# Rattlesnake Vaccine -- any new info?



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

On of my dogs and I will be in SW Colo. all summer, and there are rattlesnakes around. Our place is at least a 90 minutes drive from the closest dose of rattlesnake antivenin -- I called the town's vet and checked. 

If we're up on a trail, add however long it takes to get down off it to that ticking clock. We will easily be at the 2 hour mark, even if conditions are optimal (no traffic, smooth descent from the hike, etc.). That's at the outer limit of the extra time the vaccine is supposed to offer.

Normally, I wouldn't even consider that vaccine, but the long distance away from antivenin has me seriously concerned.

The existing threads on this are a few years old, with most opting for snake avoidance training instead. Everything is second hand about this vaccine -- lots of anecdotal concerns about efficacy, but no real-world experiences. 

Has anyone here actually given the vaccine and had a snake bite the dog? If so, how much time did it buy you? Was there a vaccine reaction at the injection site, and if so, how bad of one?


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## osito23 (Feb 17, 2014)

I'm in Texas and enjoy hiking with my dogs. I get the vaccine and do avoidance training. I don't have any studies to link but I haven't had any issues with reactions (even with small breeds) and the vaccine. My vet sees dozens of snake bites every season and feels the vaccine is very effective. The bird dog people I do the aversion training with also swear by the vaccine. 

I had a dog get bit years ago before the vaccine was out, and of course we were hiking out in the middle of no where when it happened. The nearest vet did not carry anti-venin either, so we treated with antibiotics and steroids. My dog survived but was very sick; she spent 10 days at the vet and received multiple blood transfusions. It's not an experience I would like to repeat, so I do everything I can short of moving to Canada.


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## MMcCoy (May 12, 2016)

I had no idea this was a thing! I just messaged my vet to find out details! Thank you so much for drawing my attention to this!


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## Besketball (Apr 27, 2016)

You've inspired me to do some research on the topic. I've never heard of such a vaccine. But if I were in your position, I'd probably go for the vaccine. The antivenom is pretty far away and you never know when your pup might get bitten.


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

For what ever it'seems worth - We did the rattlesnake vaccines for our horses. 6 horses. 4 had no reaction whatsoever. 1 seemed to be very sore/bruised at the injection site and 1 had localised swelling the size of a grapefruit along with a slight fever on the first round the subsequent shots had no reaction that I can recall.

One of the horses got bit by a copperhead after the vaccines. She wasnt too bad, sore a few days and on antibiotics. Little to no swelling. Supposedly some protection should have been offered by the vaccine - but copperhead venom is pretty mild as is and there is always the possibility that it was a dry bite anyways. So hard to tell if it actually helped.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I have thought about it. Plenty of dogs around here get bit by copperheads and I know others it by cottonmouths, and they are not much of a worry but the timber rattlers can be deadly. My understanding is it just buys some time. I get the vet to give me dexamethasone and injectable benedryl for my SAR pack.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Time is not the only issue, but money would be too. It's costing thousands to save the life of the GSD that got bit 3 times protecting his person.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Yeah, that treatment definitely would put Healthy Paws and their "no limits on claims" coverage to the test.

Voodoolamb, it's good to hear that it may have helped your horse. 

Jocoyn, can you tell me about what the injectables you carry do here -- is part of the venom reaction an allergic reaction in the dog? I hadn't realized snake bites benefited from an antihistimine, so that's very interesting!


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Don't know, but if vaccine is proofed, I'd go for it.

Jack was bitten by a snake - live in Louisiana and could be a number of bad snakes.

He survived, but still limps - years later.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Zyppi, I normally live in Louisiana too. My regular vet is looking into the efficacy study on it for me. The vets down here don't offer it, but I can get it when we get to our "camp" in Colorado, as the Colorado vets do offer it (and I mean "camp" in the Louisiana sense because I know you know the difference :wink2. 

The rattlesnake vaccine is not effective against all pit vipers. It's most effective against the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, and has lesser protection for some others. However, it's not effective against the infernal cottonmouths (water moccasins) that plague us down here. The coral snake is in a different family, so it's not covered either, unfortunately.
Rattlesnake Vaccines Frequently Asked Questions | Red Rock Biologics

_..."this vaccine may also provide protection against the venoms of the Western Rattlesnake (including the Prairie, Great Basin, Northern and Southern Pacific varieties), Sidewinder, Timber Rattlesnake, Massasauga and the Copperhead. Partial protection may be obtained against Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake venom.This vaccine does not provide protection against venom from the Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth), Mojave Rattlesnake or Coral Snake."_


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Magwart said:


> Yeah, that treatment definitely would put Healthy Paws and their "no limits on claims" coverage to the test.
> 
> Voodoolamb, it's good to hear that it may have helped your horse.
> 
> Jocoyn, can you tell me about what the injectables you carry do here -- is part of the venom reaction an allergic reaction in the dog? I hadn't realized snake bites benefited from an antihistimine, so that's very interesting!


I believe that is SOP for treating snakebite, but I could be wrong. The vet gave it to me with dosing directions for my dog. I noticed an acquaintance used the same thing on a dog bitten by a cotton mouth as well. .. I know around here oral benedryl is common for a copperhead which is usually a mild bite for the dogs though I would watch for infection. Basically we have had some searches in remote areas of the North Carolina mountains with a healthy population of Timber Rattlers. Some of these searches involve 30 minutes or more riding in a gator or offroad vehicle and there is no way a helo would risk for a dog. Not even sure if it could for a person. Heavily wooded steep terrain. Updrafts etc.


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