Horse tests positive for rabies

[MysticOakRanch]

I’m on the West Coast (California), and granted in a rural area. But my vet DOES recommend rabies vaccine, and the big vet clinics in the area do too. Bats are a risk - a SMALL risk, but a risk. A healthy bat will not bite a horse, but a rabid bat is not a healthy bat. And we DO have rabid bats, and skunks!

We are not allowed to do our own rabies shots in CA, it must be done by a vet, so cost is about $40 - once annually. I consider it a small cost. If I had a horse who had a bad reaction, I might skip it, but so far, the worst reaction I’ve had is minor tenderness, and for that horse, a dose of banamine with the vaccine (yes, it adds to the cost, but worth it once/year) makes all the difference.

I would not skip it, personally, but again, I’m in a rural area - bats and skunks are very common out here. As are feral cats, coyotes, and other animals that could interact with a bat or skunk.

[warriorhorse]

I vaccinate for rabies and can only be done by a vet. Vet here will not dispense rabies vaccines ,for owners to give it. Vaccine doesn’t cost as much as my farm call to have vet out.

But I won’t risk not vaccinating for rabies.

[TCA_Arabians]

I’m in SoCal. I vaccinated once for rabies (new vet). Then, I checked the CA Health Dept. site and there was no rabies in my county. That site also tracks West Nile. It tracks anything that transfers to humans. If I lived in an area that had rabies - I’d vac for it.

None of the horses that had a rabies shot reacted. One horse reacted terribly to a West Nile shot.

Vet have to certify a dog’s rabies vac. That’s likely why they won’t dispense the serum for self-administration.

In addition to the usual, I also vaccinate the dogs for rattle snakes. Occasionally you hear of squirrels carrying the plague here in the mountains. I don’t think there’s a vac for that.

[cutter99]

@right horse at the right time

Most of us around here do not vaccinate for rabies upon recommendation of our vets. Especially if horse is kept in an enclosed barn.

I know someone who had a rabid raccoon break into their barn, attack a goat and chew its ears off.

On the East Coast, 4-H requires rabies vaccination for any equine participants at any 4-H event.

As a kid growing up in the Northeast in the 70s, we never vaccinated for rabies. I can remember a rabid horse in our area and the family of 6 that had to be treated after their horse was put down due to rabies. When you learn better, you do better. Many things have changed drastically in the horse industry in the last 50 years, and vaccine protocols are one of them.

I have a friend whose horse has reactions to the rabies vaccine. They vaccinate her in the fall, do no other other vaccines at that time, and premedicate her to help lessen the reaction.

[Incantation]

I remember years ago, a horse in town contracted rabies from a kitten. It is unknown how the kitten contracted it, they found it dead in the paddock. The horse was unvaccinated (it wasn’t recommended back then).

I was told by a vet that if a horse is bit in the back fetlock by a rabid animal, it can take 2 years for the virus to travel to the brain. Of course, it wouldn’t be contagious until near the end.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@JB

I keep hearing about this, the risk (and cost?) of side effects from the vaccine is worse than contracting rabies - that doesn’t compute :no:

The vast majority of horses don’t have any adverse reaction to the vaccine. Of those who do, it’s usually some heat and swelling and tha can be handled pretty easily. It’s the small % of horses who react badly enough to warrant not giving it. While it is possible the reactions to the vaccine could end up killing a horse, or costing $$$ to treat him, that’s really, really rare, and is it REALLY worth avoiding compared to the cost of the disease?

I agree, it seems odd to ignore the bat as a threat

I’m not a vet but a human provider. I am a huge vaccine proponent. My horse was one of the very small percentage, but it was pretty horrific. Cost is irrelevant to me.

So for us, yes, it’s really worth avoiding. There isn’t rabies here like there is in other areas. Not sure what I would do if I ever moved.

[PeteyPie]

I hear you and the part of me that worries about things is the part that made the decision to vaccinate my horses against rabies.

However, I do think my vet is a pretty smart guy, someone who benefits financially from administering rabies vaccines to his client’s horses, and he is not against vaccines. I can’t help but notice the same statistics for cattle, that is, zero cases of rabies in western states, not including Texas. I don’t think anyone who raises cattle for profit vaccinates them for rabies (maybe I’m wrong: cattle ranchers, please correct me if I’m wrong), and it’s not because ranchers are “being a little too cavalier about vaccines,” nor are they anti-vaccines. It’s a cost/benefit decision, and the cost far outweighs the benefit (apparently even in states where cattle do occasionally get rabies) especially in the western states where they don’t contract it.

As for those who are bringing up the value of vaccinating dogs against rabies, I think you are preaching to the choir. No one is disputing that practice or its considerable benefits.

Also, I have been discussing a regional response to rabies vaccines; clearly, if your horse lives in or travels to Texas, the Midwest, or the East, you must vaccinate them.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@cutter99

I know someone who had a rabid raccoon break into their barn, attack a goat and chew its ears off.

On the East Coast, 4-H requires rabies vaccination for any equine participants at any 4-H event.

