ArizonaShooting.com

I would like to get my dog snaked trained. But I have a few questions...

My dog is alittle over 1.5yrs old. Is he still a good age to get trained or can any age dog get trained to avoid snakes?...may be a stupid question but I am curious.

I got a few trainers names that snake train...so I will be getting a hold of them once I figure out my schedule.

Also, who here has gotten the snake vaccine for their dogs? Where did you go? How much was the cost?

My dad went to McCormick Ranch Vet and they charge around $60 for the vaccine (and plus a doctors visit most likely.) But I would like to know if someone out there has gotten it cheaper. I usually get my vaccinations at a vet nearby that doesnt charge doctor visits on Thurs...so I only pay for the actual shot but they do not carry the snake vaccine. Does anyone know of a place that gives the shots that offers a no doctor visit charge?

I do know that the vaccine isnt going to make my dog snake proof. But to me, it's a small cost of possible insurance for my buddy. Even if the vaccine gives me extra time to get to a vet, that's extra time I didnt have before.

Call the Animal Control or the local Dog Pound and they might be able to let you know if they have any clinics scheduled that will do it. If you trust the Vet your Dad went to $60 sounds reasonable to me.

I dont know what the average cost is here in AZ for the vaccine. When doing online research about the vaccine, there were people saying they got it for $15 (in different states though.) And $60 seems high to me; but that could also just be my dad's vet.

And for people that havn't looked into getting their dogs snake vaccines; I highly suggest you do. While I was doing a bit of research, I read a few experiences of people's dogs getting bit and it saving their dogs life. One guy's story, his vet said he possibly saved over $1,000+ when his dog got bit because of the vaccine. The vaccine counter attacked the venom so much, there was very minimal that the vet needed to do to help the dog get better.

Hell, I could give the shot myself but you are not able to buy it anywhere. I am trying to avoid paying a doctor visit charge; especially to just give a shot. I think I remember a store called Pet's Inc. in Tempe that had a "no doctor visit charge" clinic that offered the snake vaccine.

Bill Gibbons and his wife do snake breaking.
http://www.magmabirddogs.com/

A guy named Jay from snakesafe.com was recommended to me by one of the trainers at petsmart. I also plan to have my dog snake trained, but I have yet to decide where or when.
I've seen flyers in the past for low cost vaccines at walmart, and they included rattlesnake vaccine, I don't recall the cost, but it was less than $60.
My understanding of the vaccine is that it doesn't affect all dogs, only the ones with allergic reactions to the venom. Just like some people are allergic to bee stings, and some are not affected, some dogs can have an allergic reaction to the snake venom causing a much worse situation than one that is not. The vaccine helps to prevent this allergic reaction. How do you know if your dog is or isn't one of the lucky ones? I don't know, and I don't want to find out. I also have read that it's not a one time shot. They suggest yearly boosters, and in some areas where snakes are more prevalent, every six months. I'm no expert, this is just some info I came across while researching it for my dog.

Just as a FYI, my jack russell got bit a couple years ago, vet bill was well over 2000. 60$ sounds like cheap insurance.

Wow never heard of that before.

just for fun...you can actually train goldfish too!

Ya, to me it is cheap insurance.

I found a place that doesnt charge vet visits...a place called Pet's Inc. in Tempe has vaccinations on Thursdays that offers shots with no doctor visit charges. The shot itself is less than $20. So, I am taking my dog Thursday to get his first set of rattlesnake shots.

I would warn you about places like Walmart though...they may not know how to handle vaccines. Ex: keeping certain shots cold.

Good information.

I have been thus far unconvinced as to the efficacy of snake vaccine, but at $60 or less, I'll throw some money at it.

The reason I'm unconvinced is that a success story like 'my dog lived' isn't strong enough proof that the vaccine did its job, since the dog may have lived anyway.

I'd really like to see if people whose vaccinated dogs got snakebit showed significantly less tissue damage and pain to the pet after the bite. If those effects are shown, it's likely that an extra benefit is saving the $2500 in critical pet care immediately post-bite.

As the guy who posted the thread and gory pics when his dog got bitten, I can tell you the onset was nearly immediate. He was limping within five minutes of the bite, heavily panting and laying on his side in the dirt within 10 minutes and was nearly immobile for the next two days, and not able to even get up on his own for at least a week to ten days - despite having him at the vet w/in 45 minutes of the bite.

If the vaccine significantly helps avoid that shitstorm, then I'm all over it.

With hindsight, I think the the two most important things the vet provided in my case were antibiotics to stave off infection and the pain meds. After seeing the progression of the tissue damage I believe my dog either should have had more antivenin or that it just plain doesn't work. Call me a cynic, but check out this http://www.arizonashooting.com/v3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=70051 thread in the outdoors section and you'll see what I mean.

If you have any good links - I'd appreciate reading them. Maybe I just haven't investigated the vaccine well enough, so I'm happy to be educated.

As far as snake breaking - I will second MagmaBirdDogs.
Good people. Unfortunately, my dog's been through 4 sessions over the last 2 years with 2 different trainers, and he still ain't broke.
We'll keep trying.

Keep us updated.

Get him snake trained! I have a German Shorthair and after the training if she even hears me rattle a box of candy she takes off in the opposite direction. Run into a snake almost every time were out hunting (especial dove) and she will have nothing to do with them!

who was the trainer?

Ill have to look again and let you know. It was done at Sportsman's Warehouse about 2 years ago. (Greenfield and the 60)

A little update for people interested in getting their dog snake vaccinated. I went to Pet's Inc in Tempe during one of their vaccination days and got the vaccine for $30...that's including all the costs.

Bill Gibbon's does it, he is local. They hald clinics at Cave Creek & Pinnacle. Give them a call.

Disclaimer-I'm a veterinarian, I don't administer the vaccine. I wouldn't have a problem administering it but in my location I've not even been asked about it.

The makers of the vaccine have not published any studies that show the vaccine is effective or not. There is some anecdotal evidence that it may lessen the severity of a bite but again no controlled studies have been done. Mostly the severity of the bite is a result of the location, amount of venom injected and the size of the dog. Occasional vaccine site reactions have been reported but otherwise there doesn't seem to be any other side effects.