The rattlesnake vaccine for dogs is a vaccination made from a synthetic version of the venom of the venomous eastern diamondback rattlesnake. The vaccine is given subcutaneously, usually in two doses, and is intended to protect dogs from the bite of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake .
Rattlesnakes are a common source of bites in the United States. While they aren’t usually dangerous to humans, they can be a major threat to dogs. A rattlesnake vaccine not only protects your pet from snakebites, but it also provides a valuable measure of protection in case you ever do get bitten by a rattlesnake.
A rattlesnake vaccine for dogs is available in two forms: injectable and oral. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to understand how each works and what the risks are.
If you’re considering a rattlesnake vaccine for your dog, here are a few things to remember. Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that belong to the family Elapidae (meaning “rattle”). They have one or more rows of small bones on their tails that produce a rattle when they move. Their venom is mildly toxic and causes some local skin damage.
In general, rattlesnakes are shy and will try to avoid humans. The majority of bites occur when people step on the snake without realizing it. Although the actual percentage of bites attributed to the species is low, there is little doubt that the venom is extremely potent.
The most important thing to remember about rattlesnakes and their bites is that they ARE medically significant and should be treated as such. These snakes are not just “toy” snakes or “pets.” They are wild animals that can cause severe injuries and even death if not handled properly by an experienced herpetologist. If you want to get a vaccine for your dog, it’s best to go with an experienced herpetologist who can provide you with an accurate diagnosis of the seriousness of the situation and recommend whether or not a rattlesnake vaccine should be given to your pet.
If you’re thinking about giving your dog a rattlesnake vaccine, you might be wondering whether it’s safe? We’ve heard all sorts of rumors. Some say that as long as the shot is given in the right part of the body, it’s safe. Others say that if you inject your dog with a rattlesnake vaccine, they’ll turn into a zombie.
We’ve got some good news and some bad news. First, the bad news: There’s no rattlesnake vaccine for dogs. It doesn’t exist. And if you see one for sale online or at your local pet store, it’s likely to be a counterfeit product.
The good news is that snake venom is not toxic to dogs. In fact, there are plenty of examples of dogs who have been around venomous snakes and lived to tell about it. These include:
Rattlesnakes: Duggars rescued injured snake from truck (2013), Rescue dog survives bite from rattlesnake (2004), Rattlesnake bites dog on back of head (2012)
A good vaccine is not just the best way to protect your pet from rattlesnake bites. It’s also a preventive measure that can help you avoid costly veterinary care in the future.
A rattlesnake vaccine protects against four common venomous species and two nonvenomous ones:
• Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox).
• Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus).
• Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis).
• Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus).
• Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus).
Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes found in the Western United States, and many people find that their very presence is a threat to their lives.
There are lots of rattlesnake myths out there, and people do all kinds of things when they encounter these dangerous creatures. If you come across a rattlesnake, here are some tips:
The best way to avoid an encounter with a rattlesnake is to leave them alone. Don’t approach them, and don’t try to pick them up or move them. You can make yourself look bigger by shouting or banging pots and pans together.
If you do have to get close to one, make sure you’re leaving it alone. Don’t move it, touch it or try to pick it up, because this could make it strike.
Follow the three strikes rule: if you were bitten by a dog once, don’t feed it after midnight. If you were bitten by a cat once, don’t pet it after midnight. If you were bitten by another human once, leave it alone after midnight.
Vaccines are the subject of a fierce debate among pet owners. Some people insist on shots, while others believe they’re unnecessary or dangerous.
Vaccines have become an important part of modern dog health, but there’s debate over whether to vaccinate your pet or not. The American Veterinary Medical Association says that it’s safe and beneficial to vaccinate dogs against the three major canine viruses: canine distemper (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV) and canine parvovirus (CPV).
But some anti-vaccination groups say vaccines can cause death, cancer, organ damage and other problems.
The risks from vaccination are low when the disease is caught early, as opposed to late in the disease process, and if the vaccine is given according to proper guidelines. If you decide against vaccination, you’ll need to be careful about protecting your pet from diseases that may be carried by other animals in your neighborhood or by fleas on outdoor pets and kennels.
Should My Dog Get Rattlesnake Vaccine?
The rattlesnake vaccine is not a prevention vaccine, it’s a treatment vaccine. It’s used to reduce the effects of snake bite after it occurs.
Should my dog get rattlesnake vaccine?
The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no protection against snake venom, as of now. The rattlesnake vaccine was introduced in the market in 2006. The rattlesnake vaccine has not proven itself to be very effective. Only half the dogs tested had an immune response to the vaccine, and those that did respond to the vaccine had only a moderate response.
