Rattlesnake Vaccine

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

Hi all! The posts here about this vaccine are a bit old. I wanted to get a current opinion. Anyone get their greys vaccinated? We live near a canyon that has snakes and if we should get the shots I want to do that. Thanks for any input!

 

Mercy and Rocky's mom

[tbhounds]

There is a rattlesnake vaccine available--to be honest I'm not sure if there's another vaccine available to cover other poisonous snakes.

In my limited experience with the vaccine I haven't seen any neg side effects. I did see one unvaccinated dog perish from a rattlesnake bite-was a shame-young Aussie dog. I would consult with your local veterinarian.

[NeedlenoseJake]

Crazy that you posted this- I had this conversation with a couple last weekend about the vaccine. I didn't know it existed, but if we lived where there are a lot of snakes I would probably do it. They said their local humane society offers the shots for like $16 a piece on vaccine days. I'm not worried about the scorpions here...

[Time4ANap]

I've thought about it because Rocket loves to stick his nose in every shrub along our walking route. Fortunately, the area is old enough that we've never seen a snake here, but I know they are nearby on the golf course. If I start seeing rattlers out sunning themselves in the neighborhood then I will probably investigate it a little further.

[rsieg]

Through the winter I see posts of AZ dogs enjoying the sun, and feel sorry I am in Ohio. Then I read this post, and I'm glad I'm in Ohio -- we mainly have garter snakes :-)

 

I did do an internship in New Mexico about 15 years ago. Had no dog then, but I remember asking a co-worker who let her dogs run loose about whether she was concerned about rattlesnake bites. She told me that dogs are less affected by rattlesnake venom than people, and they usually get sick for a while but don't die from it. Is that true? Followup, even if it is for dogs generally, are GHs more sensitive to the venom (like they are to some flea/tick meds)?

[tbhounds]

I saw a beautiful young Australian Shepherd die from a rattlesnake bite despite aggressive medical attention. He was bitten on the muzzle. Understandably the owner was devastated.

[Guest Cardiffcouple]

Thanks for all of the input. I have heard that it is not all that expensive these days. The annual Greyhound Gathering is coming up here in May (Kanab, UT) so maybe I will ask around in addition to your very helpful comments. We, too, would be devastated if one of our kids died from a rattlesnake bite and we could have prevented it. ):

 

If I get any good info from the Gathering I will post it here.

 

Thanks again!

 

Chris

[Guest HeatherLee]

I talked to my vet (actually two of them) about this recently since I take Gambler hiking a lot and he HAS to check out every single bush and rock in the desert. They did say something along the lines of it not being entirely worth it. You'd still have to get the dog treated after the bite anyways and it doesn't effect dogs as bad as humans. Basically saying that giving some benadry and getting to the nearest vet asap was just as effective.

[NeylasMom]

What I have been told by other professionals in the dog industry is that it doesn't completely protect them, ie. you can't not get treatment, but it may be the difference between buying you time to get that treatment and your dog dying. So, with the caveat that I haven't done my own research but heard this from someone whose input I value, I would lean toward doing it. In the can't hurt, might help category although I realize vaccines do carry some small risk.

 

And yes, as tbhounds has seen in her own work in vet offices, dogs can die from rattlesnake bites.

[tbhounds]

I'm not following your vets advice--my question to you--what if you can not get your dog immediate medical attention? Keep in mind most clinics never see snakebites so they nay not be equipped to handle such an emergency.

[kamsmom]

I'm in Amarillo, TX. My vet gives the rattlesnake vaccine but I don't do it because I don't live in the country and I don't take my dogs in areas of snakes.

 

The vaccine does not protect against the venom but does buy you some time to get to the vet. If you can't get to the vet after the bite it could still kill the dog. I don't know about the Benadryl thing.

[racindog]

This is the best article I have found on it. I too was recently checking on account of my SAR K9 must work and search wilderness areas off leash:

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2010/06/snake-oil-or-snake-vaccine.html

 

This is basically what the conclusion was:

 

"... the joker in the deck is that 25% of all snake bites are "dry" bites with no venom injected at all.

Another 30 percent of all snake bites are injected with such a small amount of venom that, while there may be local pain and swelling in the bite area, there is otherwise no serious problem. Of the remaining 45% of bites, 40% are severe, but only 5% of bites, at most, are actually fatal for the dog. A review of the scientific literature found only a 1% mortality for prairie rattlesnake bites."

 

I tended to agree with the author so I did NOT pursue it. Its not an actual vaccination in the first place. Its trying to build up their system to tolerate the poison-a completely different thing. On that same subject last year a police dog in GA was bitten by a rattlesnake. His handler immediately gave him 3 benedryl. The vet said it saved the dogs life and he recovered without incident. I think maybe having benedryl with you to administer might be more helpful actually the the "vaccine" but as the owner everybody just has to do what they think is best.

 

I did have a houndie (Goldie) bitten by a copperhead here in KY and even though his treatment was initially delayed by over 12 hours due to bad advice from a vet tech he still recovered without incident. The tech blew me off and said it was probably just a bruise he got somehow; after several hours when it was still all swollen and inflammed like I decided screw what the tech said and took him to an evet as the original clinic was now closed. The e vet IMMEDIATELY recognized it and showed me the 2 holes and began the appropriate treatment. Thank God I took him to the evet and that said evet was a knowledgeable professional unlike the tech at the clinic that blew us off. So the lesson I learned is always demand to see or at least talk to an actual vet. It was the grace of God that he didn't die in those hours before treatment was begun. Thankfully it must have been one of those bites that injected little venom.

Edited April 24, 2015 by racindog

[Guest WhiteWave]

I carry inj. dex and benadryl in our hiking pack. My vet said give them both and get to the vet. I have had several people say their dogs had bad reactions to the vaccine and even if it does work, it just buys you time to get to the vet which the dex and benadryl will do too.

[cmc333]

My westie was bitten on the nose last summer by a rattlesnake. We took her to the e-vet (an hour + away) and they gave her a Benedryl shot, some pain meds, and sent us home. Her nose was swollen for a couple of days and she was uncomfortable. The snake was hacked to death by machete. This was on our back patio, but we live in the mountains and have all sort of wild creatures.