This message is from: Gail Russell <g...@zeliga.com>
I think she is due for her rabies too. I will get it done ASAP. On Sun, Oct 13, 2013 at 9:31 PM, Beth & Sandy - Starfire Farm < starfiref...@usa.net> wrote: > This message is from: "Beth & Sandy - Starfire Farm" <starfiref...@usa.net > > > > > First of all, Beth M., thank you for vaccinating your mare! I can't > believe, after all of the rabies exposure we had on the Front Range in > Colorado this spring that your barn-mates have not had their horses > vaccinated! Shari MacCallum's Fjord gelding, Starfire Finlay, contracted > rabies from a "presumably" dead skunk that she found in her pasture. The > horse was dead 3 weeks later and she, her entire family and at least 10 > veterinarians/vet techs had to receive the prophylactic treatment > (several thousand dollars just for her alone.) At least she is alive. He > was in the prime of his life...they had performed in the Stock Show with > us in January and in the Expo with us in March. She was having a blast > with him until this happened. I do not blame Shari, for she did not know > that her horses required annual rabies vaccinations in order to be > protected. Finlay had been vaccinated two years prior and was due for > re-vaccination when he was exposed. It could have just as easily been a > horse or horses in my herd, as I had a rabid skunk on my property around > the same time (in the vicinity of my paddocks and arena) that I captured > and had tested. My dogs were exposed (they had been lightly sprayed but > presumably were not bitten and were up to date on their vaccinations). > Luckily, my horses were not but I couldn't be too sure. I was just lucky. > We did re-boost the dogs and cats (recommended by my vet and the state > veterinarian) and I vaccinated my entire herd that week, but I kept a > very watchful eye for several weeks afterward for any unusual > behavior/signs. I was very worried. It doesn't take a bite to transfer > the disease. All it takes is exposure to saliva/blood/bodily fluids. This > could be through open skin, etc. The best guess regarding Finlay's > exposure is that he must have mouthed or nosed the skunk, as they could > not find any puncture wounds on him anywhere. The skunk may have already > been dead or dying, no one knows because Shari found it dead in her > pasture. I "ditto" what Robin Churchill wrote...all of this would not > have happened if her horse had been vaccinated this year. This is serious > business. Don't think that, because we can vaccinate dogs and cats every > few years, that you can vaccinate your horse the same way. Horses have to > be vaccinated annually in order to be protected. It's very inexpensive if > you give them yourself. Even if your vet has to give it in your area, the > cost comparison between giving a vaccine and you receiving prophylactic > treatment is nil. If your horse contracts it, it will die. We had rabid > skunks and foxes all over our area this spring. There was report after > report of skunks attacking dogs, cats, breaking into houses through > windows (seriously!), fox and skunks chasing horses...seriously! Rabies > has been moving towards the Front Range in Colorado for several years. > Last year it was in eastern Colorado and eastern Adams County. Once we > heard the first report of it being found west of I-25, this spring it was > too late for Finlay. Such a sad deal! And we in our society have become > so complacent that there were no reports in the local news until at least > two months after Finlay died. The first news report I heard was on NPR > national news! Not our local news. Unbelievable, since if you contract > rabies, you die. End of story. I have told all of my friends that I know > that it will be moving into their area...even those on the other side of > the divide. It is just a matter of time. I have yet to see a problem with > giving the vaccine to my horses, dogs or cats. So, those of you out there > who are in the more arid areas, don't wait. You just never know when that > rabid skunk, fox, possum, cat, bat, whatever...will end up on your > property. Beth www.starfirefarm.com > > This message is from: Main Email <divingduoandcor...@comcast.net> > > I am the only one at my barn who vaccinates for rabies. We board in a > rural area of Colorado (Morrison) south of area with a significant > increase in rabies...it was found at a horse barn after a feral kitten > was diagnosed with it... after scratching people. > > Important FjordHorse List Links: > Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e > FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw > FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
