General Snakebite FAQS
Veterinary Experts Do Not Recommend the Rattlesnake Vaccine.
NSS does not recommend the snakebite vaccine (rattlesnake toxoid) for dogs. It has not been demonstrated to help, and it may cause harm. Click here to read a detailed article by Kimberly Wyatt, MS with Asclepius Snakebite Foundation.
There is NO published data supporting the efficacy of the vaccine in dogs. Adverse reactions following vaccination, including anaphylaxis, have been reported. The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) also released a statement highlighting the lack of evidence of vaccine (toxoid) efficacy. You can also find on the vaccine manufacturer’s own website in small print that efficacy and potency have not been demonstrated.
What if your pet has already received the vaccine?
Response from Dr. Woliver:
The chance for anaphylaxis will always exist. Once the body is primed/exposed it always has the possibility of leading to anaphylaxis. The chance may decrease over time but we can’t predict which dogs this may happened to. Overall, it probably won’t happen, the incidence of this happening is rare but will always exist.
Links and Sources
American Animal Hospital Association Statement
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The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the only organization in the United States and Canada that accredits companion animal veterinary hospitals. The AAHA published a statement in 2022 highlighting the lack of evidence of vaccine (toxoid) efficacy.
272 Cases of Rattlesnake Envenomations in Dogs
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In view of the results of this study, in dogs with rattlesnake envenomation, there is no evidence that use of glucocorticoids, diphenhydramine, prophylactic antibiotics, or vaccination lessen morbidity or mortality.
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