Ask anyone what their idea of a rabid animal looks like and they may come back with, “Cujo.” While it’s true the connotation of a snarling mad dog, foaming at the mouth is what most people first think of, it’s also true that rabies can infect livestock. Unfortunately, the symptoms can be mistaken for some other problem, thereby exposing owners and veterinarians who try to examine the animal.
Rabies is a virus that affects the nervous system and can occur in all warm-blooded animals. There is no known cure; it is always fatal to those animals infected. It’s transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal coming into contact with mucous membranes (eye, nose or mouth) or an opening in the skin of another animal, usually through a bite. While rabies is rare in cattle, there are always a few cases as instances in wildlife increase. The incubation period is typically three weeks, but may be anywhere from two weeks to several months depending on the area where the animal was bitten and the amount of virus present in the bite.
Owners need to pay attention to animal behavior — rabies symptoms in cattle are unpredictable and changes in behavior could be a sign. Many times a cow will present symptoms that appear to be choking (dysphagia) and sticking an arm down the animal’s throat to clear the blockage is a common way for humans to come into contact with the virus. In bovines, other symptoms can include aggressive, excitable or exaggerated movements, loss of appetite, seizures or lack of coordination of hindquarters.
Rabies is preventable through vaccination which is encouraged in areas where rabies infections are common to protect both animals and owners alike.
