MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — As temperatures rise across Southern Arizona, experts are reminding residents to stay alert for rattlesnakes — and one Marana council member is sharing his experience after a bite sent him to the hospital.
Patrick Cavanaugh was cleaning up his side yard in early May when he reached under an object and was bitten by a rattlesnake.
"It was underneath something and I pulled my hand and the rattlesnake was hanging onto my finger, then he grabbed on again, so the rattlesnake actually bit me twice," Cavanaugh said.
The bite happened quickly, but the pain came almost immediately.
"The pain was almost instantaneously," Cavanaugh said.
Cavanaugh said the experience was traumatic.
"You know we all know that rattlesnakes exist in Southern Arizona. We know that intuitively, we know it, but do we really think about it? How they could be in our backyard, how they could be under something that you're going to reach for?" he said.
After the bite, Cavanaugh and his wife rushed to seek help. He eventually received treatment at a hospital, where doctors administered 20 vials of antivenom.
According to Steve Dudley, director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, that level of treatment is not uncommon for rattlesnake bites in Arizona.
"In Arizona, getting 20 vials is actually pretty normal, and so it's not unheard of," Dudley said.
Arizona is home to more than a dozen venomous snake species, with most bites involving rattlesnakes.
Many people associate rattlesnakes with hiking trails and remote desert areas, but Dudley said the data shows a different reality.
"Over half of bites in Arizona occur in or around the home," Dudley said. "So that's going to your garage, that's going to your mailbox, or your trash can, putting it back up, that's doing gardening or yard work."
Dudley said rattlesnakes are not typically aggressive toward people.
"People think that snakes are very aggressive, and that's not true. They are extremely defensive, though," he said.
Because rattlesnakes often seek shade and cooler areas during hot weather, Dudley recommends being cautious when working outdoors and avoiding putting hands or feet where you cannot see.
"Never put your hands or feet in places that you can't see," Dudley said.
What to do if you're bitten by a rattlesnake:
Dudley said the most important thing someone can do after a bite is create distance from the snake and seek medical care immediately.
"The best thing you can do is get to the hospital as soon as humanly possible," he said.
The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center also recommends:
Do:
- Relax and move as little as possible.
- Remove tight clothing, shoes or jewelry from the affected limb.
- Go to the nearest medical facility immediately.
Don't:
- Use ice or electricity on the bite.
- Use constricting bands, tourniquets or suction devices.
- Drink alcohol or take medications unless directed by medical professionals.
- Wait to see if symptoms develop.
- Attempt to catch or kill the snake.
Experts say trying to capture the snake can result in another bite and delay treatment. They also note that treatment is generally the same regardless of which rattlesnake species was responsible.
While rattlesnake bites can be serious, Dudley said prompt medical care has dramatically improved outcomes.
"There are only a couple of deaths every year in the United States from rattlesnake bites, but that's because we get people to the hospital extremely quickly," Dudley said.
Today, Cavanaugh says he has fully recovered. He hopes others can learn from what happened to him.
"Don't be in denial," Cavanaugh said. "Be aware that they're there."
He added that living in Southern Arizona means sharing the landscape with wildlife that has been here long before people arrived.
"We need to be aware that they are out there," Cavanaugh said. "They've always been out there."
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
