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Watch your step.

Calls for help for people bit by dangerous, venomous snakes are on the rise, with the California Poison Control System recently reporting about 20 rattlesnake bite calls statewide since April 1, according to a news release.

That figure doesn’t include the number of people who sought emergency care after being bitten instead of calling the hotline number. It’s a high enough number that the agency sent out a warning for California residents who hike, camp or enjoy desert living.

“With warm weather, rattlesnakes are more likely to be found on hiking trails and sunning in rural areas,” the news alert reads. “Even baby rattlesnakes possess dangerous venom as soon as they hatch.”

Most bites occur between the months of April and October, according to CPCS.

Growing numbers?

Jason Magee, owner of OC Snake Removal, said it’s the third year in a row with an increase in removal numbers.

The increase has been mostly yearlings, with average adult numbers, according to Magee.

“As far as I can see, I believe the numbers will continue to grow throughout the year,” he said in an e-mail response. “To this point it’s roughly a 15 percent increase. With the decent rainfall we had last year, more snakes reproduced and because of that, we are seeing more yearlings this year.”

The CPCS said the odds of being bitten by a rattlesnake are small. About 300 cases are reported to CPCS annually in California, with additional cases managed by physicians and hospitals, said Dr. Rais Vohra, Medical Director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS, in the news release.

The symptoms of a rattlesnake bite may include extreme pain and swelling at the location of the bite, excessive bleeding, nausea, swelling in the mouth and throat making it difficult to breathe. In rare cases, a person may go into shock and collapse.

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“If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, immediate medical attention is critical,” Vohra said. “Severe or even life-threatening symptoms may occur within minutes after the bite, or in other cases may begin after couple of hours.

“In either event, your best bet is to get to a hospital as soon as you can.”

If bit, here’s what you should do:

Get immediate medical attention.

Do not apply ice, do not use a tourniquet or constricting band, do not try to suck out the venom, and do not use any device to cut or slice the bite site.

Keep calm, do not run and keep the affected extremity elevated during transport to a medical facility.

What to know:

Rattlesnakes do not always make a rattling sound, so someone can be standing next to a rattlesnake and not even know it. Children need to be carefully supervised outside, especially in wooded and desert areas where snakes tend to live.

Pets:

Many veterinarians now carry rattlesnake anti-venom and rattlesnake vaccines for dogs and other pets that are bitten.

Contact the CPCS:

Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for questions about poison encounters. Trained pharmacists, nurses and other providers are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The service is free and confidential, and interpreters are available.