As a kid growing up in the Northeast in the 70s, we never vaccinated for rabies. I can remember a rabid horse in our area and the family of 6 that had to be treated after their horse was put down due to rabies. When you learn better, you do better. Many things have changed drastically in the horse industry in the last 50 years, and vaccine protocols are one of them.

I have a friend whose horse has reactions to the rabies vaccine. They vaccinate her in the fall, do no other other vaccines at that time, and premedicate her to help lessen the reaction.

That’s so sad! I would love to be able to vaccinate him but the vet said no and the vaccine company recommended against it. Few horses here are vaccinated-I was proactive because we had a coyote case 20 miles away. Totally rare. I tried to do the right thing :). I grew up on the east coast and we ALWAYS vaccinated for rabies.

We have a whole protocol for him for vaccines. Always premeditate, separate, etc. Vaccines on Fridays and I take the weekend off. He also cannot get rhino. He gets intranasal flu. He gets all the encephalitis ones and always gets sick, but that’s one that I feel is less controlled for.

Trying to post pics of his leg and it won’t work.

[bugsynskeeter]

As someone who had the post exposure series due to a rabid horse, I do NOT skip the Rabies vaccine for my horses.

[JB]

@right horse at the right time

I’m not a vet but a human provider. I am a huge vaccine proponent. My horse was one of the very small percentage, but it was pretty horrific. Cost is irrelevant to me.

So for us, yes, it’s really worth avoiding. There isn’t rabies here like there is in other areas. Not sure what I would do if I ever moved.

Most definitely, that is a case where not vaccinating is totally warranted.

@PeteyPie

I can’t help but notice the same statistics for cattle, that is, zero cases of rabies in western states, not including Texas. I don’t think anyone who raises cattle for profit vaccinates them for rabies (maybe I’m wrong: cattle ranchers, please correct me if I’m wrong), and it’s not because ranchers are “being a little too cavalier about vaccines,” nor are they anti-vaccines. It’s a cost/benefit decision, and the cost far outweighs the benefit (apparently even in states where cattle do occasionally get rabies) especially in the western states where they don’t contract it.

I totally get not vaccinating herds of cattle. It’s very costly, and humans are not typically in such close proximity on a daily basis to cattle herds, vs how we normally interact with horses. None of the people I know with even smaller herds of cattle vaccinate them for rabies.

Livestock aren’t required by law to be vaccinated. Horses included. Municipalities may require it to gain entrance to venues, but I haven’t run across a state where it’s a requirement to have horse vaccinated.

Just know if there’s no legal record of vaccination (ie your vet, or in some states, a vet tech, possibly some other role under the supervision of a vet) then legally, your horse isn’t vaccinated. This means an exposure situation is for an unvaccinated animal, in the eyes of the law.

[JB]

@PeteyPie

I can’t help but notice the same statistics for cattle, that is, zero cases of rabies in western states, not including Texas.

As Kansas is the same amount of “West” as TX is:
http://beef2live.com/story-rabies-cattle-0-135564

In Kansas the past two years, cattle have been the most common domestic species we’ve diagnosed with rabies

This year, we have 13 confirmed bovine cases. Last year there were nine.

http://www.uwyo.edu/wyovet/client-services/rabies-information.html

In Wyoming, cattle are the most common domestic animal diagnosed with rabies

granted, it’s only 1 cow this year so far, but it’s still one

So it’s out there, in the Western states.

[RMJacobs]

When I was living in Colorado and had my horses at home, one year my husband and our vet decided not to vaccinate my husband’s mare for rabies. The concern was that she was well into her 30s, not doing great, and there hadn’t been any rabies activity in our county for a long time.

A couple of months later, I saw a very sick skunk crossing my back yard. It was staggering, falling down, getting back up again and staggering onward. So of course it headed toward the horses. I am not completely sure it was rabid, but my vet thought it probably was based on my description. There had been very recent reports of rabies activity recently in my county.

Luckily for me, the skunk left my property without interacting with any of my critters. The vet came out to vaccinate the mare shortly afterward (she didn’t react to it at all), and I bought a shotgun. I felt very helpless knowing I didn’t have a weapon that could kill that skunk without endangering me. I wasn’t about to beat it to death with a shovel. All I could do was warn my neighbors.

That mare has been dead a couple of years now, and I have one pony left. Even though he is now in his 30s, he still gets vaccinated for rabies. This pony has been known to react to all sorts of stuff, but he’s been fine with the rabies vaccination.

Rebecca

[Texarkana]

Rabies has some of the highest human fatality rates of ANY disease.

It’s the ONE disease we vaccinate horses for that can be transmitted directly from horse to human.

It’s also among the cheapest and most effective of vaccines.

So it blows my mind when I hear, “yeah, but…” excuses from people who live in areas where it is prevalent.

I also find it insane that in the 21st century when movement of animals is so ubiquitous, you have medical professionals who take the, “it’s not in our area so we don’t need to worry about it” stance. So many diseases aren’t in the area… until they are. It’s not like this is some risky, experimental vaccine with questionable effectiveness. We’re talking about a vaccine that has been in use for over 100 years with considerable success.

