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  Discussion on Necessity of rabies vaccination
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2000 - 12:40 am:

Dr. O,

I had my paint filly (3 yr old) vaccinated for influenza and rhino (in neck) and rabies (killed virus; in rear muscle) 1 week ago. We did not ride her for 4 days. She seemed fine on the fourth day training ride. After the ride on the fifth day, she became lame in the same hind leg where she had the rabies inoculation. She had a temperature of 102.5, and was tender in the injection area. The next day she was stocked up in both hind legs. Our vet did an ultrasound and found no accumulation of fluid in the muscle, but gave her an IV dose of antibiotic with IV Bute. We are continuing with oral antibiotics and Bute. She seems better.
I was planning to inoculate our other horse against rabies, but now I am wondering if this is a good idea. I am new to this area (southern California) and my friends here think the rabies vaccine is not necessary. I came from the midwest, and rabies was common there. Here in California, our horses are kept out in a pasture with access to plenty of wild animals, and rabid bats have recently been found in our area.
Since our problems with the filly, I read an abstract of a medical paper on a series of 20 horses with rabies, and while none of them had been bitten, 5 of them had been vaccinated against rabies (4 months to 2 years earlier). Did they get rabies from the vaccine? At best, the vaccine did not protect them from getting the infection. I am undecided on whether to continue to vaccinate my horses against rabies. I take this decision seriously, as rabies is not only fatal to the horse, but able to be passed to human handlers. What is your advice?

Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2000 - 10:08 am:

Hello Margaret,
I have heard there is no rabies or EIA in CA but to be sure, check with your local veterinarian or State Veterinary office. We beleive the vaccine is about 80% effective in horses. The number of rabies victims that have been vaccinated is not near as significant as what percentage of vaccinates become infected compared with the nonvaccinated population.
DrO
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