bitten everyday around here. Snakebites are emergencies and your pet needs
to come in immediately for care. Antivenom is given to counteract the
poison and results are generally positive. Smaller dogs are at greater
risk. The Rattlesnake vaccine is not a substitute for emergency care.
What it does seem to do is reduce the need for antivenom. The vaccine is
$32-$40 dollars around here and a vial of antivenom is $500 dollars. Some
dogs require 3-5 vials of antivenom without the rattlesnake vaccine verses
1-2 vials on average in my experience with the vaccine. In my opinion, if
your pet is at high risk for snakebite, the Rattlesnake Vaccine in this
case is recommended to protect both your pet and your wallet.
--
Brett Cordes DVM