The second thing to remember is that most dogs who are bitten by a rattlesnake do not die, even without this vaccine. Dog bites by rattlesnakes are often dry bites (i.e., no venom is injected). Even when they are injected with venom, dogs are generally too large for the snake to inject enough venom to kill them. Most snakes can only inject up to 50% of their venom due to size limitations. Given this, most dogs can survive a bite from a rattlesnake even without treatment.
The third point is that rattlesnake vaccines have side effects, including allergic reaction and joint swelling and arthritis. These side
Question: Should my dog get rattlesnake vaccine?
Answer: Hello, and thank you for your question.
Now that we are in the midst of spring, we have been getting a lot of questions regarding the rattlesnake vaccine. While this is a controversial vaccine, it is still recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association to vaccinate at risk dogs residing in areas with abundant snake populations.
The vaccine is given as an injection one month prior to exposure and then annually. Dogs that are bitten may still need to be hospitalized for up to 72 hours and receive antivenin even if they have been vaccinated. The vaccine works by stimulating the production of antibodies against snake venom before exposure occurs. This can help alleviate some of the symptoms of envenomation such as swelling, vomiting, and diarrhea, but most importantly it can buy precious time to get your dog to a veterinarian where they can be treated with antivenin.
It is important to remember that no vaccine is 100% effective. If you live in an area with abundant snake populations or are planning on hiking or camping with your dog this summer, consider talking with your vet about whether or not the rattlesnake vaccine would be appropriate for your pet.
It’s a question that comes up every spring, as rattlesnakes start to emerge from their winter dens: should I vaccinate my dog against snake bites?
The short answer is that there is no reason for the average dog owner to get rattlesnake vaccine.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t a place for rattlesnake vaccine in veterinary medicine. Veterinarians sometimes recommend it for dogs that spend a lot of time in high-risk areas, especially if they are off-leash and at risk of running up on snakes before their owners can react. And it might be appropriate for dogs with other chronic health conditions where, even if the odds of a snakebite are low, the consequences of such a bite would be serious.
But the vast majority of dogs will never encounter a rattlesnake — or encounter one often enough that vaccinating against it isn’t needed.
Rattlesnake vaccine has been used for dogs in the U.S. since 2000, but there is controversy surrounding its effectiveness.
The vaccine is available at many veterinary clinics throughout Southern California, but its use is strongly discouraged by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The ASPCA points out that, under field conditions, the likelihood of an animal being bitten by a rattlesnake is low and the risk of serious side effects from the vaccine is high.
“At this time, we do not recommend vaccination against rattlesnake bites,” says Dr. Christine Wilford of Pet Emergency and Specialty Centers in San Diego, “but it’s something we always consider on a case-by-case basis.”
Wilford explains that rattlesnake bite symptoms include pain, swelling and bleeding. The vaccine does not prevent these symptoms; rather, it reduces their severity and decreases the amount of antivenin needed during treatment.
The rattlesnake vaccine does have some potential benefits: It may decrease your dog’s fear response to snakes and can reduce the risk of side effects from antivenin. But because every dog reacts differently to snakebites, there is no guarantee that your
Rattlesnake bites can be fatal to dogs. And the treatment needed to save pets from the venom can be costly.
So it makes sense that many owners are considering a rattlesnake vaccine for their dogs. But how well does the vaccine work, and is it worth the cost?
The American Veterinary Medical Association has some advice on that.
What happens when a dog is bitten?
A dog vaccinated for rattlesnake bite is not necessarily protected from snakebite, and the vaccine is not approved for use in cats. The rattlesnake vaccine is an off-label use of a vaccine designed for horses.
The horse vaccine is labeled for use only in horses and can only be used in dogs by veterinarians who have completed a special training course. It may decrease severity of disease, but does not guarantee prevention. A dog that has been vaccinated should be taken to the veterinarian if bitten, since anti-venom is still required.
Information from: Pet Poison Helpline
If you’re a dog owner, you probably know that rattlesnake bites are a risk in the West. But before you rush out and vaccinate your dog, there’s something else to consider: The rattlesnake vaccine is controversial and may do more harm than good.
Rattlesnakes are true pit vipers and their venom is hemotoxic, which means it kills living tissue and causes blood to clot. When a pet is bitten by a venomous snake, the first thing to do is get them to a veterinarian. There is no home remedy that will neutralize rattlesnake venom.
Does the Rattlesnake Vaccine Really Work?
The rattlesnake vaccine has been around for a few years now. Does it work?
After my last article on rattlesnake vaccines, I was contacted by a person who works for a company that provides services to Dr. Jim Harrison’s Rattlesnake Vaccine company.
I had some questions about the vaccine and how it works, so I sent them to him hoping he could answer them. The first question was:
“Is the vaccine specific to one or more species of rattlesnakes or does it work on all species?”
