Rabies Found in Horses in Western States, a Public Health Threat
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Rabies is a fatal viral disease of mammals. Its occurrence is relatively rare in horses (as compared to other infectious neurologic diseases).
The death of a rabid horse in Black Forest, Colorado provides new evidence that a disease once considered a negligible threat in Colorado is now a serious public health problem, health experts said, Colorado Springs Gazette, September 15, 2009.
Public health officials in Texas are alerting anyone who may have come in contact with a certain horse at the Scurry County Rodeo, held in mid-July in Snyder, that they might have been exposed to rabies. More than 250 contestants from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas participated in the rodeo. The horse was at the rodeo 16-18 Jul 2009. It became ill on 28 Jul, died on 30 Jul, and tested positive for rabies on 5 Aug 2009.
Vaccines for horses have been around for many years, however not all horse owners believe the vaccine to be a cheap insurance policy for themselves, their family, and their horses. Health officials are urging people to vaccinate pets and livestock for the virus, which attacks the nervous system and is usually transmitted by infected saliva. If you are planning on attending a competition, hunting trip or any other activity and transporting your equine please contact your veterinarian and to update your horses vaccination status.
Rabies is a fatal viral disease of mammals. Its occurrence is relatively rare in horses (as compared to other infectious neurologic diseases). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that equips account for less than 1% of all rabies cases in the USA; the total number of equine cases has ranged from 42-82 annually.
What to look for:
Horses may show a slight behavior change that may at first go unnoticed. For example the horse may seem frisky, perhaps associated with the cooler weather of autumn, or take a playful nip, and in a few days the playfulness may be outward aggression, without necessarily signs of drooling. There may be stumbling or ataxia, and may be confused with diseases such as eastern equine encephalitis or West Nile virus. Other animals may have little to no neurological signs, but only appear to be choking. Insidious onset is the hallmark of equine rabies with reported initial clinical signs of lameness, colic, dysuria, priapism in addition to overt neurologic disease.
The disease progresses rapidly with the interval from onset of symptoms to death approximately 5-7 days. Unvaccinated horses usually demonstrate a shorter interval. Exposure occurs primarily through a bite wound from an infected animal. The incubation is typically 2-6 weeks, although longer incubations have been reported. Rabies should be included as a rule-out in all neurologic patients.
Rabies Prevention:
a. Get pets, horses, and other high-value livestock vaccinated.
b. Don't feed wild animals or allow your pets around them. Make sure
children stay away from wild animals.
c. Contact the vet if a pet is bitten or scratched by a wild animal.
d. Call a doctor immediately if you suspect you've been exposed to rabies.
e. Stay away from an animal exhibiting bizarre behavior, such as a
nocturnal animal like a skunk wandering about during the day.
f. If you must remove a dead skunk on your property, wear rubber
gloves or lift the carcass with a shovel or other tool, and double-bag
it for the trash.
