Stallion owners beware! SHOTS!!!

[equusaround]


[IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff171/teamgauguin/Prestige%20II%20TG/PrestoatStallionTestNovember2011215.jpg)

is now under a SIX (6) month quarantine!!! Please learn from my pain!

Presto was at UC Davis 2 weeks ago for a recheck of a low splint discovered last spring. The regular stallion handler for the University was off that day so a substitute tech was called in to trot my horse for the vets. Presto knows how to be trotted up, but he’s a stallion and he was in a strange place and he’s only 5 y.o. and 16.3 hands and was feeling his oats after a 2 hour trailer ride.

He is a very playful boy and on one of his first trots, he apparently (I was inside the office checking him in and didn’t see this) reached over to bite at his lead rope and pinched the finger on the left hand of the technician trotting with him.

So the technician reported it to her supervisor, who filled out an incident report which triggered an automatic report to Sheriff/Animal Control and since I can’t prove that he has been vaccinated against rabies even though he is negative EVA, has a recent Coggins, has had all manner of other shots, because the entire state of California has been declared “a rabies area” ANY animal bite that breaks the skin results in a 6 month quarantine for that animal unless it can prove that it has been vaccinated against rabies and it’s rabies titers are sufficient. If the animal is vaccinated, then the quarantine is limited to 15 to 30 days in the discretion of the health officer. Or the health officer can demand that the animal be euthanized…

I cannot find a reported case of a horse transmitting rabies to anyone in California. I had to cancel a planned late breeding to a mare in Texas as no one can tell me if collecting a stallion is within the terms of a quarantine…

Presto, being a stallion, lives in a stall with a paddock and has no physical contact with any other animal. He is stabled in a suburban area which is visited by the stray coyote on occasion but any coyote could not access his stall through the bars and his paddock is 5 rail with 1"x2" ranch fence lining it to keep animals out and stallions in.

I am not a big proponent of vaccinations that aren’t really needed…but if I’d known the world of hurt NOT vaccinating against rabies might rain upon Presto, I’d have had him vaccinated!

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

That really is a bummer. Rabies is one of the those vaccines that I give to each of my horses and we reccomend it for all client horses, too. In fact, it is a core vaccine that the AAEP reccomends be given to all horses.

Bats are a major transmitter of rabies and a bite can be acquired (even in people) without anyone being aware. I’m not familiar with California law, but is home quarantine not an option? We face this situation sometimes with our small animal practice and in our state there are guidelines for home quarantine.

I’m sure it will be a long 6 months

[exvet]

It’s certainly unfortunate that you’re having to go through this and I sympathize with what you have had to give up; but, having gone through rabies treatment many years ago due to being bitten by a cat (tested positive) in the same week that I was exposed to a rabid cow, I can understand the concern. It was in a different state; however, when I was an intern (several states away) we had a foal brought in with vague symptoms of not doing right. It was 9 days old and most were jumping to conclusions of dummy foal, etc. I had one self-declared never-to touch-a-horse-again senior student write rabies down on his list of differentials. The senior clinician as well as myself patted him on the head, only to be told a few days later after necropsy that the foal had indeed died from rabies. I was the only one who did not go through post-exposure vaccination because my titer was still off the charts from my prior experience.

I know in Arizona we have had multiple cases of rabies in wildlife this year. It was about 8 years ago but we had a series of livestock, mostly camelids test positive after exposure to a rabid fox. Though it’s not common, exposure to rabies from livestock (which here in AZ horses are still considered livestock) does happen. Fortunately the post-exposure regimen (shot series) entails fewer injections than in years past.

I’m a huge believer in prevention…then of course I also happen to be a shelter vet so perhaps biased since I deal with rabies quarantine cases day in and day out as well as removing the heads from lots of suspect cases.

[Hippolyta]

This is also why one shouldn’t do your own rabies vaccinations (some states allow access), b/c even if you give the vaccine, the laws everywhere state that you need proof from registered vet.

Sorry about your guy’s jail time.

[FalseImpression]

sorry about the qt, but really? not vaccinate against rabies? that’s the most common, easiest and cheapest vax… considering the risks… well, I guess you learned a lesson!

