Rattlesnake Vaccine: What You Should Consider
Over the years Sierra Animal Wellness Center in Colfax has received inquiries about protecting dogs from rattlesnakes via vaccine. Like U.C. Davis, they do not stock or recommend the rattlesnake vaccine currently available. They concur with the university, the AVMA, the AAHA canine vaccine task force and vaccine expert Dr. Jean Dodds that the “information regarding the efficacy of rattlesnake vaccine is insufficient”, it “may produce adverse events with limited benefit” and snake bites generally “respond readily to treatment”. To read more about this vaccine click on Rattlesnake Vaccine: What You Should Consider, go to their website at www.sierraanimalwellnesscenter.com.
Rattlesnake Do’s and Don’ts
“Rattlesnake Do’s and Don’ts” was published in a previous newsletter and is on their web site under “Resources”. It contains information on snake avoidance, recognizing symptoms of snake bite and, if the worst should happen and your dog is bit, what to do and, just as important, what not to do. We hope you never need this, but living in our area it is a good idea to be prepared. Go to www.sierraanimalwellnesscenter.com to read the article.