Q. Which dogs should receive Rattlesnake Vaccine?
A. Any dog over four months of age that is exposed to rattlesnakes whether at home, walking, hiking, camping, hunting, or elsewhere might be a good candidate for rattlesnake vaccine.

Q. How common are rattlesnake bites?
A. About 7,000 to 8,000 humans are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States every year.  The best estimate of dogs and cats bitten by venomous snakes is about 150,000.  Dogs and cats are about 300 times more likely to be bitten by venomous snakes than to get rabies.

Q. How dangerous are rattlesnake bites to dogs?
A. Rattlesnake bites are about 25 times more fatal in dogs than in humans. Even dogs that survive the bite can be permanently damaged..

Q. How safe is rattlesnake vaccine for pets?
A. Rattlesnake vaccine is laboratory tested, government approved, and has been used in over one hundred thousand dogs over many years. Thousands of veterinary clinics nationwide recommend this vaccine for dogs at risk. The side effects are rare and typically very mild. About 1% of dogs may get a temporary lump at the injection site that doesn’t bother the dog and goes away by its self in a few weeks. Temporary flu like symptoms are reported in about one in 3,000 vaccinations and other miscellaneous symptoms are reported in fewer than one in 15,000 vaccinations. These systemic symptoms are rare, and don’t appear to have any pattern, so it is possible that many are coincidental and unrelated to the vaccine use. Even the most severe side effect reasonably attributable to the vaccine is likely to be much easier for a veterinarian to treat than a moderate rattlesnake bite.

Q. How well does the rattlesnake vaccine work?
A. The vaccine has been reported to both delay the effects and reduce the severity of rattlesnake bites and help dogs survive and recover more quickly with less pain and swelling. It is likely that many dog owners don’t even notice their vaccinated dogs are bitten by rattlesnakes. Other owners have reported seeing their dogs bitten but did not take them to the veterinarian because they were too far out in the back country and the dogs recovered quickly and completely without veterinary care. Note that it is always recommended that a rattlesnake bite be treated as a veterinary emergency-even in a vaccinated dog because of the complexity of a rattlesnake bite.

Q. How is rattlesnake vaccine different from Antivenin?
A. Rattlesnake vaccine is a preventative medicine whereas antivenin is a treatment for rattlesnake bites. The vaccine stimulates a dog to create his own antibodies to rattlesnake venom that will protect him from bites that happen in the future. Antivenin is antibodies made from another animal (usually a horse or sheep) that are injected into a dog after he is bitten by a venomous snake.

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.

Q. What is the one rattlesnake species that the Rattlesnake Vaccine has found to have no protection against?
A. The Mojave rattlesnake has a venom has a neurotoxin that is unlike other rattlesnakes venom. The vaccine also does not provide protection against the coral snake or cottonmouth snakes.

Q. How often should a dog get booster vaccinations?
A. A dog should get at least two doses about 30 days apart in the initial vaccination sequence. If the dog is exposed to rattlesnakes about six months per year, he will only need one booster per year about 30 days before the beginning of that exposure season. If the dog is exposed to much longer rattlesnake seasons or year around risks, he should be given a booster dose every six months.

Q. How long does Rattlesnake Vaccine protection last?
A. A dog should get at least two doses about 30 days apart in the initial vaccination sequence. If the dog is exposed to rattlesnakes about six months per year, he will only need one booster per year about 30 days before the beginning of that exposure season. If the dog is exposed to much longer rattlesnake seasons or year around risks, he should be given a booster dose every six months.

Q. Should small dogs get this vaccine even if they don’t produce as many total antibodies as large dogs?
A. Yes. A smaller dog is always going to have a harder time fighting off the same amount of venom as a larger dog and will need all the help he can get. The protection that the rattlesnake vaccine gives to a smaller dog may be enough to help save his life or help him recover more quickly.

Q. Why should a rattlesnake bite be treated as a veterinary emergency even in vaccinated dogs?
A. Though many vaccinated dogs can recover from a rattlesnake bite without veterinary care, rattlesnake bites are complex. The protection afforded by the vaccine can be overcome in special circumstances. Veterinarians are better able to identify these special circumstances and give additional care if necessary.

Q. Can a dog receive the vaccine if he has already been bitten by a rattlesnake and had antivenin?
A. Yes. Red Rock Biologics recommends waiting at least 30 days after the dog has recovered from the rattlesnake bite.

Q. If a dog is exposed to rattlesnakes from about April through about October, gets his first vaccine shot in July and his second rattlesnake vaccine in August, when should he get his next regular booster?
A. March, or about 30 days before the beginning of his next expected exposure season to rattlesnakes. Protection from vaccination boosters last about six months.

Q. . A dog owner calls a vet clinic 10 days after his dog received the rattlesnake vaccine to report that the dog has a small lump, about the size of an almond, at the injection site. The lump does not bother the dog but it does worry the owner that the dog has a lump. What should the owner know about such reactions?
A. . Such reactions occur about one percent of the time, are not dangerous, and tend to go away by themselves in about three to four weeks. The owner may apply hot moist compress to the site for fifteen minutes, several times per day, to help the lump resolve more quickly. The dog owner should contact the veterinarian if the lump becomes painful or if other symptoms occur.

Q. How much does the vaccine cost?
A. The Rattlesnake Vaccine is sold only through veterinarians and they set their own prices. It is very affordable considering it is a specialty vaccine that can provide a great deal of protection.

Q. Can I order this vaccine on line?
A. Sorry, no. The vaccine is only sold through veterinarians. But there are over 4,000 veterinary hospitals nationwide that use the vaccine. Call your local veterinarian or Red Rock Biologics to be directed to a vet hospital that uses the vaccine near you.

Q. Why should a rattlesnake bite be treated as a veterinary emergency even in vaccinated dogs?
A. Though many vaccinated dogs can recover from a rattlesnake bite without veterinary care, rattlesnake bites are complex. The protection afforded by the vaccine can be overcome in special circumstances. Veterinarians are better able to identify these special circumstances and give additional care if necessary.

Q. Can I use this vaccine in my cat?
A. The vaccine was not labeled for use in cats but many veterinary clinics have used the vaccine in cats. Cats actually have a better response to the vaccine than dogs. You would want to consult your veterinarian about the off-label use of any product.

Q. Can I use this vaccine in my horse?
A. This rattlesnake vaccine was designed for dogs. Red Rock Biologics is in the process of developing a rattlesnake vaccine for horses. It may be available as soon as the spring of 2009.

Q. Can a dog receive the vaccine if he has already been bitten by a rattlesnake and had antivenin?
A. Yes. Since there are no horse or sheep protiens in rattlesnake vaccine, there it can be safely used in dogs that have been bitten by rattlesnakes and had antivenin before. Red Rock Biologics recommends waiting at least 30 days after the dog has recovered from any previous snake bite before starting or continuing vaccination.