[Cindyg]

When I bought my horse – from a vet’s sister, and the sister-vet did all his health care – he had never had a rabies shot because rabies is very rare (they said “unheard of”) where he came from.

[joiedevie99]

Hmm… always having horses on the east coast, I’ve never heard of anyone not vaccinating for rabies annually. I believe it is mandatory in many states here. And we always have the vet do it so we have the vaccine records.

[equusaround]

In hindsight apparently I should have vaccinated to avoid a quarantine…but, rabies vaccines are not required for HORSES in CA.

The Secretary of Health declared the entire state a rabies concern so that (IMHO as a jaded attorney) dog license fees would automatically be increased $2.50 per license without having to pass the legislature or be voted upon by the populace.

It was all about money and now my horse (who does NOT have rabies and has never been bitten by anything bigger than a fly or a mosquito) will spend 6 months being unable to be out and about!

Like I said, he lives in the suburbs - he had a bigger exposure to being bit by a rabid shopper at the local Neiman Marcus, Tiffany’s or Nordstrom if he blocked their access to a sale, than being bit by a rabid animal (tennis moms can be vicious!)

[Hippolyta]

When rabies moves into an area the infection rate goes sky high & fast. Eventually it decreases & kind of remains stable, but initially it spreads like crazy, so it is critical to get vax for all livestock & pets.

CT was rabies free for years, and populations of raccoons & other critters were large. When rabies came in, the large numbers & proximity mean it spread like crazy. There were reports of varmit attacks pretty frequently.

Suburbs aren’t any safer than rural areas. Raccoons, foxes, etc are there aplenty, in fact usually in greater density b/c they get to eat everyone’s refuse.

Horses can easily get bitten or scratched in the pasture, usually on nose when they bend in to sniff the weird wobbly creature (no longer shy) going by. Sometimes on the legs if they try to kick.

depending on the rules in each state, if an animal is even potentially exposed to rabies, they go into quarantine if unvaccinated. If that animal bites or scratches someone during quarantine, it is req’d that the animal be put down so they can be tested. Not something to mess with.

[skydy]

[QUOTE=equusaround;7142316]
In hindsight apparently I should have vaccinated to avoid a quarantine…but, rabies vaccines are not required for HORSES in CA.

It was all about money and now my horse (who does NOT have rabies and has never been bitten by anything bigger than a fly or a mosquito) will spend 6 months being unable to be out and about!

Like I said, he lives in the suburbs - he had a bigger exposure to being bit by a rabid shopper at the local Neiman Marcus, Tiffany’s or Nordstrom if he blocked their access to a sale, than being bit by a rabid animal (tennis moms can be vicious!) ;)[/QUOTE]

Honestly you should vaccinate to avoid RABIES not quarantine. Being in a suburban area in no way makes your horses immune to rabies. There are critters everywhere that can transmit the virus.

There are many states that do not require rabies vaccinations for equines, but most owners do vaccinate.
I feel for you, a 6month quarantine…

[DownYonder]

I am so sorry about the 6 month quarantine, but will echo what others have said - I can’t imagine NOT vaccinating for rabies. It’s simple, it’s cheap, and it can help protect your horse from contracting a horrible disease for which there is no cure. Being in the suburbs has nothing to do with it, and may actually increase the risk of a rabies “storm” due to the higher concentration of potential victims.

[New_Horizons]

I’m really, really sorry to hear about your situation, but have to echo what others have said as well. Even if your fencing allows no fox, coyote, etc. entry, there is no way to keep bats out. And they are prevalent all over.

Regardless of why you think they declared Ca. a rabies concern, the fact that it IS an issue there makes me question why you would take that risk. And, in all honesty, a six month quarantine may sound crazy, but you are extremely fortunate that they did not require that your stallion be put down so that they could test him immediately. In some states, that very well could have happened.

Thanks for warning everyone. It was a hard lesson to learn.

[Ghazzu]

@equusaround;7142316

In hindsight apparently I should have vaccinated to avoid a quarantine…but, rabies vaccines are not required for HORSES in CA.

They’re not required in Massachusetts either, but only a fool, IMHO, would decline them here.

The Secretary of Health declared the entire state a rabies concern so that (IMHO as a jaded attorney) dog license fees would automatically be increased $2.50 per license without having to pass the legislature or be voted upon by the populace.

