Author Topic: rattlesnake immunizations???  (Read 6533 times)

Offline newflvr

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rattlesnake immunizations???
« on: June 08, 2005, 03:16:27 pm »
I just talked to my vet about the rattlesnake immunizations that came out last year. She's hesitant to give it until there is more widespread use.  Have any of you gotten your dogs immunized with that yet?  From the pamphlet I read, you still have to get emergency treatment, but it is not as critical as if you don't have the immunization.  I guess it just gives you more time to get treatment.  It sounds good and since we live in a rattlesnake area, it sure would be nice not to have to worry as much!

Let me know what you've heard/ done.

Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2005, 03:23:58 pm »
Please let me know if you get any more information about this.  I lost my 9 1/2 year old Great Pyrenees (Rosie) last summer due to a snake bite.  We have a lake on the property so we make it a point to look for snake at the lake several times a day.

Lisa
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)

Offline kildeskennel

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2005, 03:32:47 pm »
I HESITATE TOTALLY to give anything that is not tried and true.  Seriously gals, speaking froma medical perspective there are MANY new drugs and vaccines that come out all the time.  We the public are the true guinea pigs after the FDA deems the drug a ok!  Case in point vioxx, I had to write over 98 orders one day at work to discontinue vioxx on all my patients, then start everyone on Bexxtra, now Discontinue Bexxtra and who knows what they willall start on, good ol tried and true ibuoprophen!  I would be EXTREMELY cautious about trying a new immunization/vaccine.  I would not do it to my children, and I would not do it to my dogs.The long term effects and or side effect could be devestating... .Just my opinion
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Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2005, 03:59:47 pm »
We live in the country and my babies just love having the lake and the 15acs. to run on.  The first few months I had Sugar Bear I would not let him outside out of my eye site.  Then my husband and I got to talking about how much joy Rosie got from taking care of "her property".  When Rosie was a puppy we lived in Atlanta with a large lot size yard. She hated it she was so happy when she had "her property".  The first few months she would run the fence line several time a day and most of the night.  Sugar Bear and Dixie are inside most of the time,but do have a dog door so they can playoutside when they want to.  Does it worry me, yes some times but what matters most to me is that they have a good happy life. On the flip side, I do have a baby moniter in there room so I can hear when they go outside if I am not in there room. 


As for as the hunting of snakes, my husband is now knows as the snake killer for the town.  He drives our property in a golf cart looking for snakes at least twice a day. If we seen one on the road we will almost wreck trying to run over it.  Even though there is no way to make sure there are no snakes on a property this size, we do our best.  We had planted a lot of low bush type landscape items. But they were pulled up and given away due to the fact that it would be a good place for a snake to hide.  Anyway I have to say it is still something I think about seveal times a day.

The only sign that we had that something was wrong with Rosie was a limp in his front leg.  So now if the babies have even a limp from playing they are at the vets within 30min.  The vet knows that I may drop in anytime for her to check out a leg.

Lisa
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2005, 04:23:23 pm »
Okay, I am a "non snake" kinda gal, I come from the cold scandinavia and get goose bumps if I hear the word snake  :o I saw a snake once when we went fishing on a lake, I was that close to throw myslef in the water and swim (not making any sense i know) I get so scared I cant even talk. Hubby keeps telling me how the different snakes look, where they could most likely be found and what to do hahahahaha THAT is funny, I know there is only one thing Id ever be able to do, run and run real real fast. I think a real good snake preventative would be to move to a real real cold climat hehe

For real though, I agree with Kildes..... even with our two legged children they get more and more vaccinations, so to the point that quite a few docs in at least europe hesitate to give them all. Especially the new ones that we really dont yet know what will come after. I guess you have to weigh the risks and the benefits. Do you live where it is lots and lots of snakes??? How big is the risk of the dogs being bitten??? What are the risks with the vaccine??? Just make up a list of pros and cons on both sides. I know if I lived there I would need something real strong every day, ether from the doc or the ABC store, to survive the pressure lol.... (did I mention I am scared of spiders too)

Marit
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Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2005, 04:48:28 pm »
The week Rosie was bitten our vet had 5 dogs with snake bites.  Three of the dogs were fine.  The other dog that was lost was a small puppy.

Lisa
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)

Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2005, 05:12:52 pm »
We did live at the beach for awhile. Rosie hated it, she did not like the sand and with the heat she had to say inside most of the time.  I think we will stay an make a hobby of snake killing.  I have had an over the top fear of snakes since I was about 8 years old.  Your would not belive how hard my husband looks for them each and every day.  I have though about taking them to one of the hunt clubs to be trained to avoid snakes, but they have to be around snakes for the trainning.  This is not an area know for lots of snakes. But it is out in the country in South Alabama, so you are going to have some snakes around.

