Rabies is a serious and fatal, but preventable viral disease that can affect people and animals. Thankfully, it is relatively rare in North America- less than 3 human cases per year, due to proper education and vaccination. On the homestead, some animals are more at risk than others. Interestingly, chickens and other fowl cannot contract rabies, and subsequently have no risk in spreading it.
Determine how to protect your homestead animals from rabies and how to treat a potentially fatal exposure.
Rabies is a zoonotic virus that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord with deadly results. People must seek immediate medical attention if they have an interaction with any animal, wild animal or not, that may have rabies.
Where as any mammal can contract rabies, bats are the most common culprit, especially in the human cases reported. Skunks, coyotes, foxes, and racoons are common carriers. In developing countries the stray dog is a concern.
The animal may not be ‘foaming at the mouth”, although excessive drooling is a symptom. An infected animal may act unreasonably aggressive, be walking in circles, confused and staggering.
Symptoms of Rabies1
The incubation period for rabies can be a few days up to one year2. Once symptoms begin, the virus has reached the central nervous system and recovery is unlikely.
Mayo Clinic- Diseases and Conditions- Rabies
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Hyperactivity
- Difficulty swallowing
- Excessive salivation
- Fear brought on by attempts to drink fluids because of difficulty swallowing water
- Fear brought on by air blown on the face
- Hallucinations
- Insomnia
- Partial paralysis
How is Rabies spread?
Rabies is most commonly contracted through animal bites. The virus is spread through the mucous membranes and saliva of the rabid animal. It can also be transmitted through scratches, and less commonly licking.
Why can’t backyard chickens contract rabies?
Birds, chickens, snakes, fish, turtles, lizards and insects, never get rabies3. Rabies is most often acquired through a bite- a wound a bird would likely not survive; so it is very rare that a chicken would be tested at a diagnostic laboratory or by a licensed veterinarian. However, a number of factors may contribute to a chicken’s seeming immunity to rabies such as4:
- A lower body temperature inhibits rabies virus from multiplying and spreading through the bird.
- The different genetic makeup and specialized protein receptors in birds make it an uninhabitable host.
- An immune systems response that destroys the disease.
Helpful Hint: Since backyard poultry cannot carry rabies, there is no concern eating their eggs. If you are treating chickens with any medication, it is advised to not eat the eggs for 10 days after the dose is completed. Refrain from butchering meat birds up to 63 days after medication was administered. Refer to each treatment’s guidelines, as some time requirements are much shorter.
My chicken was bitten! What do I do?
If your domestic animals have been bitten by a rabid animal, consult your local veterinarian. Ideally, the attacking animal should be captured and tested.
If your pet has had a rabies vaccination, they will receive a booster. If the pet or stock has not received rabies vaccination, they will receive the vaccination and be quarantined for 4-6 months before it can be certain that the virus was eradicated.
It is recommended to euthanize animals that have not be vaccinated when it is confirmed that the attacking animal tested positive for rabies.
If you suspect that the attacking animal was rabid, continually flush the wound with warm water and soap for 15 minutes. Then continue with standard wound treatment5:
1. Apply firm pressure until bleeding stops. This may take 15 minutes. Use a syptic powder to stop bleeding on a larger wound.
2. Use an antiseptic to cleanse the wound such as peroxide, iodine, or Blue Kote.
3. If the wound is in an area that the chicken cannot reach and keep clean in warm weather, wrap it and cover so that flies will not lay eggs in the wound.
4. Isolate the chicken in a clean crate and transport to your local veterinarian for further testing and treatment.
5. Continue to monitor for infection. After 5 days it should be healing well. If infection occurs, flush the wound with antiseptic 3 times a day.
Preventing infection and disease
Cleanliness (whether you are treating a wound or not!) goes a long way to preventing illness and diseases in your chickens.
- Provide clean bedding.
- Wash and disinfect waterers and feeders regularly.
- Ensure proper ventilation.
