How to Treat Venomous Lizard Bites

Being bitten by a venomous lizard is something that needs to be treated by a doctor right away. Treat any lizard bite as if it were venomous, even though most lizards in North America are non-venomous. Dry bites, which are bites in which no venom is injected, do happen in about fifty percent of bite cases. But 10 to 15 percent of bites carry severe injections of venom, and can be threatening to life or limb.

Instructions

• 1

  Call poison control immediately for assistance in identifying the lizard if you aren't sure what type of lizard bit you. There are only two types of lizards in North America that are venomous: the Gila monster and the Mexican-beaded lizard. Both of these lizards have neurotoxic venom, which means the venom affects the nervous system and renders the victim unable to breathe.

• 2

  Call 911 if the person bitten shows signs of shock, has lapses in consciousness, is breathing rapidly or slurring their speech. Try to keep them as still and calm as possible until emergency personnel arrive. Keep the affected limb in a neutral position; there is no need to raise or lower it below the level of the heart.

• 3

  Remove any jewelry from the limb that was bitten, in case of severe swelling. Draw a circle with a pen around the edge of the area that's swelling every 15 minutes, so medical personnel can see where and how quickly it's spreading.