He replied that the vaccine will only work for the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). He went on to say that they are working on other vaccines in the future and are looking into vaccines for Mojave Green and Arizona Blacktail rattlesnakes.
I then asked him if the effectiveness of the vaccine is reduced when there is more than one bite, such as in the case of multiple strikes by the same snake. His response was: “Yes, if you are bitten again after you have been vaccinated your body’s immune system will not be able to fight off the venom as effectively.”
A rattlesnake vaccine exists, but its effectiveness is contested.
A new study suggests that the vaccine may provide long-lasting immunity to the venom of North American rattlesnakes. However, it should not be used as a replacement for seeking medical attention after a snakebite.
Two types of rattlesnake vaccines are available for veterinary use in the United States. Even though millions of doses have been administered, there are no formal studies showing how well they work.
It’s rattlesnake season in Arizona, and veterinarians are offering a vaccine that can be given to dogs before they suffer a bite.
The question many people ask is: Does the vaccine work?
“At this point in time, we don’t know for sure,” said Dr. Heidi Phillips of the Norterra Animal Hospital in north Phoenix. “The majority of people still say the vaccine does not work.”
She said the vaccine is expensive and it requires two shots and later a booster shot.
RELATED: Rattlesnake season tips and tricks from PHX Fire Department
Phillips said that if someone knows their dog has been bitten by a rattlesnake, taking them to an emergency clinic is more important than giving them the vaccine first.
One of the more interesting things I came across as I was researching rattlesnake bites and snakebite vaccination was the amount of information on the internet –some of it fairly recent–that is flat-out wrong.
For example, there are sites that say the vaccine was removed from the market because it didn’t work. That’s not true. There are others that say it only works for the first 24 hours after a bite. That’s not true either. Others say dogs will die if they get a rattlesnake bite and have been vaccinated–again, not true.
So let me set the record straight about rattlesnake vaccination for dogs: The vaccine does work. It does not prevent rattlesnake bites or envenomation, but it does reduce mortality from rattlesnake bites by helping to lessen some of the effects of envenomation such as swelling, bleeding disorders, and tissue necrosis (tissue death), which can lead to amputation or even death if untreated.
The vaccine can also be given to cats, ferrets, and even horses. I’ve had several clients ask me if it is safe for their birds and other exotic pets, but there is no research data to support its use in those
As rattlesnake season begins, many dog owners will be scrambling to get their pets vaccinated against snakebite.
The vaccine is sold at many veterinary clinics, but does it work?
“It’s a good bandage,” said Dr. Christopher Zahn, vice president of practice activities for the American Veterinary Medical Association. “But it doesn’t prevent the bite.”
The vaccine is designed to reduce the severity of symptoms and shorten the amount of time needed to treat a dog after a rattlesnake bite. It’s thought that the vaccine can stimulate an immune response in dogs that can increase their ability to neutralize venom and reduce inflammation and tissue damage.
The vaccine contains proteins that are found in some of North America’s most deadly snakes, including rattlesnakes. These proteins act as antigens, which stimulate an immune response. When dogs are bitten by a snake that has similar proteins, the immune system recognizes them and produces antibodies to neutralize them quickly.
The vaccine, which is a series of three shots given over the course of a year, protects dogs from the venom of Western Diamondback rattlesnakes. The shots were made by Red Rock Biologics, a small research company based in Denver.
A new study has found that the vaccine is 76 percent effective at preventing serious illness in dogs bitten by rattlesnakes — and 100 percent effective at preventing death.
“That’s very good news, especially since most veterinarians will tell you there’s no such thing as a snakebite kit for dogs,” said Dr. Timothy Blackburn, an associate professor of clinical sciences at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine on Grand Cayman Island. Blackburn led the study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The vaccine doesn’t affect how quickly a dog recovers from a bite, but it does prevent them from getting sick in the first place. “It’s not like an anti-venom that actively neutralizes the venom and reverses its effects,” Blackburn said. “It just prevents the venom from doing any damage.”
The vaccine was developed by Red Rock Biologics specifically to target Western Diamondback rattlesnake bites. But there are other vaccines available on the market that protect
The vaccine was developed by Dr. Sean Bush, an emergency physician based in Riverside County, California. The area is home to many rattlesnakes, including the Western diamondback rattlesnake and the Southern Pacific rattlesnake.
“It’s a big problem,” says Bush. “Rattlesnake bites are very common and they can cause a lot of damage.”
Bush says that every year he would see patients with snakebites who were at risk of losing their limbs or possibly even dying from their injuries.
“I started asking myself if there was anything we could do to prevent [these injuries],” he says.
Other vaccines have been developed for other venomous animals like bees, but this was the first vaccine developed specifically for snakes.
Bush started working with the California Biomedical Research Institute (CBRI) and Desert Research Biopharmaceuticals in 2011 to develop the vaccine.