Sometimes subtle and often dramatic, infectious neurologic disease cases are things veterinarians never want to see, although most would like to understand them better and more easily recognize them when they appear in clients’ horses. From rabies to West Nile virus (WNV), these diseases garnered their own table topic discussion at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Seattle, Wash.

Moderators Debra Sellon, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of equine medicine at Washington State University, and Maureen Long, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor in the large animal section at the University of Florida, first reviewed handling rabies cases, an age-old topic that never loses its importance. A veterinarian in attendance described two recent extraordinary rabies cases in his practice. One horse showed a mild lameness and deteriorated, ending up down in the stall without any frantic movements that can be characteristic of rabies cases. Another case, a pony mare, was referred for colic after aborting her fetus. She exhibited “full blown self-mutilation and foaming at the mouth” in addition to her colic signs. Hyperesthesia (over-sensitivity to noise and touch) and odd “neurologic tics” (muscle twitches) are what led veterinarians to believe this case was much more than just a colic case.

The human factor of rabies cases is very important. “There were 20-some odd humans exposed to the animal by the time it walked through that door,” described the veterinarian involved in those cases. “There is huge human exposure, as happens often with cats (which might not show the aggressive or frantic signs usually linked to rabies).” If there is any doubt whatsoever over whether the horse might have had rabies, the brain should be sent out for testing.

Some of the veterinarians in attendance have rabies protocols in practice, some of which include the entire staff having a current rabies vaccination. In some areas it can be difficult to find an emergency room or doctor’s office that has rabies vaccine available, so if you aren’t going to vaccinate ahead of time, it’s good to research where to go if inoculations are needed post-exposure