So, this is interesting. It turns out that the USDA pulled the license for the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs. That means it will soon no longer be available to veterinarians, just as rattlesnake season ramps up this spring (2025). Here’s what we know.
Why I Don’t Give This Vax
After our original canine heroine, Lilly, got bitten by a rattlesnake on our property the first time. I wrote a bit about the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs with the help of a local pal who actually knows the people who developed the vaccine.
I decided at the time not to vaccinate her because of her history of vaccine sensitivity. As longtime fans likely know, years later, Lilly ultimately died due to an adverse reaction to the rabies vaccine.
Other people in super snakey areas, like Wyoming and California, swear by the vaccine. A rattlesnake bite to a dog is still an emergency, even for vaccinated dogs, but some people feel it offers some protection.
Quite a while after Lilly’s adverse vaccine reaction, our main veterinarian started to wonder if her surviving 2 rattlesnake bites to the face over the years somehow primed her immune system for a massive, deadly response to the later rabies vaccine.
That’s why I warn people whose dogs survive rattlesnake bites to be cautious about all future vaccinations
^^^ This is a real photo I took years ago of a rattlesnake in our backyard. Thankfully, the dogs stayed away from it when it rattled at us. Thankfully, my sweetie was able to find it again (under this tree) and capture / relocate it away from the houses in our neighborhood. Nobody got bitten!
Efforts to Reinstate the License
The USDA recently informed Red Rock Biologics, which makes the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs, about the decision to end some licenses for “limited market products.” I assume that means they are NOT used as widely as other types of pet vaccines.
The company, along with at least one Congressional representative from California and veterinarians who recommend the vaccine for their patients, is trying to get the license reinstated or renewed.
For the life of me I cannot find a place in the veterinary section of the USDA website to submit public comment on this issue. So, I think your best strategy, if you want to share your opinion on the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs getting its license reinstated, is to contact your Congressional rep and Senators.
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