Rattlesnake

[Psyfalcon]

This summer I will be working in Eastern Oregon, on "rocky outcrops." This is exactly what the books on how to get bit by snakes say to do. Buster will be with me, at least part time. He will jump on a snake, I'd put money on it.

There is a vaccine available that would help if we found one (well, I've been guaranteed I'll find one, but I'm not sticking around if I find it first ;))

Other sites say the bit is rarely lethal to dogs, I have a hard time believing that, given that I'd be at least an hour from the nearest town most of the time, nevermind one with a vet.

Ideas?

(I should borrow a grey corn snake and train him to avoid them too)

[RD]

My dogs are vaccinated against rattlesnake bites since they're smallish and it's a good hour to the E-vet clinic.

The vaccine doesn't make them immune to the toxin, just reduces the severity of their reaction if I recall correctly. But my dogs didn't have any side effects from them and to me, it's worth it to have the vaccine than to have one get bit at midnight on a saturday and be unable to make it to the emergency clinic promptly.

[Lilavati]

My understanding is that the bites are rarely fatal to humans or dogs . . . with medical care. But you might loose the limb that got bitten. I'd get the vaccine . . . its better safe than sorry.

[shazbot]

Check into what type of vaccine though, I heard through a vet tech that there are different vaccines for different type snakes.

Here's a website for the maker of the vaccine

http://www.redrockbiologics.com/FAQ.html

[Kayla]

I think your best bet is to condition your dog to the point he automatically reacts by running a few feet away from the snake on sight and sits automatically waiting for your next command.

With enough practice it's more then doable, never heard of a vaccine, how is it suppode to work. Snake venom is a complex cocktail that is designed to destroy tissue, block nerve endings, shut down organs (depending on the type) how is a vaccine supposde to prevent this?

[Romy]

I would get the vaccine if it's available to you. Vets in the area you will be working in should have the appropriate one. If your dog gets bitten he will still need antivenom, but with the vaccine he will probably need less of it.

We just moved from Arizona, and I know of several dogs where were bitten and died. I also know of some who lived. Generally, over 50 lbs and your dog will get very sick but should be ok with treatment. One local greyhound got bitten on the nose, and she almost died. She ended up needing one vial of antivenom. She had started the rattlesnake vaccine series (there are three, she had two). The vet said that it saved her life. She would have died on the way to the clinic otherwise. He also said that if she had managed to live to get to the emergency clinic she would have needed 3 vials of antivenom to get treated instead of one. At $1,200 per vial I'd say that was a good investment for her owner to make.

As far as anti-snake conditioning, if you want to do it then go for it. Snake bites are something not to mess with, and if it takes a little discomfort to save your dog's life then it's definitely worth doing.