If this is happening right now
A rattlesnake bite is always an emergency. Keep your dog as calm and still as you can, carry them to the car if you can, and go to an emergency vet now. Do not apply ice, cut the bite, try to suck out the venom, use a tourniquet or use an electric shock device.
A rattlesnake bite needs an emergency vet, whether or not your dog has had the rattlesnake vaccine. Antivenom works best when it is given soon after the bite.
Signs of a bite
Fang marks are often hidden by hair, and there may be one puncture instead of two. Within minutes, the skin around the bite darkens and swells, and dark, bloody fluid may ooze from it. A dog who comes back from time outdoors with a swollen face or muzzle may have been bitten.
Other signs include weakness or collapse, pale gums, trouble breathing, vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, muscle twitching and seizures.
Some bites carry little or no venom and look mild at first. A bitten dog still needs to be watched by a veterinarian for at least 24 hours, because signs can appear later.
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Common questions
When is rattlesnake season in Arizona?
Rattlesnakes are most active from March through October. The ones seen most often in Arizona are the Western diamondback, sidewinder, Mojave and black-tailed rattlesnakes.
Do you carry the rattlesnake vaccine?
No. The American Animal Hospital Association's vaccination guidelines say there are no published data showing the vaccine works in dogs, and that severe allergic reactions have been reported in vaccinated dogs that were later bitten.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Snakebites in Animals
- Arizona Game and Fish Department, April 2024
- AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, Rattlesnake Toxoid
About this page. Written for Sonoran Desert conditions and reviewed by a veterinarian at this practice. Last reviewed September 11, 2026.
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20801 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 101 · Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-585-3512