Rabies in Dogs

Rabies in Dogs

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Vaccinating Fido Against Rabies? Don't Forget Your Horse.

Horses are nearly four times more likely to contract rabies than dogs.1-3 Across the U.S., the majority of horses are not vaccinated for rabies and often have a higher risk of exposure than dogs.While it's likely Fido is vaccinated against this fatal disease, the question looms – is your horse protected? 4Equine veterinarian Dr. Kevin Hankins: "Most of the time you don't have any idea that horse has rabies. You will get exposed and that's the bad thing about rabies in horses and why it's really important because of the potential to spread to other humans. It's also a death sentence if the horse gets rabies.

Horses can be exposed to rabies through the saliva of infected animals, commonly bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks. Once inside the horse, the rabies virus travels up the nerves to the brain, where the disease progresses rapidly. Rabies is 100% fatal, and as a zoonotic disease, it presents grave risk to you and your family.5

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