With winter soon ending, primary small mammal vectors of rabies, including raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats, will emerge from under buildings, leave hay bale nests and hunt assertively to regain body condition and feed newborns. Rabies is not frequently seen in equids, but the disease is invariably fatal and has considerable public health significance.
Rabies vaccine is recommended as a core vaccine for all equids.
Source: AAEP. Link.
Rabies exposure and transmission occur only when the virus is introduced into bite wounds, into open cuts in skin, or onto mucous membranes from saliva or other potentially infectious material such as neural tissue.
INSIGHTS: New foals are often curious about these vectors. They are susceptible to being bitten, although all they want to do is play.