Rattlesnake Vaccine

[crazedACD]

Just stumbled across this. I'm interested in moving to the Southwest in the next few years, and I think my biggest fear would be to come across a venomous snake with the dogs. I'm not too big on vaccines, but what do you guys think? Has anyone had it done? It's hard for me to wrap my around because I typically think of vaccines as being for a virus or disease-not a venom.

Given they were able to produce this..I wonder if they would be able to produce it for humans as well some day. Would be cool for the snake handlers at zoos or venom collectors, or people that keep hot snakes to have a vaccine for themselves. Maybe even for the common things we all encounter like Brown Recluse or Black Widow bites.

[happyhound]

I've given it to my dogs before. But it doesn't prevent a reaction to venom, merely gives you more time to get to a vet for treatment.

[Emily]

You know, I did some research into a while ago and don't remember much except that it wasn't very encouraging. I seem to remember that it had a high rate of poor reactions and was not particularly effective? I was researching for my then boyfriend before he took his dog camping in the mountains in southern CA, and we both ended up thinking it didn't sound worth. But honestly, that's all I remember and that was a few years ago.

[Romy]

If you were just going on vacation there I wouldn't bother, but it's worth looking into if you're moving into an area where snakes might be in your yard.

It gives you more time to get to the vet, as well as reducing the number of antivenom vials needed for treatment. Antivenom is around 1K-2K per vial, so when you're talking about needing maybe 8-10 vials for treatment vs. 1-3, it can make a huge difference price wise.

I would have gotten my dogs done if we'd stayed in the southwest. Back then it was a 3 shot series, at $25 per shot.

[corgipower]

Here I was hoping it would keep rattle snakes away completely.

[Romy]

If you're going to be hiking off leash with your dog, you might look into snake aversion training. It's definitely a harsh corrective training which normally I do not agree with, but faced with a choice between my dog getting the crap zapped out of it once or twice so it doesn't get bit and end up brain damaged or die, I'd choose the zapping. Dogs usually get bit on the end of the nose, when they run up to a rattlesnake and stick their nose in its face.

[crazedACD]

Yes I've looked into snake aversion training too..I guess I'll have to see when I get down there . If Skye is still around (she better be) I'll have to take one of those steps as she loves to uh.. play with snakes up here. She caught a coral snake once in Florida...yikes.

[Romy]

I'm glad she's okay! Even though coral snakes are highly venomous, they're not nearly as dangerous as an irritated rattler. Coral snakes are extremely docile and laid back in comparison. I would never recommend holding one obviously, but I think they're less likely to snap at a dog sniffing it than a rattlesnake is.

Also, I don't think there's a vaccine for coral snake venom. Their's is neurotoxic (related to cobras) where rattlesnakes are hemotoxic.

[Mach1girl]

We dont vaccinate for rattelers. My dogs have not been bitten however have been bitten by Copperheads and Cottonmouths and had no reactions at all.