New vaccine may help prevent serious harm to your dog
Dave Rice
7/06/05
Since most do not possess a natural fear of snakes, often displaying a hazardous curiosity of the reptiles, national statistics indicate that dogs are bitten by venomous snakes on the average of 15,000 times a year, twice as often as their owners. Although few of these snake strikes result in the death of the dog (or humans for that matter) extreme pain accompanied by serious injury can result even if the animal is treated in time with anti-venom.
In a recent column, the subject of teaching dogs to avoid snakes through specialized training offered through the Nevada Wildlife Federation was covered in detail. Those who take their canine pets into the wild lands of Nevada — especially hunters — should seriously consider the training. But now there is something else these particular dog owners may want to consider in conjunction with snake avoidance classes; a new vaccination given to dogs that provides considerable protection from the effects of rattlesnake venom.
Developed by Red Rock Biologics of Woodland, Calif., the rattlesnake vaccine, as they call it, “... defends your dog by creating an immunity that works right away to help neutralize the toxins.”
Development of the vaccine followed the near loss of Dr. Gail Wallis’ pet cat that was bitten by a rattlesnake. According to RRB product representative, Peter Wallis, although the cat survived, it suffered permanent damage, which led his sister-in-law, in association with other researchers, to develop the vaccine. They questioned that since there are effective vaccines for other toxins, why not for rattlesnake bites?
Rattlesnake venom is a complex mixture of toxins that spreads through a dog’s body following the bite. To make the vaccine, Peter Wallis said that RRB has developed a process that first removes some of the proteins from snake venom, followed by further processing that detoxifies the substance. In 2003, the company was issued a license by California to sell the vaccine, but only in that state. In January of this year, the USDA issued a license which allows distribution throughout the nation.
“I take reports of vaccinated dogs that have been bitten by rattlesnakes — several of those a week — and the reports are almost unanimous that the (inoculated) dogs do far better than the veterinarians expected they would do without the vaccine. There is no doubt that the vaccine is effective.” Wallis said.
“From our extensive lab work, we estimate that a vaccinated dog can take two to three times as much venom as a dog without the vaccine.” He added that a vaccinated dog has about the protection of two to three vials of anti-venom that is used to treat dogs after they have been bitten.
Typically, dogs less than 100 pounds receive two doses of the vaccine about one month apart. Subsequent doses are recommended annually in the spring, or about a month before the dog visits rattlesnake country. Large dogs bigger than 100 pounds should receive three doses and the annual spring booster shot.
The cost of each shot of vaccine runs between $25 and $40 each, Wallis said, which is well below the cost of the anti-venom that is given to a dog after being bitten by a rattlesnake. Anti-venom treatments can run $300 to $800 depending on the particular snake species. Complete treatment to save a dog’s life can cost the owner $2,000 to $3,000 according to Wallis.
There are seven veterinary clinics in the Reno-Sparks area that offer the rattlesnake venom. One is Dr. Marvin Altom, DVM, of North Hills Veterinary Clinic in Reno. He said that he has had the life-saving vaccine for about eight weeks and recommends it for all dogs that frequent wild lands in the state that may harbor rattlesnakes. To date, he said that he has administered the vaccine to well over 100 dogs. Although he has treated 10 dogs this year for rattlesnake bites, a higher than normal number he said, none were those that had received the vaccine, so he has had no personal experience with rattlesnake vaccine protected dogs.
Even though the vaccine has proven to effectively reduce the effects of the snake toxin, Dr. Altom and Wallis both stressed that it is very important that vaccinated dogs that are struck by a rattlesnake be taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible for examination. Wallis said that the dog will still experience some swelling and it is important that antibiotics be given to the animal to guard against infection at the bite since the vaccine does not treat infection.
Side effects to the vaccine are very rare and mild, according to Wallis, with some dogs developing an “almond-size” lump at the point of the shot. Less than one percent of the dogs that receive the vaccine have any reactions at all. According to Dr. Altom, side effects or reactions experienced by dogs he has inoculated with the vaccine are low, or about the same as reactions to other vaccines that he uses at the clinic.
“Hunters have grabbed onto this product with both hands,” according to Wallis. “People pay a lot for a hunting dog and it often becomes the family pet also, so it is very traumatic to see it suffer, or to lose a dog to a rattlesnake bite.”
He said that dogs are typically struck in the head or face, and the head of the animal can swell up to the size of a basketball which can lead to the dog losing their senses or suffering other permanent damage.
“Based on the many reports that we have received, in a large percentage of the time, the swelling is already starting to go down on dogs with the vaccine upon arrival at the clinic, and the vet doesn’t have to do much except administer antibiotics to the animal.
Dr. Altom said that head and face bites are really bad on dogs. It is his understanding, he said, that the severe reaction to a bite is much reduced if the dog has been vaccinated and that alone is enough reason to have certain dogs receive the preventative medication.
Further information on the vaccine and the effects of snake bites is available at RRB’s Web site: redrockbiologics.com.
