What do you give your horse for his annual vaccinations? The AAEP recommends four core vaccinations: tetanus, sleeping sickness, West Nile virus and rabies. Most people also give flu and rhino, but don't bother with rabies vaccine because the incidence is so low. But rabies is the one you can get from your horse.
If you check on your horse and he is a little dull or depressed, maybe not eating, what do you do? Take his temperature? Look in his mouth? Maybe press your finger to his gums? What could be wrong? Guess what? If he has rabies and you have any minor cuts on your hands, or get his saliva in your eyes, nose, or mouth, you have just been exposed. Symptoms can vary from a depressed horse to a violent one. The only way you can tell for sure is when your horse dies. And if he has rabies, he will die. Like shots? You will need a series of painful shots if you are exposed.
Now you horse may just have a fever or just feel bad. But if he has not been vaccinated, how do you know? What if he has rabies and you don't notice any symptoms? Wouldn't it be simpler to just vaccinate for rabies and be sure?
If you have already vaccinated your horse for rabies, congratulations! Share this with a friend. But if you have not vaccianted your horse for rabies, talk to your veterinarian. It is not an expensive vaccine but even if it was, it is worth it. The chances are small, but why take a chance?
For more information:
http://www.aaep.org/images/files/Adultvaccinationtablerevised108.pdf
http://americashorsedaily.com/rabies-in-horses/
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/asc125.pdf
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