Rabies

Rabies is a 100% fatal viral disease of mammals that occurs infrequently in horses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that equids account for 3-5% of all domestic animal rabies cases in the USA, with the total number of equine cases in recent years ranging from 13-47 horses annually.

Clinical signs of equine rabies are highly variable, with insidious onset as the hallmark. Frequently reported initial clinical signs include colic, choke, lameness, dysuria, priapism, and neurologic abnormalities. In unvaccinated horses, rabies is rapidly progressive with death occurring 5–7 days following the onset of clinical signs.