Dogs: Rattlesnake Vaccine?

[ag111]

About to buy some property in west Texas (Edwards/Real county) and am researching the best way to keep my pup safe. Do any of y’all have experience with the rattlesnake vaccine? I am going to be at least an hour or more from a vet so it is a real concern if mine. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[Ilik2hunt]

We give our labs the vaccine and snake avoidance,so far we haven’t tested either one,they say the vaccine just gives you a little time to get them to a vet.

[cehorn]

We give our labs the vaccine and snake avoidance,so far we haven’t tested either one,they say the vaccine just gives you a little time to get them to a vet.

Yep, we do both as well. Our vet said the vaccine may not prevent death but it gives you more time to get to the vet to prevent death. Benadryl is also good to have on hand....

[Tommyh]

Dogs are tough critters when it comes to snake bites. Most just require benadryl for the reactions, and are fine in a few days. Talk to your vet about their recommendation.

[TAMU84]

My lab gets the vaccine every year. They say it takes a month for it to be effective so she gets her yearly vet visit on august first and the vaccine then so she’s covered by September first

[hlansford]

My dogs get it every year. My catahoula got bit about 4 yrs ago after being on the vaccine for 2 years at that time. He had minimal swelling to the leg at the bite sight and almost no tissue necrosis to speak of. Benadryl is a must if you are a long distance from town. Check with your vet to get the right dose for your dogs weight. They take alot more benadryl than we do.

[Gclyde12]

Put them through the snake avoidance class. My lab saved my
6 month Pregnant wife from a for sure bite in junction this past July at our place.

[Bisch]

My JRT gets the vaccine every year. He’s been to snake avoidance training too. He and the mutt found a rattler in the front yard a while back. Barking like crazy, but kept his distance, so I guess the training worked.

Bisch


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[tazhunter0]

Parents get their dogs done every year. I think “ Rooster Jr “ was up to 4-5 bites this past year. He will not learn to stay away from them. I think they killed between 75+ this past year.

[glpoe1]

My Decker Giant Rat Terrier got bit on the nose this summer by a little rattler in our shop. She had the Rattle Snake Vaccine but not current and she did just fine. She was bit on the nose and swelled up quite a bit. I took her to the vet next day and she was running and playing like nothing happened except for a big ol' nose. The vet said even though the vaccine was not current it must have helped. Get the vaccine.

[Button]

DMSO in a spray bottle, apply to bite

[Shane]

If you have to choose between avoidance training and vaccine, do the avoidance training.

[ag111]

Really awesome info here guys I really appreciate it. I have never heard of snake avoidance training but I will definitely be doing that and the vaccine now based on the feedback. Thanks!

[dallred]

My Decker Giant Rat Terrier got bit on the nose this summer by a little rattler in our shop. She had the Rattle Snake Vaccine but not current and she did just fine. She was bit on the nose and swelled up quite a bit. I took her to the vet next day and she was running and playing like nothing happened except for a big ol' nose. The vet said even though the vaccine was not current it must have helped. Get the vaccine.

Same advice from our vet when we lived in east Texas. When kept our lab current on the vaccine because of timber rattlers, copperheads and water moccasins. He seemed to favor their habitat. Small cost for their protection.

[Mullet]

Got my dog his first rattlesnake vaccine last week, along with an annual rabbies & bordatella vaccine. Total of 3 shots.

He was lethargic & a little shakie for a few hours afterward - but I think it was from the bordatella shot, although a buddy told me his German Shorthaired was shakie from just the rattlesnake vaccine for hours.

He's due for the rattlesnake booster in 2 weeks. The first rattlesnake shot was like $48...

Definitely think avoidance training is the way to go if you were deciding between only avoidance vs. only vaccine. Both is best, though.

I was dove hunting with my same buddy last year, and his German Shorthaired stirred up a rattlesnake in some bush. The dog jumped about 5 feet away as soon as he heard the rattle...

Size of dog & location of the bite is really the deciding factor of how the dog will fare if bit. A bigger dog with a bite far away from the heart (i.e. foot) has much better odds of survival apparently.

Personally, I was hiking down a steep mountain in Massachusetts and almost stepped on an eastern rattlesnake (about 2 feet away from my foot). It struck at me, but missed. It did not rattle or give any warning before striking.