Never before have horse owners been as aware of the threat of equine illness as this spring and summer. The list of potential nasties has read like a virtual “Whoâs Who in Equine Diseases.” Such terms as encephalitis and West Nile have become household words, and we have gone to great lengths to protect our horses from potential vectors of disease such as ticks and mosquitoes.

But what happens when a fox or raccoon comes staggering unnaturally into your barn area in the middle of the day? Is your horse protected from the age-old threat of rabies?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 82 cases of rabies in horses in 1998, a 74.5% increase over 1997 and the highest number of cases reported for any year since 1981. Many veterinarians in susceptible areas of the country would like to give a “heads up” to horse owners, and remind them not to skip their horsesâ rabies vaccinations.

“We are presently in the midst of solving a recent exposure here at Texas A&M,” says William Moyer, DVM. “Rabies in horses is obviously a problem in Texas. The problem with rabies in horses is that these animals can show up with a myriad of signs, not the classic view that the public has of ÎOld Yeller.â The original complaint can be as varied as colicky signs, lameness, coordination deficits, or theyâre off their feed. This kind of problem puts everyone at risk