/offmysoapbox

[trubandloki]

@Texarkana

So it blows my mind when I hear, “yeah, but…” excuses from people who live in areas where it is prevalent.

I assume you are not actually referring to people with horses like mine and @right horse at the right time in your 'yeah, but" group, but in case you are…
Not vaccinating in my case was the only option. Her vaccine reaction is not just a sore neck, it was anaphylaxis which lead to laminitis. A pretty serious experience.
I would love to vaccinate her using the same protocol I use for every other horse I own. But darn it, I can not.

[Texarkana]

@trubandloki

I assume you are not actually referring to people with horses like mine and @right horse at the right time in your 'yeah, but" group, but in case you are…
Not vaccinating in my case was the only option. Her vaccine reaction is not just a sore neck, it was anaphylaxis which lead to laminitis. A pretty serious experience.
I would love to vaccinate her using the same protocol I use for every other horse I own. But darn it, I can not.

I was not or else I would have directed it at you.

My rant was not directed at anyone in particular except the hundreds (thousands?) of horse owners who use excuses like, “when was the last time you heard of a horse getting rabies,” or, “I can’t order it myself so I stopped giving it,” or, “money was tight this year so I didn’t do rabies with the other vax.”

[trubandloki]

@Texarkana I agree with you on being frustrated by the people who give excuses like that for not vaccinating.

[Texarkana]

I live less than an hour from where the subject of this thread occurred. I can probably name you a dozen people off the top of my head who usually don’t vaccinate their horses for rabies. Several of those people are trainers/barn owners with influence over many clients.

Then what happens when news like this breaks is that everyone scrambles to vaccinate… barns overreact and start asking for proof of vaccination… In a few months everyone forgets and goes back to their previous opinions. The cycle is maddening.

[JB]

@Texarkana

or, “money was tight this year so I didn’t do rabies with the other vax.”

Right? Because yeah, if you’ve got to skimp, be sure to skimp on the one that WILL kill your horse, and will likely result in you and family members having to go through the exposure protocol too. I hear that’s a lot of fun.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

@Texarkana

I live less than an hour from where the subject of this thread occurred. I can probably name you a dozen people off the top of my head who usually don’t vaccinate their horses for rabies. Several of those people are trainers/barn owners with influence over many clients.

You know, I can kindasortamaybe understand the mentality in areas where it’s pretty much about the bats, and 3 reports a year, if that. But on the East Coast where it’s pretty much all the carriers possible, who are all over the place, #whatthefrutibat???

Then what happens when news like this breaks is that everyone scrambles to vaccinate… barns overreact and start asking for proof of vaccination… In a few months everyone forgets and goes back to their previous opinions. The cycle is maddening.

What are vets doing/not doing about this willfully ignorant mentality, do you know?

People freak about the thought of encountering a rabid canine. Nobody has any nightmares about a rabid 1200lb chestnut mare?

[Texarkana]

@JB

Right? Because yeah, if you’ve got to skimp, be sure to skimp on the one that WILL kill your horse, and will likely result in you and family members having to go through the exposure protocol too. I hear that’s a lot of fun.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You know, I can kindasortamaybe understand the mentality in areas where it’s pretty much about the bats, and 3 reports a year, if that. But on the East Coast where it’s pretty much all the carriers possible, who are all over the place, #whatthefrutibat???

What are vets doing/not doing about this willfully ignorant mentality, do you know?

People freak about the thought of encountering a rabid canine. Nobody has any nightmares about a rabid 1200lb chestnut mare?

I hear you… It blows my mind when barns will require a battery of vaccines, but NOT require rabies. The one disease that will put every horse, human, and critter on the farm at risk of certain death, yet some still regard it as “optional.”

I think the vets hands are tied, to a degree. You can recommend the vaccine until you are blue in the face, but at the end of the day, you cannot force someone to vaccinate livestock for rabies. They can try to quell the hysteria with education during times like these. They can try perpetuate the importance of vaccination with education once the hysteria has passed. But in a year or two when Jane Doe client says, “no rabies for Dobbin this year,” it’s not like they have a lot of options.

[Garythesquirrel]

I’m in western Washington and bats are the rabies vector here. A lot of people in the area don’t vaccinate their horses (or dogs and cats) for rabies.

Two years ago a dead bat in the neighborhood tested positive for rabies after a cat brought it into its owner’s house. The cat had never been vaccinated and had to be euthanized.

If your horse is exposed to a rabid bat (for instance if the bat down the street had been found in my horse’s stall) this is what would happen:

Livestock exposed to a rabid animal and currently vaccinated with a vaccine approved by USDA for that species should be revaccinated immediately and observed for 45 days. Unvaccinated livestock should be euthanized immediately. If the animal is not euthanized it should be kept under close observation for 6 months

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Doc…endium2008.pdf

That is why I vaccinate my horses even though I live on the west coast.