Lisa
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)

Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2005, 07:19:46 pm »
He has been mine for 24 years.  ( I should let him read this and make a few points.)  Every time he kills one he tells me " that one that cant hurt our babies".

Lisa
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2005, 07:30:01 pm »
Marit,  I'm beginning to think we are soul sisters.  We hate dentists, snakes and spiders and we are georgous 40 year olds.

Tina

Yes it does sound like it doesnt it. Lets see dentists, spiders, snakes, hmmm were you not having c-secs too??? love big dogs, georgous, modest  ::) 40 (shhhyyyy 41) and we are co-queens. Dang.... we are soul sisters  :o
How are you with mice and rats???

Marit
what the lion is to a cat, the mastiff is to a dog

Offline newflvr

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2005, 10:39:05 pm »
Okay, here's the alternative.  There is a course here that you can put your dog through that is a rattlesnake aversion program.  The dogs are fitted with a shock collar and are exposed to rattlesnakes that have fangs but the venom has been removed.  If the dog goes toward the snake, then he/she gets the shock and a bite that is painful but not lethal.  Within a weekend, the dog has NO interest in anything that rattles. I haven't done it since the course is a couple of hours away and I don't want my boys hurt AT ALL!  We keep the Newfs with us all the time from about April when the snake come out of hibernation until it gets cool enough that they go back in to hibernation (about November).  Between the snakes and the foxtails it's a bitch here in the summer (Southern California!)  I'll  look up the literature on the immunization and post it as soon as I can find it.  I'm going to wait until my vet thinks it is safe enough to use on Chester-the-baby.  Cowboy can't get anything since he's epileptic

Offline moonlitcroatia

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #10 on: June 09, 2005, 06:27:55 am »
I HESITATE TOTALLY to give anything that is not tried and true.  Seriously gals, speaking froma medical perspective there are MANY new drugs and vaccines that come out all the time.  We the public are the true guinea pigs after the FDA deems the drug a ok!  Case in point vioxx, I had to write over 98 orders one day at work to discontinue vioxx on all my patients, then start everyone on Bexxtra, now Discontinue Bexxtra and who knows what they willall start on, good ol tried and true ibuoprophen!  I would be EXTREMELY cautious about trying a new immunization/vaccine.  I would not do it to my children, and I would not do it to my dogs.The long term effects and or side effect could be devestating... .Just my opinion

We the public are the true guinea pigs after the FDA deems the drug a ok!

So true!
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive.  ~Gilda Radner

Offline moonlitcroatia

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2005, 06:29:58 am »
We live in the country and my babies just love having the lake and the 15acs. to run on.  The first few months I had Sugar Bear I would not let him outside out of my eye site.  Then my husband and I got to talking about how much joy Rosie got from taking care of "her property".  When Rosie was a puppy we lived in Atlanta with a large lot size yard. She hated it she was so happy when she had "her property".  The first few months she would run the fence line several time a day and most of the night.  Sugar Bear and Dixie are inside most of the time,but do have a dog door so they can playoutside when they want to.  Does it worry me, yes some times but what matters most to me is that they have a good happy life. On the flip side, I do have a baby moniter in there room so I can hear when they go outside if I am not in there room.  


As for as the hunting of snakes, my husband is now knows as the snake killer for the town.  He drives our property in a golf cart looking for snakes at least twice a day. If we seen one on the road we will almost wreck trying to run over it.  Even though there is no way to make sure there are no snakes on a property this size, we do our best.  We had planted a lot of low bush type landscape items. But they were pulled up and given away due to the fact that it would be a good place for a snake to hide.  Anyway I have to say it is still something I think about seveal times a day.

The only sign that we had that something was wrong with Rosie was a limp in his front leg.  So now if the babies have even a limp from playing they are at the vets within 30min.  The vet knows that I may drop in anytime for her to check out a leg.

Lisa

Have you tried a mongoose yet?   ;D
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive.  ~Gilda Radner

Offline DixieSugarBear

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Re: rattlesnake immunizations???
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2005, 07:39:59 am »
lol, no just a husband with a gun.
Lisa, owned by the following:
Sugar Bear - Great Pyrenees 4.5 yr.
Dixie Darlin - Great Pyrenees 4 yr.
Penny Lane - Great Pyrenees 2.5 yr.
Beauman - Great Pyrenees 14 months
Izzy - Great Pyrenees 14 month
Rosie - Great Pyrenees (at the bridge)