Stingray

Home treatment:

Wash the area with salt water. Remove any foreign material at the wound site. Contact an emergency room. Soak the wound in as hot of water as the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes, if instructed to do so.

Before calling emergency:

Determine the following:

• the patient's age, weight, and condition
• the name of the marine animal
• the time of the sting
• the area of the body affected

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital, and any appropriate first aid that can be administered prior to arrival.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• Wash the area.
• Remove any foreign material possible.
• Soak the wound.
• Give antitetanus if necessary.
• Give antibiotic if necessary.
• Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis):

Recovery usually takes about 24-48 hours. Death has occurred when the patient's chest or abdomen was punctured.