Hemotoxic Venoms
These venoms attack the cardiovascular system, circulatory system and muscle tissues, thus directly leading to heart failures. The 'crotalus adamanteus', notoriously known as the western diamondback rattlesnake, uses this deadly venom to make its prey more pliable. I meant like kill it, duh! This venom causes the poisoning of blood and affects the blood clotting mechanism to such a grave extent, that the victim can die of internal bleeding. Usually, no pain nor any other symptoms can be observed for almost 1 - 3 hours (sometimes even 8). This makes it deadlier, as the victim is usually beyond medical help, by the time the cause is even ascertained. The effects of this venom can be seen as lethargy, headaches, nausea, vomiting, etc. The most scary observations of the outcome of a snakebite of this kind are bruising or blood spots beneath the victim's skin. In extremely bad cases, blood is known to ooze out from all possible bodily openings. It is these venoms that usually cause excessive (and hideous) scarring, gangrene and permanent or temporary loss of motor skills. Worst cases can even result in the amputation of the affected limb.
Neurotoxic Venoms
These venoms go after the central nervous system and brain. They often result in respiratory paralysis and heart failures. Their effect can range between mild seizures to death. Cobras, mambas, sea snakes, kraits and coral snakes are known to possess this venom. The king cobras (ophiophagus hannah) are the most infamous carriers of this venom. Neurotoxic venom is essentially nerve destroying. Hence, one can see speech and swallowing difficulties, drooling, difficulty in breathing, respiratory arrests, convulsions and sometimes even prolonged unconsciousness in the victims. The milder symptoms are dizziness, tunnel vision, blurred vision and increased sweating. This venom causes a very fast degeneration of the synaptic nerves and this is the reason for the blockage of nerve impulses sent to and from the brain to the muscles.
Cytotoxic Venoms
This is a milder venom that generally causes only localized symptoms at the location of the bite. This is a cell destroying venom that destroys everything in its path - blood vessels, cells and tissues. The symptoms of the invasion of this venom are generally seen around 10 - 15 minutes after the snake encounter (I meant bite, not the spotting). The results are generally localized pain accompanied by severe swelling and bleeding. One can easily spot the formation of red blisters near the bite area. This venom causes blue/black spotting due to limited blood circulation. The body often revolts against the invasion of this venom by causing nausea and vomiting. If this venom is not treated within four hours, it generally needs an amputation. Puff adders (bitis arietans) are the snakes to be avoided if one is pain phobic.
Myotoxic Venoms
This venom is found in the 'bothrops moojeni' snakes, commonly known as the Brazilian lancehead snakes. This venom is known to cause muscular necrosis. Its symptoms are a thickened-tongue sensation, dry throat, thirst, muscular spasms and convulsions. It also causes the stiffness of the jaw, neck, trunk and limbs along with severe pain in movement. The victims often start with drooping eyelids and then turn to more austere results like loss of breath and blackish brown urine discharge. Myotoxic venom contains peptides that destroy the muscle fiber proteins and result in myonecrosis (muscle destruction). In the very later stages (when treatment is delayed) of the spread of this venom, the muscle proteins enter the blood stream. The kidney overworks in trying to filter out this junk and often gives up trying. This kidney failure is the reason for the dark coloration of urine.
These venoms attack the cardiovascular system, circulatory system and muscle tissues, thus directly leading to heart failures. The 'crotalus adamanteus', notoriously known as the western diamondback rattlesnake, uses this deadly venom to make its prey more pliable. I meant like kill it, duh! This venom causes the poisoning of blood and affects the blood clotting mechanism to such a grave extent, that the victim can die of internal bleeding. Usually, no pain nor any other symptoms can be observed for almost 1 - 3 hours (sometimes even 8). This makes it deadlier, as the victim is usually beyond medical help, by the time the cause is even ascertained. The effects of this venom can be seen as lethargy, headaches, nausea, vomiting, etc. The most scary observations of the outcome of a snakebite of this kind are bruising or blood spots beneath the victim's skin. In extremely bad cases, blood is known to ooze out from all possible bodily openings. It is these venoms that usually cause excessive (and hideous) scarring, gangrene and permanent or temporary loss of motor skills. Worst cases can even result in the amputation of the affected limb.
Neurotoxic Venoms
These venoms go after the central nervous system and brain. They often result in respiratory paralysis and heart failures. Their effect can range between mild seizures to death. Cobras, mambas, sea snakes, kraits and coral snakes are known to possess this venom. The king cobras (ophiophagus hannah) are the most infamous carriers of this venom. Neurotoxic venom is essentially nerve destroying. Hence, one can see speech and swallowing difficulties, drooling, difficulty in breathing, respiratory arrests, convulsions and sometimes even prolonged unconsciousness in the victims. The milder symptoms are dizziness, tunnel vision, blurred vision and increased sweating. This venom causes a very fast degeneration of the synaptic nerves and this is the reason for the blockage of nerve impulses sent to and from the brain to the muscles.
Cytotoxic Venoms
This is a milder venom that generally causes only localized symptoms at the location of the bite. This is a cell destroying venom that destroys everything in its path - blood vessels, cells and tissues. The symptoms of the invasion of this venom are generally seen around 10 - 15 minutes after the snake encounter (I meant bite, not the spotting). The results are generally localized pain accompanied by severe swelling and bleeding. One can easily spot the formation of red blisters near the bite area. This venom causes blue/black spotting due to limited blood circulation. The body often revolts against the invasion of this venom by causing nausea and vomiting. If this venom is not treated within four hours, it generally needs an amputation. Puff adders (bitis arietans) are the snakes to be avoided if one is pain phobic.
Myotoxic Venoms
This venom is found in the 'bothrops moojeni' snakes, commonly known as the Brazilian lancehead snakes. This venom is known to cause muscular necrosis. Its symptoms are a thickened-tongue sensation, dry throat, thirst, muscular spasms and convulsions. It also causes the stiffness of the jaw, neck, trunk and limbs along with severe pain in movement. The victims often start with drooping eyelids and then turn to more austere results like loss of breath and blackish brown urine discharge. Myotoxic venom contains peptides that destroy the muscle fiber proteins and result in myonecrosis (muscle destruction). In the very later stages (when treatment is delayed) of the spread of this venom, the muscle proteins enter the blood stream. The kidney overworks in trying to filter out this junk and often gives up trying. This kidney failure is the reason for the dark coloration of urine.