One horse in Aiken County, South Carolina, has tested positive for rabies. The horse was submitted to the Department of Public Health’s laboratory on Aug. 18 and was confirmed positive the following day. The case was reported to the Equine Disease Communication Center on Oct. 17. 

EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. The EDCC is an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.

About Rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease of mammals. It occurs infrequently in horses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that equids account for less than 1% of all rabies cases in the U.S.; the total number of equine cases has historically ranged from 25-82 annually.

The clinical signs of rabies are highly variable and can include lameness, colic, painful urination, and neurologic abnormalities. Insidious onset is extremely common. 

In unvaccinated horses, rabies is rapidly progressive after the onset of clinical signs, with death occurring within 5-7 days of clinical signs. Physical signs include fever, loss of appetite, blindness, difficulty swallowing, hypersensitivity of the skin, self-mutilation, muscle twitching, lameness, paresis, ataxia, incontinence, and paralysis. Behavioral signs can include depression, stupor, mania, and aggression. 

There is no cure for rabies. It is fatal in all horses with clinical signs. All horses should be vaccinated annually for the disease.