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Rabies

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Ok , so im in a small panic there was a rabid fox in my small city limits, i dont know exact location yet, but my concern is that I have a fox that is in my yard all the time and I am forever running it off as it harasses my working JRTs (foolish fox) and lurcher....anyhow yesterday or day before neighbor say they saw 3 foxes together near my water tub in my front yard pasture, ... humm now there are strange foxes with my regular fox...great and now rabies is in the news this am... im most concerned for my horses, getting a vaccine is not an option quickly, maybe in a couple weeks but if they had a vaccine 1 1;2 yrs ago I wonder if they would have titer that would keep them safe???? Monsterpony! tell me im safe... ugh...i hate to have to shoot every fox in the yard I see now.

vneerland Tue, 07/14/2009 - 14:33

I am not MP of course, and she can give you the better answer, but if your horses (and dogs) have ever been vaccinated for rabies, they should possess the antibodies and that should give protection. More protection -I believe- if the vaccination was more recent, but still. In dogs, they started giving 3 consecutive boosters, and then move to 1 booster per 3 years. That would indicate that the antibodies are supposed to build up over time. I think that the vaccination itself also has to allow for the 3 year rotation and I do not know if they use this system for horses yet.
Is there a reason why you cannot update boosters on all your critters asap? :oops:

Heather Tue, 07/14/2009 - 15:20

We work in the construction trade and as we see in the news daily, its not good, hence the reason we are also considering the "move back to FL " option LOL [size=50]I have some rabies in the fridge in syringes but they have been in there for over a year and not inthe bottle so scared to use it[/size] We jsut worked today for the first time in 4 weeks , not good. Times are bad, but there is light at the end of the tunnel , it jsut wont let up for us for at least another 30 days we should be back on track ...its jsut gonna be a tough next couple weeks.

lipigirl Tue, 07/14/2009 - 16:10

Yikes :shock: Rabies - I hope you get any foxes that need culling - better to be safe than sorry IMHO...I agree with VL, any vaccination should help in protecting your horses.

~Heather - I hope things perk up for you. ;)

Heather Tue, 07/14/2009 - 16:29

It should , even if I have to re-invent myself LOL... This happen to us over the holidays too, and we recovered only to have the rug pulled out from under us again... its becoming a pattern that I intend on stopping The problem with the enconomy is that now that everyone is starving for work some companys are doing work at COST, we had 2 BIG jobs lined up that would have kept us busy till the next few houses got ready and someone came in a bid the work AT COST, and we lost it.. :sad I am now thinking I might need to do chicken houses if I can get the proper place to have them, its a win win situation if you can handle the smell once a year at cleanin time. If you contract with Perdu or one of the big companys they cme and build and set you up, you make 30k a house a year and after 12 years you make approx 125k a house, you "own it" then... jsut some pondering ideas...if not its back to the FL heat and where we know we will be able to survive in our trade...hopefully. Then the damn rabid fox has to go and ruin my week.

Heather Tue, 07/14/2009 - 16:36

BTW when we rode the girls today fergie like to pin her ears more some days then others, its a quirk we are working out, but I said "look she is rabid" lol she grits her teeth and pins ears when you give her to much leg.. lol she tells on ya.

NZ Appaloosas Tue, 07/14/2009 - 20:39

Having a friend who has had the misfortune of both losing a horse to an attack by a rabid stray dog and having her family go thru' rabies treatments, I seriously recommend you contact your vet about getting your stock revaccinated. I'd hate to hear a repeat of my one friend's story with another friend!

Diane

vneerland Tue, 07/14/2009 - 20:44

Heather,
I am sorry times are this tough for you. :( PM your mailing address and I will send you a check for one animals vaccination. It will not help much, but it might help a little.

critterkeeper Wed, 07/15/2009 - 08:49

Heather - I don't know if you are aware of it or not, but I know in NC it is illegal for anyone other than a licensed vet to give any rabies vaccinations. Possession of the vaccine alone is a misdemeanor (crazy I know). :angry We had a local feed store owner fined $150,000 for giving shots to cattle/horses. :sad

I have a fox with 2 babies on my place now, and it is a worry. I've kept everyone vaccinated due to the skunks and racoons, but with Goldie being too young for the shots, I am a bit concerned. I have some kittens now that need vaccinated. The only good thing is that I know the mother fox has been vaccinated (ssshhh, you didn't hear that from me as it was done by a close friend in wildlife rehab and it's not legal here :BH )....

Judith, here dogs get a shot at 4 mos. and again at 1 yr (well a year after the first shot) and that does them until 3 yrs. Even cats here get 2 shots and then go to 3 yrs (a new change from the annual rabies of the past). I think the states vary a lot on rabies vaccinations and requirements. Like here, "livestock" including horses, cattle, sheep, etc. don't even require vaccinations.

Krickette Wed, 07/15/2009 - 09:06

If it helps any, this is where I normally get mine from:
http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/produc…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (2nd from last on the page). It's around $13 and enough for 5 horses. It's cheaper there than on Valley Vet, but I haven't compared after adding in shipping. I would hate for anything to happen...This stuff you give after they are 3 mo, then anually after that...giving shots in the muscle is easiest, I think, so I don't mind giving theses myself. It's when I have to fish for a vein that I usually ask mom to do it for me, lol!

Heather Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:38

Cripes who knew NC had such an issues with having your own rabies vaccines, FL dosent have a problem with it , its jsut not "recognised " if you run into an issue with a bite ...dang and I see that in the jeffers your not allowed to get it in NC, no wonder there is such a rabies issue, maybe there would be less outbreaks if they allowed people to do it more , I also know of a calf coming down with it too recnetly..bummer...