Rattlesnake Bite Prevention and Vaccination

Most snakes will try to avoid you or your pets as they typically bite only as a last resort. But while you may wisely decide to simply walk away when you encounter a snake, dogs will often harass the snake and may get bitten as a result.
While hiking, stay on open paths as hiking off-trail can stir up snakes. Keep your dog on leash and away from high grass and rocky outcrops. If you hear a rattling noise, keep your dog at your side until you figure out where the snake is and then move away with your dog. If you see a snake that sees you, remember that a snake can strike only a distance of half its body length. Give the snake time to just go away.
Don’t let your pet examine snakes that appear to be dead. Some dead snakes have some muscle contractions after death and have been known to “bite” even after they’re dead. Those bites can still envenomate. Don’t handle a dead or injured snake.
If your pet is bitten by a snake that you think might be venomous, get medical attention immediately. Consider canine classes that teach dogs to avoid snakes. They teach a dog to keep out of harm’s way by training them to recognize and avoid the smell, sight and sound of venomous snakes. A rattlesnake vaccine may be useful if you hike in the nearby wilderness or live near the edge of the city. The vaccine creates protective antibodies that help in neutralizing some of the injected venom. The vaccine may lessen the severity of signs if a dog is bitten.
However, even if the dog has been vaccinated, he will still need to be examined by a veterinarian to determine just how much treatment will be necessary. Treatment for an envenomated bite includes giving antivenin, which is a commercially produced serum that neutralizes the effects of injected venom. Antivenin is extremely expensive and can have side effects in some individuals. Snake-bite treatment is complicated and your pet’s well being is best served by taking your bitten pet to your veterinarian as soon as possible.