Rattlesnake vaccine for pets loses USDA license, efforts underway for renewal

WOODLAND, Calif. — For the past two decades, a vaccine designed to protect dogs, cats, and horses from rattlesnake venom has been available, but that is no longer the case. Dr. Dale Wallis, who developed the Crotalus Atrox Toxoid vaccine after her cat was killed by a rattlesnake in the early 2000s, said the vaccine has been licensed since 2003. It was the first commercial vaccine for venom, with versions for horses and dog, with the latter also being effective on cats.

Wallis explained that the vaccine strengthens an animal's antibodies before they are bitten, allowing their bodies to better fight off the venom. However, the vaccine was on a limited license through the USDA, which has now expired.

Wallis said, “The category that we do most of our vaccines under is called the limited market so these are products not available on full licensed basis there are no vaccines out there and yet there’s a need for them and so there's an expedited handling of the licensing requirements so as long as you've got a pure product that's safe and has a reasonable expectation of efficacy you can get that conditional license.”

Wallis, a senior staff veterinarian at Red Rock Biologics, said a USDA supervisor informed her that a decision was made to impose a time limit on limited market products, leading to the non-renewal of their license. Efforts are underway to reinstate the license, with Wallis working alongside Congressman Doug LaMalfa and various veterinarians. Wallis is urging veterinarians who have had positive experiences with the vaccine to write letters to the USDA to support its renewal.