Rattlesnake Vaccine for Dogs

[fixyurdivot]

Fellow Spy's.  We recently added a member of the family; now 4 month old yellow lab named River.  We live in southwest Montana and do have Prairie Rattlesnakes. Our vet is suggesting the rattlesnake vaccine as part of the compliment of shots.  My internet research on this is yielding mixed reviews.  Primarily concerning to me is that the company that produces the USDA approved vaccine has not published any updated efficacy tests since its debut on the market in 2004. One would think that after 14 years on the market, they would be advertising positive results... that's assuming there are any.  

 

I'd like to hear from those living in the western states who have decided to have their dogs receive the rattlesnake vaccine.  

 

 

[tommc23]

A friend of mine is moving to Texas and said he will be adding it to his dogs compliment. I have no clue how affective it is, but the lack of update may be there is not a lot of dogs bitten. I suggest an avoidance class and vets will normally not steer you wrong they don't generally get kick backs.

 

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[gaussman1]

I don't but a good friend of mine who lives in Phoenix just had their bulldog get bit in the face by a rattler. Their vet said her tough hide and hard head definitely protected her but that she really should get the vaccine included with her annual shots. I had never heard of it before

[GB13]

I would have the dog get the shot. If there are no side effects, even if it is not effective then it doesn't matter. If it is effective then it is good to have. I would feel bad it my dog got bitten and I hadn't gotten the vaccine for the dog.

IMHO the is no downside.

[fixyurdivot]

I would have the dog get the shot. If there are no side effects, even if it is not effective then it doesn't matter. If it is effective then it is good to have. I would feel bad it my dog got bitten and I hadn't gotten the vaccine for the dog.

IMHO the is no downside.

 

There have been some bad reactions documented, but suspect that risk is really low. The other question is about effectiveness since the vaccine is derived from western diamondback rattlesnakes.  Most of what I'm reading say's there is little data showing how well it works on other pit viper venom.  

[revkev]

This is exactly what makes this forum great. I can't help here but wanted to thank you for starting this thread. I love my dog and would do anything to protect her as she would for me.

 

 

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[tommc23]

There have been some bad reactions documented, but suspect that risk is really low. The other question is about effectiveness since the vaccine is derived from western diamondback rattlesnakes. Most of what I'm reading say's there is little data showing how well it works on other pit viper venom.

The way the antivenom works for humans is it's based off of the genus as a whole not individual species. It would be incredibly difficult to make an antivenom for every species. The way that all rattlesnake toxins work is pretty similar, but not the same. So the vaccine would work like it does in humans and that means it's based off the most potent strain which means it should work on all the lesser strains.

 

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[tommc23]

And I looked up the vaccine it's kinda different than the human vaccines but they say its sole job is to reduce the effects of the bite and buy you time to get to the vet. The antivenom is also different than for humans so disregard what I said above lol.

 

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[GB13]

There have been some bad reactions documented, but suspect that risk is really low. The other question is about effectiveness since the vaccine is derived from western diamondback rattlesnakes. Most of what I'm reading say's there is little data showing how well it works on other pit viper venom.

I would suspect the risk is really low as well. Some humans every have reactions to vaccines but it is very rare.

While it may have been developed from specific species of rattlesnake; the difference in venom is mimimal.