Rattle Snake Vaccine

Plannerman

Plannerman

Active member
Anyone know of a vet in MN with snake vaccine?? Trying to get dog vaccinated and striking out with local vets. Tired of hearing "we don't have rattle snakes" every time I call a vet office. You'd think someone would understand hunters travel to area with snakes.

Prefer a more local option than travelling west to get vaccinated.
 
The vaccine does not give your dog complete protection. If your dog is bit by a snake you still have to get him to the vet ASAP. What the vaccine does is give you a little more time. As least that's what I'e always been told about the snake vaccine. I have not personal experience with snake bites.
 
Understood. Time is what I need on remote hunts. Pretty sure it's a 2x vaccine then annual boosters. Maybe take dog on road trip to vet out state.
 
Most vets don't have it on hand but will order it for you. Shelf life is not long so you understand why areas without high snake populations don't have it.
I notify my vet my intentions and they bring it in.

IIRC My friend uses a vet in Tyler.
 
Not my state but I’ve seen my fair share of rattle snakes in the field… vaccine is insurance and all my dogs are up to date, but it’s just insurance and if you get a bad bite your headed to the vet. I’ve had dogs bit and they all made it with no long term issues, it is a graphic wound and takes a while to heal.
I wouldn’t let the fear of a snake bite keep me out of the field or taking a trip somewhere new!
 
I found that the vet's in the larger cities either aren't familiar with it or don't want to deal with it. I would call some vet's in more rural towns/areas in MN that treat hunting dogs more often. My dogs get the rattlesnake vaccine from a rural vet and we are going to do snake avoidance training at the end of the month. I run into snakes frequently on my property and I saw a couple snakes running hunt tests this year. It is only a matter of time before my young dogs run into a rattlesnake on one of our trips up north.
 
I don’t do my booster until August. I was in the vets a couple of weeks ago for shots and he gave me the talk about how most vets aren’t recommending the vaccine. To me it’s why wouldn’t I give it to them. I mean I drop a thousand dollars a year on shots and heartworm what’s a couple of 25 dollar shots and an office fee.
 
In the mid 90's my lab got hit on the bridge of his nose, big snake, was hunting sharpies early Sept in Montana. I was 45 miles from the vet, he gave him a shot of antibiotics and a shot of steroids, said the secondary infection is the major concern. That night the dog's face swelled up, look like a baseball player with a large chew in his mouth. Next morning swelling was gone and he was fine.
 
Plannerman said:
Understood. Time is what I need on remote hunts. Pretty sure it's a 2x vaccine then annual boosters. Maybe take dog on road trip to vet out state.
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I’m a veterinarian in Eastern South Dakota and I don’t carry it. Last time I checked I would have to buy 25 doses at a time. 23 of them would get thrown away. Not financially feasible. I worked in Mobridge (North Central SD) and we never carried it there either. Saw a few dogs with bites every year and steroids, antibiotics and maybe some iv fluids and they all lived. Some were a day or two old when they were presented. I grouse hunt out West River every September and don’t vaccinate my own dogs. That being said, not all bites are the same. Snakes don’t have an endless supply of venom so they don’t always inject some. Just a little extra info for your decision making. Or maybe ease your mind if you can’t get it done.
 
Maniacbrittany said:
I’m a veterinarian in Eastern South Dakota and I don’t carry it. Last time I checked I would have to buy 25 doses at a time. 23 of them would get thrown away. Not financially feasible. I worked in Mobridge (North Central SD) and we never carried it there either. Saw a few dogs with bites every year and steroids, antibiotics and maybe some iv fluids and they all lived. Some were a day or two old when they were presented. I grouse hunt out West River every September and don’t vaccinate my own dogs. That being said, not all bites are the same. Snakes don’t have an endless supply of venom so they don’t always inject some. Just a little extra info for your decision making. Or maybe ease your mind if you can’t get it done.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that! That's a MUCH BETTER explanation than I received here in MN. Great news on the severity also...will also reduce stress level on sharpie and hun trips a bit.
 
Its a long shot but If anyone will its All Pets Veterinary and Equine in Zimmerman.
Dr. Joel is big into sporting dogs
 
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