Did I hear this right? While on hold with a vet clinic, I heard a message about rattlesnake vaccines available for dogs. Have any of you heard of this?

If it was safe, I would consider it for my dogs, as we live in Florida and often go traipsing through the woods. The rattlesnake, coral snake and cottonmouth are what I most fear.

I've heard of it but don't know if it's effective or not. Even if it is effective I'm not sure it would cover coral snakes and cottonmouths!!!

Found this link if it can help you: Link to article RATTLE SNAKE VACCINE FOR DOGS
"Q. What percentage of veterinary clinics that have treated rattlesnake bites in vaccinated dogs think that the vaccine works well?
A. A nationwide survey of 720 veterinary clinics showed about 90% of clinics that had treated vaccinated dogs for snake bite said that the vaccine works well or very well, 5% reported mixed results, 3% saw no benefit, and 2% wanted to reserve judgment until they had treated more vaccinated dogs for snake bite."

I have heard of this vaccine but I do not know any vets that have given it.

My impression is that it is limited in scope, and has a high risk of adverse reactions: http://germanshepherdhome.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/133726.html#Post133726

My Dads hunting dog gets it here in N Fla. He gets a big lump every time and it is given every 6 months. My Dads vet says it has saved dogs that would have ordinarily died. But I do not give it personally. Just a little bit too much unknown to me. Would be curious to hear others opinions.

One thing I have done is to take the dogs (Penny and Sasha did this) to a snake avoidance training class where they take a real snake whose mouth is rubberbanded, put an e collar on the dog and you walk dog around towards snake. When dog shows interest or goes close (as they almost always do) they get a shock to simulate a bite. I figured this experience was better than no experience and neither dog was upset by it. You most often find these classes through hunting breeds/tests.

I know that folks have different ituations with their dogs, and snakes have different personalities in different areas. But I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Those vaccine reactions ound similar to the issues Indy had with her lyme vaccine - the site swelled up like half a grapefruit I can't imagine exposing a dog to that every 6 months

I understand the dangers of snaakes, I've had to kill rattlers in the yard before. I snake trained indy to a large degree, though we are fortunate here that our snakes are not as aggressive as they could be - they mostly strike defensively. I worried about max a lot, and depended on his size to get him through a bite, I was never able to get him trained. I'm keeping my eye out for a rattler to start on Jazz's training, but haven't seen one in awhile, which is good! I have found a few garters that I've tried to work with, but that was last year.

We have had two dogs on the court get bit - large dogs, at least as big as Max. One saved his human boy and spent some time in the hospital, pulled through, and some time later died of kidney failure (thought from the bite), and the other one never even went to the vet and was fine.

With an 18 pound dog, I'm pretty worried about a bite.

The vaccines offered here in the west don't work for all rattlesnakes, and if your dog is bit by one that is included in the vaccine, it buys you time. You still have to rush your dog to the vet. But the bite is far less likely to be fatal.

I've been kicking around the idea of vaccinating my kids. My girls weigh 18- 30 lbs each. That gives us very little time.

And time is a big factor for us. We're often 100-200+ miles from a veterinary clinic. If I stayed pretty close to civilization, I'd hestitate to give my dogs a relatively new vaccine (there are frequently snakebite victims at my emergency clinic. The risk here is high) . But if you're regularly hours away from a vet, are you willing to risk it?

I have a friend whose judgement I respect immensely who has vaccinated all her working dogs. I plan to kick around the idea with her. But I'm strongly leaning toward vaccinating.