A horse in Coffee County has died after contracting rabies.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) initiated an investigation on September 22 and discovered that the owners of the horse first noticed scratch marks on her nose. She started rubbing the area, and the owner assumed the scratches were from a fox or raccoon.
The horse stopped eating, became violent, and began attacking and biting herself before dying 72 hours later.
The horse's body was sent to the J.B. Taylor Diagnostic Laboratory of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries in Elba. Samples were sent to the ADPH Bureau of Clinical Laboratories, where it was confirmed that the horse had rabies.
The owner's family and neighbor are being treated as a precaution, and other horses on the property are being observed.
"Rabies is not as common in horses as in wildlife and domestic animals, but it is not rare," said Dr. Dee W. Jones, State Public Health Veterinarian. "Rabies vaccines are available for horses and other livestock if recommended by a veterinarian. I encourage all horse owners to make rabies a part of their annual vaccination, even though it is not legally required like in dogs and cats."
In addition to rabies vaccination, area residents are advised not to allow their pets to run loose, not to leave pet food or scraps near their homes, and not to approach wildlife or domestic animals that are acting strangely.
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