Rattle Snake Vaccine?

[Jennifer and Jack]

At the vet today. They had signs up that they were offering vaccines for Rattle Snake bites.. I was totally confused because I had no idea they even lived in SC.. heebie jeevies.. bleck....

I guess they had a few patients who have had dogs bit by one... They said the main problem with snake bites here is  Copper Heads.. I already knew that because my neighbors dog that lived outside was bit by one and since no one saw him suffering outside alone, they found him dead the next day.

The vet said the vaccine would help protect against Copper head bites.. I am not thinking I need it for here but at moms house which is very close to Georgia and where the dogs play in the park... There has been a lot of snake problems....

When I did the search on here I saw from 2010 some people talking about it but not a whole lot, Has anyone gotten their dog this shot?

[Jennifer and Jack]

Ewwwwwwww lol

[Becka]

I love bats too! I think they're fascinating animals.

[Gail and Bailey]

And, bats are so good for the environment!  Wish I had some living in my yard to take care of all the insects!

[Gail and Bailey]

Never mind snakes....I wish Bailey was afraid of toads!  When it rains and we take a walk at night, they are all over the road and Bailey trys to catch them.  The other night I think she got one in her mouth and she was shaking her head and snorting for a while.  It must have done something to her.  Just glad we don't live in South Florida anymore with the poison Buffo toads!!!  Does Sadie avoid them?

[Becka]

Actually I caught one this morning (they come out when it rains). Sadie is interested but wary of them. She doesn't have a particularly strong prey drive and the most hunting she ever does is running after lizards.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My doodles have encountered a couple of garter snakes, or some harmless snakes anyway, in the yard. They were very interested. So much so that I actually picked one up and threw it over the fence for everyone's safety before I knew what I was doing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

OMD, you picked it up? You are amazing!

At my old house, we were on the edge of the woods, where there was a river, with a small pond behind me, and twice over the years I came across a dead snake on my property. Both times I called neighbors to come and take them away.

(I also occasionally came across live snakes, but in those cases, I ran.)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Ha. You'd be surprised what adrenaline does. I didn't want the dogs messing with the snake and I had no emergency leash/cords then. But one time in California, I cam across a rattlesnake. I became literally paralyzed with fright. Luckily it just slithered away.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Seriously F, obviously you love your doodles! I am afraid if DH wasn't around Daisy may have had to investigate on her own. LOL

[F, Calla & Luca]

I do love those doodles.

[cheryl & oliver]

When we moved to Florida, we lived in an aea that was first being built up, so the snakes I guess had to move, well being from the north, we really didn't see snakes, at least I never did, I know they were around, but I was lucky.  the first day we moved into our house, the neighbor across the street killed an 6 ft rattle snake, that was so huge around, I nearly fainted, I told my husband we were moving back up North, but we have lived here for 29 yrs now and I have to be truthful, I have seen only 2 snakes since then.  I would have prob. fainted, and died on the spot if I accidently came upon one.  I am absolutely TERRIFIED of them.  Good ones or bad ones, they make me ill.  Every year when my kids were young they used to have this guy come to the school to teach the kids about which snakes were poisionous and which were not.  Just 2 mos. ago, I was having the pavers on my walk and driveway cleaned, and the guy came to tell me that there was a pygmy rattle snake sunning itself by my front door.  I nearly fainted, I was so upset I was shaking.  He used something and killed it and got rid of it.  He wanted to show it to me, I told him if he did brought that thing within 100 yrds of me, he would have to call 911 for me.  I peaked out the window to see him take it away and throw it down the sewer..there was always a rule in my house, and with two boys I needed it.  If it slithers or crawls, it cannot live  withn my perimeter...We did have bats that we hadto have removed from under the eves in our roof, we have a tile roof and they like to make their nest there, but I left the house that day too, the guy said we had several hundred, I freaked...U cannot kill them, so they spray something that they don't like and they leave...I did find one in a pot that I was going to plant in, it drowned in some water, and that freaked me out...ewww, to them all!!!!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Yes, Gracie Doodle gets one every year.  We don't live anywhere near snakes but we like to take her into the back country and also up to Northern California.  I would rather be save than sorry.  We also have yearly Rattlesnake Awareness training.  I am just like you are when it comes to Jack.  I will take Gracie to the vet at the drop of a pin if I think something is wrong!!  Understand though...rattle snake vaccine does not prevent the venom from getting into the system and possibly killing the dog.  It just slows the process down and buys you a bit more time to seek emergency help immediately for the anti-venom.  I figure most likely if she were to get a bite we would be miles from any emergency vet and I want that extra time to drive like a bat out of hell for help!!!