Rabies can incubate for up to about 8 weeks
I simply cannot imagine not vaccinating my horse against rabies. Too many people out there that refuse to vaccinate their kids and now look at the measles epidemics, etc.
It has been awhile, but a horse at Golden Gate Fields, definitely a suburban track, if not urban, died of rabies after being bitten by a bat. All my horses are vaccinated, every year. Even though it isn’t required, it doesn’t make much sense not to do it.
Actually, rabies quarantine can be confusing. Rabies most often incubates (which is defined as the period of time from infection to onset of symptoms) from 3-8 weeks. In rare cases it can incubate for years. Six months is the most accepted time frame for making sure a case is not incubating. There are two seperate quarantine time frames. The 10 day quarantine is generally for an animal that has bitten a human or another animal. The 10 days is set because a rabies infected animal can only transmit the disease after it develops clinical symptoms. It is assumed in this case that the animal may have bitten another person or animal because it is becoming symptomatic of the disease (i.e. agressive, not just an “accidental” bite or scratch. Once clinical symptoms begin then death occurs within 10 days. The 6 month quarantine in many states is for an unvaccinated animal that has been bitten by a wild animal or that has received a suspected bite wound of unknown origin. Most often, state law requires that this quarantine be carried out in an approved animal control facility at the owner’s expense. Because the incubation period for rabies is usually less than six months, this quarantine period is meant to ensure that the animal does not have rabies before it is allowed to come into regular contact with humans and other animals again.
It would seem in the OPs case that a 10 day quarantine would be more accurate, as if the horse bit someone due to rabies induced aggression, then it would be considered symptomatic. If it were symptomatic it would die within 10 days. Obviously if it did not die it didn’t have rabies 
However, there could be other issues at play, and each state is different in their requirements.
So from my reading on it, the incubation period is short, but has been as long as six weeks. From that point, the morbidity period is 5-8 days. A six month quarantine just seems like overkill, when 8 weeks would be sufficient or 12 weeks if you wanted to be EXTRA careful.
That said, it just seems like an ounce of prevention is so much better than losing an animal to rabies, having to go through the treatment yourself, or even having to QT an animal.
Here in FL it is not required but is recommended and we also have the six month quarantine rule before an animal can enter the state if they are unvaccinated and may have been exposed.
It is highly recommended that horses be immunized by a licensed veterinarian against rabies annually with an approved vaccine both for the protection of the animal and to allow free movement of the horse into Florida. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) now categorizes rabies as a core equine vaccine. If a horse is unvaccinated and exposed to a rabid animal while out-of-state, it must complete the required 6-month quarantine before it is allowed transport into Florida.
Generally the incubation period is 3-8 weeks, but it can vary from 9 days to (very rarely) years. 6 months is generally the point where it is safe to assume the animal has not been exposed. I put it in detail above.
We have a horse from CA who boards with us and when he arrived I inquired why there was no rabies vaccination on his records and was told no one gives them in CA! Um, no - horse got one the next day as I had just busted our neighbor for having an unvaccinated pit bull and another dog in the area had been destroyed and tested positive.
My friends dogs tangled with a rabid skunk a few years ago and even though they were fully vaccinated/documented, they still had a 90 day at home quarantine period - I agree 6 months seems excessive.
I am sorry for what you are going through. However, there are very good reasons for the policy.
The horse that exposed about a dozen people to rabies in my area a number of years ago also lived in the suburbs. :winkgrin:
The danger with rabies is that without the vaccine, you cannot protect against it. Bats, raccoons, unvaccinated pets can spread it. The symptoms in a horse are similar to other neuro problems, making it very easy for a sick horse to expose many people before a definitive diagnosis of rabies is made.
For those reasons, all horses in areas where rabies occurs at all should be vaccinated.
I know you posted this on the breeding forum because you can’t collect your stallion due to the quarantine but this really has nothing to do with stallions. All horses should be vaccinated for rabies, I assume you would feel the same way if your gelding was in quarantine.
Yikes!
For all those east coasters and Ontario folks saying “why wouldn’t you”… well, people just DON’T vaccinate for rabies in the west. In BC my small animal vet looks at me like I’m on crack for doing my cats regularly (I’m from Ontario, where Rabies is a real concern).
I’ve never heard of a horse out here that’s been vaccinated for it unless it came from, or was going to, Ontario.
Gee, I trained in the Breeders’ classes at both CSU and UC Davis vet schools; Also years ago I worked for the head repro vet at the WSU vet school. I have never heard any equine vet mention rabies vaccine or suggest my horses or someone else’s needs it ( I own the Swedish stallion Amorex). So this was news to me…
[QUOTE=Ibex;7142932]
Yikes!
