An Arizona woman has been bitten by a rattlesnake in an unusually early case for the snake season.
Retired nurse Martha Troy, 78, had been hiking with her daughter and granddaughter on Saturday near the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area in Cave Creek when the snake lunged and bit her ankle, Banner Health said in a statement.
It was only then that they heard the rattle of the snake—a sure sign that it was an angered rattlesnake that caused the dangerous injury.
Luckily, they reached a small hospital in Cave Creek, where she received treatment and recovered.
Rattlesnakes are widespread across Arizona. The snakes are highly venomous; however, thankfully, bites are rare. The snakes usually only bite a person if they are directly provoked or threatened.
A lot of rattlesnake bites are caused by accidents, including stepping on the snakes while out for a hike. The snakes are masters of camouflage, meaning they are not always easy to spot.
The snakes will rattle their tails when they feel provoked or threatened as a warning to predators. They usually only attack if these warnings are ignored.
Rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal unless they go untreated, but the venom can cause serious illness in some cases.
Troy was set to go for a spa day to celebrate her 79th birthday, but her injury has prevented her from doing so, Banner Health reported. She told the health center that other hikers should be careful. She has been hiking in the area for 25 years and "finally got unlucky."
"Do not walk off-trail, look ahead on the ground, and back off if you hear a rattle," Troy said. "Know what treatment you should and should not do for a rattlesnake bite, and get help immediately if you experience one."
This was the first rattlesnake bite of the year for Banner Health, the statement said, and occurred much earlier than usual. Typically, rattlesnake season does not start until about March, when the weather begins to warm and the cold-blooded animals become more active.
This particular center usually treats around 50 to 60 rattlesnake bites every year.
"If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, don't panic — the most important thing is to get to a health care facility for treatment as soon as possible," Dr. Anne-Michelle Ruha, chief of the Department of Medical Toxicology at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix said in a statement. "While applying a tourniquet or trying to suck out the venom are discouraged and can cause more harm, elevating the wound may aid with any swelling."
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