Rabies

[Linda Flemmer <bluwolf@earthlink.net>]

When we decide on whether or not to vaccinate our horses for rabies,
let's think about the mode of transfer...

At an endurance ride, the vets are handling horses all day, putting
their fingers in the horses' mouths.  They are exposing themselves...

When the next horse comes up, they may be exposing that new horse at his
exam.  At one ride I saw the vets using a special disinfective for their
hands between horses, but it was harsh on their hands.  Their hands were
cracked & bleeding by the end of the day.

One of my old geldings died of EPM (1980's).  Prior to a good diagnosis
at the necropsy, the vet had to consider the possibility of rabies.  The
only reason that Mike & I, all our barn help (teenagers), the vet, etc.
didn't have to immediately start the rabies series was the fact that the
horse had been vaccinated.  The horror & uncertainty was awful.  

Trish mentioned that very few people die of rabies - true.  They don't
die because we have an effective treatment.  No treatment in a rabies
case = certain death.  We will never eradicate rabies since it has
resevoirs in wild animal populations, but we can minimize our contact by
immunizing & monitoring our pets.  The rabies series is better than in
the past, but certainly not pleasant.  It is also quite costly if your
insurance doesn't cover it.

We vaccinate all our animals for rabies on a yearly basis.  No reactions
in the last 25+ years, and we felt that it was the responsible thing to
do.  We have always lived in areas with a high incidence of the disease,
so we can't be too careful!

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV


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