#AskTheVet with Dr. Lisa Casinella

Question: 

How do I know if my horse has rabies? How is equine rabies treated?

Answer:

Rabies can take on the appearance of many different clinical signs most notably colic, depression,  aggression, and general abnormal behavior.  Rabies vaccinations are very reliable in prevention of clinical rabies and part of the core vaccines that a horse should receive annually.  It is rare that a horse would be diagnosed with rabies with the history that it was properly vaccinated.  Rabies is always fatal for horses and death generally occurs within days of clinical signs.  Unfortunately the only way to definitively diagnose rabies is post mortem analysis of the brain tissue.  Suspect cases are euthanized and sent for testing.  There is no treatment for equine rabies.  A horse that is properly vaccinated with approved vaccines administered by a veterinarian could receive an additional post exposure vaccination if the horse has been bitten by a suspected rabid animal.  Vaccination history and documentation of vaccination status by a veterinarian is essential in suspect exposure to both humans and horses.