For all those east coasters and Ontario folks saying “why wouldn’t you”… well, people just DON’T vaccinate for rabies in the west. In BC my small animal vet looks at me like I’m on crack for doing my cats regularly (I’m from Ontario, where Rabies is a real concern).
I’ve never heard of a horse out here that’s been vaccinated for it unless it came from, or was going to, Ontario.[/QUOTE]
Some people are way behind the times then…
[QUOTE=maggiecat;7142933]
Gee, I trained in the Breeders’ classes at both CSU and UC Davis vet schools; Also years ago I worked for the head repro vet at the WSU vet school. I have never heard any equine vet mention rabies vaccine or suggest my horses or someone else’s needs it ( I own the Swedish stallion Amorex). So this was news to me…[/QUOTE]
I feel like we’ve been vaccinating regularly for 20+ years here in FL although I do remember the “huh???” moment when my vet first recommended it back in my teen years. We see a rabies outbreak every few years here though and I figure better safe than sorry- especially since I grew up fox hunting where we’d come into contact with all sorts of potentially infective critters.
Sorry about the financial blow and the loss of the late breeding, though at least he’ll be home for the 2014 season. I think it’s a good reminder for ALL horse owners.
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;7142945]
Some people are way behind the times then…[/QUOTE]
Or some people live in areas with no reported cases of Rabies It has historically stopped at the mountains. Heck, I don’t think Alberta vaccinates for Rabies as a matter of course either, unless horses are heading into an area where it’s endemic (Great Lakes and parts further east).
Bats are rabies carries in BC. To think that vets don’t tell people to vaccinate their animals is terrifying 
Rabies is EVERYWHERE in the US. Yes, even in the West Coast states. Ca alone had 227 reports in 2009 (which is the pic in this link). HI didn’t have any. 55,000 people killed by rabies in 2009.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsrabies/
It’s a cheap vaccine that is effective for a year (horses), and vets should NOT be looking at you funny for taking that extra precaution, even if there were only 9 cases reported. Do you really want to be one of the 9?
Rabies is present in all states (in the US) except for Hawaii.
In Canada rabies cases have been reported from most areas, and in fact there were two cases of rabies in horses in 2012. Canada actually has an indemnification program for livestock lost to rabies (in certain areas).
This is harsher than I usually am, but I feel strongly about this. If your veterinarian is not reccomending rabies vaccines for your horses (wherever you are) then they are doing you (and your horse) a disservice. They are either behind the times or uneducated.
California bay area here - and I have seen multiple vets (not just one clinic, but I can name 4 clinics) who do not include rabies with their standard vaccination protocol (as experienced when vets come out for “shot clinics”). And while most of the boarding barns I have been to require vaccinations, rabies is not on the required list… just an FYI for those that are aghasted by the SO predicament.
i didn’t read all of the responses, but i have never once been advised by a vet to vaccinate my horses for rabies. never in the 10 years of owning. 
I’m pretty shocked that there are vets in CA not recommending rabies. I have primarily used two vets in my many years here, and both of them recommended vaccinating for rabies. I have always vaccinated for it. At a UC Davis Horseman’s Day I attended several years ago, part of the presentation was signs and symptoms of rabies in horses and they definitely recommended vaccinating for it.
Past bad news wh experience, I’m really leery of giving vaccines that are not absolutely necessary or required.
The county I live in DOES NOT have a high incidence of rabies. In 2012, there were 6 animals that were found to be rabid (all bats) which would be a lot if you were the one bitten by a rabid bat, but you have to consider that the county is huge (802 square miles) [compare - Rhode Island is only 1212 square miles, Weschester County NY is only 500 square miles.] In 2013, there has been a single bat found to be rabid and nothing else. Parts of our county are very rural, a good portion of it is a State Park around Mt. Diablo (4800 feet) and is either pure wild or cattle/sheep grazing land and I suspect that is where the bats tend to hang out.
The good news is that rabies boy, Presto, had his first mare bred [Georgia on My Mind, SWB, DIPLOMA jumping, Class ONE gaits] confirmed 62 days in foal with a COLT this AM!!! Four chambers in the heart beating, ribs, male genitalia, cute head (!!) and 4 white socks (ha!) on its long legs. Expecting a jumper since Presto free jumps over 6’ and Georgia is just warming up at 5’.
Georgia is by my SWB stallion, Gauguin du Cheval 9054, who had the anaphylaxis. Shown here at Galway Downs Open Prelim.
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