do i need a rabbies vaccine if bitten with a horse?

Question

when i was bitten,i was injected with rabbies vaccine although i did not have any external wound because i was bitten with the pants. what i'v got is hematoma.however my problem is i did not continue the other shots for rabbies vaccine because the owner of the horse told me that i do not need rabbies vaccine because horse doesn't have any rabbies..what can i do because im confused..i worry about my health,the scheduled date for my rabbies vaccine already passed..

Answer 1

I don't know why you went to the doctor for a horse bite! Did it break bone?
To answer your question, any warm blooded animal can get rabies. They can only spread rabies IF they are infected AND their blood or saliva gets into an open wound.
I think you are mistaken about what kind of shots you're getting. Tetnus shots are given for animal bites, but only ones that break the skin.
I think you are telling jokes and fibbing a little.

Answer 2

Here's the deal with rabies and why you almost never have to worry about a situation like this.

Rabies is a virus. The only way a horse can get it is transfer of saliva from another animal that already has it, usually through a bite. The most common suspects are raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

However, transfer of bodily fluid from a mucous membrane or an open wound to one of a horse's open wounds would also constitute exposure to the disease. But as you can imagine, this scenario is highly unlikely. So if the bite didn't break the skin, there's no way for you to get rabies.

If, by some really bizarre outside chance, a horse does become infected, the incubation period can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months. The further the bite is from the horse's brain, the longer it will be before the horse starts showing any symptoms. And symptoms is what the you're probably most concerned about.

We've all heard stories about rabid dogs frothing at the mouth, acting crazy, and biting any and all other creatures he comes in contact with (Remember the movie "Cujo" from the 1980's?). Horses seldom (i.e., very seldom) react to rabies the same way dogs do.

An unlucky horse that gets rabies is likely to suffer from a totally different flavor of the disease called "paralytic rabies." And the symptoms are totally different: he'll become sluggish, apathetic, droopy, totally indifferent to any of his surroundings. Even things that normally spook him no longer do.

But here's the biggest difference between canine and equine rabies: equine rabies takes a much more rapid course. A horse who contracts rabies will most likely die within 5 days of these symptoms. So if the horse who bit you is still alive even a week later, he does NOT have rabies.

And neither do you.

Sierra Lynch
Horse IQ
http://www.horseiq.com

Answer 3

Ok,
First if the horse was up to date on his rabies shots then a rabbies shot was completely unneeded. Also, the fact that your skin was not broken supports my thoughts on not getting a shot. If you did not break the skin then there would have been no way for the virus if there was a possiblility of one to enter your system. I don't know how you got your shot, I don't know what doctor in their right mind would do such a thing, it makes absolutely no sense at all. I am assuming you meant that you got shots for rabies and not a rabies vaccine since as far as I know they don't give to people and wouldn't help after the fact anyway.

Answer 4

Ouch!!
Horses are do not legally need to have the rabies shot. I was informed from our vet that if your horse is in an area that has a high rabies count that all horses in that area should be tested and given the bi annual or annual rabies shots.
I think you need to contact the Local animal shelter to find out if the area the horse lives has a high count for rabies.
Since you started the regiment of the rabies shots I would just continue; talk to your Dr. to see if you can finish the shots even though you past the appointment

Answer 5

You are in big, BIG trouble!!!! Get your personal effects in order immediately! Horses never EVER bite unless they are rabid and when you get any strain of equine rabies there is nothing that can be done for you. Game over. Your ticket has been punched. Usually within 4 days it is a done deal unless you have the dreaded South American strain and then death occurs within 12 hours. One of my very good friends was in Columbia back in 1984 and was bitten by a Sabre Toothed Rock Donkey that was infected with the South American strain of equine rabies. He didn't make it 5 hours and he was gone. It still haunts me to this day thinking about the fangs of that rabid Rock Donkey sinking into my friends fleshy buttocks. I'm shivering as I type this. I'm sorry I can't go on. It brings back too many horrible memories. I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 6

You are fine. Only mammals get rabies and any mammal can get them, but horses don't usually get infected. If your worried have the owner of the horse give you a copy of his horses shot record for proof the horse had a vaccine. If the horse hasnt had a vaccine then just have a vet take some blood then he can tell you.

But you really dont have to worry about rabies with a horse, I get bit all he time by my cousins horrible horse, and im fine.

But if your still scared just get the shots.

Answer 7

No, you are confused...Horses naturally nip and bite..Only because something has irratated them or its a bad habit..You dont have rabies...The horses would have shown signs first..Have the owner show you the rabbies shot record of the horse. horses are required in some states to get their yearly shots...You dont have rabbies...just a bad case of the rabbies jitters.

Answer 8

You get vaccines to prevent contracting a virus, not after. If the horse did not have raibies and didn't even break the skin you shouldn't be worried at all.

You'll live.

Answer 9

All horses must get a rabies vaccine every year. So ask the owner for a record of the rabies vaccine. If they don't have it, the vet will, so ask them for the vets name and number.
Horse can get rabies, but it's a very rare thing for a horse to get rabies.
I would say you fine. When in doubt, get shots.

Answer 10

I have never heard of a horse having rabbies so I don't think you have anything to worry about i have been bit many times before . but I really don't think you have to worry unless the horse looks real sick