Florida Horse Confirmed Positive for Rabies

On March 26, a 6-year-old Quarter Horse gelding in Miami-Dade County, Florida, was confirmed positive for rabies. The horse, which was not vaccinated, died shortly after the diagnosis. This incident marks Florida's first confirmed rabies case in livestock in 2025.

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that can transmit from animals to humans and is caused by a lyssavirus affecting the nervous system and salivary glands. In horses, the disease is typically contracted through bites from infected animals, with symptoms varying and potentially taking up to 12 weeks to manifest. Behavioral changes such as lethargy, depression, fearfulness, or aggression may occur in infected horses. Once these clinical signs appear, treatment options are no longer available. Diagnosis is confirmed post-mortem through laboratory testing of the horse's head, highlighting the importance of ruling out other diseases to prevent unnecessary euthanasia.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners recommends rabies vaccination as essential for all horses, with specific guidelines for initial and follow-up doses to ensure ongoing protection against the disease.