to the emergency room. Do not try to capture the snake or bring it with you to the hospital.