- Vaccination is available for a number of diseases. Marek’s disease a common, serious, and preventable illness. Learn more here.
- Quarantine new birds for two weeks before integrating them into the flock.
How to protect your homestead livestock from the rabies virus
The most effective line of defence is vaccination. Not all animals have an approved vaccination. Thankfully, the number of rabies cases in farm animals is very low.
Who can be vaccinated against rabies?
Horses
Yes, rabies vaccine is a core vaccine that is administered yearly to horses.
Donkeys
Yes.
Alpaca
Yes.
Ducks/ Turkeys/Pheasants
All types of fowl are not susceptible to the rabies virus, so vaccines are not necessary nor available.
Rabbits
There currently are no vaccines available for rabbits against rabies. Rabies is not common in domestic rabbits.
Goats
There is no current approved vaccine for goats, although there is an off label vaccine that may be administered in areas where the rabies virus is rampant6.
Cattle
Cows can be vaccinate with a large animal vaccine, but is not routinely administered.
Sheep
The large animal rabies vaccine is approved for sheep.
Pigs
Pigs can be vaccinated with large animal vaccines, although it is unapproved. It is very rare for pigs to contract rabies. They would only be vaccinated in high risk environments, or if people request their miniature pig to be vaccinated.
Cats
Yes, routine pets that spend anytime outdoors.
Dogs
Pet owners should have their dog vaccinated against rabies by 12 months of age. Pets receive a booster once a year.
Preventative Rabies Bait7
This is an edible bait intended for raccoon, foxes, coyotes, skunks, and stray cats as part of the disease control system in some city limits, rural locations, and recreation areas.
After vaccinating, your next line of defence against rabies are secure pens
The best way to protect your backyard flocks from predators is by keeping chickens inside a secure coop at night.
Tips to avoid predator raid in your coop:
- Determine what animal causes the most pressure and where to focus your efforts
- Secure the coop- keep in mind entry from digging and from above. Note: chicken wire is not a secure fencing choice, consider sturdy welded wire, stucco wire, or broad cloth instead.
- Secure your chicken run- consider netting to protect from areal pressure, wire along the ground, and guardian animals
Small animals like skunks have easier access into the pasture, so you may consider a livestock guardian such as a donkey, alpaca, or guardian dog. Small stock such as dwarf goats or lambs may come into the barnyard overnight.
What to do if a person has been in contact with rabies8
Being bitten by a rabid animal does not guarantee that you will contract rabies. There is a 15% chance. The risk increases (up to 60%) depending on factors such as the depth of bite, progression of the disease in the animal, and number of entry points.
Anytime a person is bitten by an animal, the animal must be brought in for testing. If that’s not possible, rabies treatment will begin.
Treatment is extremely effective if it begins before the onslaught of symptoms. Immediate treatment is imperative because once the virus reaches the nervous system it is fatal. The patient will receive 5 injections of rabies vaccine over 14 days. The shot is no longer received in the stomach, but rather the arm.
A pre-exposure rabies vaccine is available for those who are in high risk situations such as veterinarians, trappers, wildlife rehabilitators, animal control officers, or those travelling to developing countries.
More tips for raising healthy chickens
Pin for referense
- Mayo Clinic- Diseases and Conditions> Rabies Symptoms and Causes> mayoclinic.org ↩︎
- Nemours Kids Health> Rabies (for parents)> kidshealth.org ↩︎
- Indiana State Government> Rabies Information> in.gov ↩︎
- Jungle Birds> Why Don’t Birds Get Rabies? Exploring the Virus and Infection in Birds> explorejunglebirds.com ↩︎
- For Dummies> How to Provide First Aid to your Chickens> dummies.com ↩︎
- New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station> Rabies: What you should know for your pets and livestock> Deborah Cole, Jeannette Rea-Keywood> njaes.rutgers.edu ↩︎
- Public Health Wellington> What to do if you find a rabies vaccine bait?>wdgpubichealth.ca ↩︎
- Ontario.ca> Rabies in Humans ↩︎
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