Venomous snake bites are rare in Michigan, but they still can happen. That’s why John Ball Zoo hosted interns from Corewell Health’s emergency department for Venom Day.
John Ball Zoo teaches how to recognize, treat snakebites on Venom Day
Inside the reptile house, with snakes and lizards looking on, doctors participated in different bite simulations.
The training used mannequins and real people to recreate symptoms of a bite victim.
Tessa Dugas, reptile curator for John Ball Zoo, says, “People need actual practice to know how to treat the victims and to actually interact with the victims because they’re going to be very scared and nervous and in a lot of pain.”
Dr. Brian Lewis, medical toxicologist for Corewell Health, adds, “The real trick is determining whether that snake bite did deliver venom and if you’re getting some sort of damage to the tissue, in your hand or foot or if you’re having issues with your blood.“
This joint training between the zoo and the hospital is unique. They say John Ball Zoo is the only zoo in the country to do this. The doctors say learning hands-on at the zoo is a great experience for everyone.