Stick with the law–it ain’t a question of revenue enhancement, it’s a goddam public health issue.

It was all about money and now my horse (who does NOT have rabies and has never been bitten by anything bigger than a fly or a mosquito) will spend 6 months being unable to be out and about!

You sound almost disappointed that your horse hasn’t had a known rabies exposure. And once again, no, it is not all about the money.

Like I said, he lives in the suburbs - he had a bigger exposure to being bit by a rabid shopper at the local Neiman Marcus, Tiffany’s or Nordstrom if he blocked their access to a sale, than being bit by a rabid animal (tennis moms can be vicious!)

You think that rabies is somehow excluded from suburbia? Wrong again.

[Anne]

OP, it isn’t just “stallion owners” who need to beware. All horses should be vaccinated for rabies annually.

And I agree with New Horizons… rabies is a significant public health issue for PEOPLE. That’s why the law is strict. You are very lucky that you have avoided having to euthanize the stallion and have him tested. (There is no way to test a living person or animal because brain tissue is needed.) You do understand that rabies is FATAL, right!!!

[magicteetango]

Sorry for your quarantine… But this is one of the things I always do to cross my ts and dot my is. Just checked off my list, it isn’t going to hurt the horse for me to do it. Now granted I absolutely do live somewhere where I may encounter rabies, but even if not… It just never occurred to me. Just one of the basics. Time to get the vet out and get the whole herd done.

[AKB]

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/Rabies/Reported%20Animal%20Rabies/2012%20RAR%20Table.pdf

You have a large amount of rabies in California, primarily in bats according to the Health Department statistics above. Thank you for sharing your experience so hopefully more people will vaccinate. Rabies is very common in the DC suburbs where we live, so we always vaccinate. In other areas, I know people don’t always think about rabies.

The animal tech at UC Davis should habeen vaccinated. Shame on them for not providing vaccine for their workers.

[LauraKY]

Rabies is in California, whether you’re aware of it or not. The totals from 2013 alone:

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/Rabies/Reported%20Animal%20Rabies/2013%20RAR%20Table.pdf

[bugsynskeeter]

Sorry…but having had the post exposure series due to coming in contact with a rabid HORSE, I can’t comprehend why someone would not give a horse a rabies shot. It just boggles my mind.

It is the cheapest vaccination out there!

[JB]

Rabies vaccination is not a requirement for horses in many states.

I too am very sorry your boy and your wallet are suffering through quarantine. It’s already been said though that this is something that could have easily been avoided. There are so very few areas where rabies are not a problem, in the US, that there’s no good reason for 99% of horses to not be vaccinated for it, and it’s not for the sake of avoiding quarantine.

You can choose to vaccinate the horse yourself, if you live in a state into which rabies vaccines can be shipped to non-vets (and many states don’t allow that), if all you care about is peace of mind that your horses won’t become infected. But unless a vet administers the shot, there is no proof you vaccinated the horse, and then you’d still be in the same boat you’re in now.

Rabies is 100% fatal to humans if exposed and not treated. Non-vaccinated horses who become infected can infect people before they start showing undeniable rabies symptoms. More than a few rabid horses have been sent to hospitals for symptoms that were not connected to rabies until later, exposing everyone they came into contact with at the hospital - very scary.

This isn’t about stallions, this is about horses in general.

The lack of understanding of rabies, both as a disease and in how it’s transmitted, shown in this thread is sadly shocking

You DO NOT know if your stallion has been exposed to a rabid animal. You have no idea if a rabid bat flew at him one night and bit him. The “suburbs” are immune from rabies? Rabid bats don’t fly into the 'burbs? Rabid foxes don’t wander out of their territory and go where a healthy one might otherwise not?

Please, please read reliable sources in the real dangers of rabies. This is not about a $2.50 fee that someone just wants to rip out of your pocket

[Laurierace]

I agree that this would have been easily avoided had you done the smart thing but 6 months?!?! I have had kittens on official rabies quarantine with the department of health I think it was complete with the sheriff coming to my house to make me sign the paperwork but that was for 10 days. They said the kitten would be dead or fine at the end of 10 days. That seems excessive to me.