CHERRYVILLE, NC – Researchers in North Carolina are trying to find out how a horse contracted rabies.
The Charlotte Observer reported on Sunday that rabies in horses is uncommon in the United States.
The rabid horse was on a farm in Cherryville, in Gaston County, which is about 30 miles northwest of Charlotte.
The infection was discovered by a veterinarian who was treating “a sick horse” last week.
“The vet detailed that the sick horse was showing signs of rabies,” said county police. “The horse died and was sent to the Griffin Monroe Animal Disease Laboratory … The horse sample tested positive for rabies.”
The other horses on the farm are being vaccinated against rabies and are being watched.
There are about 30 to 60 cases of rabies among horses each year in the United States, according to a report by the University of Kentucky. The country sees about 7,000 cases of rabies annually in total.
The rabies virus attacks the nervous system and can be transmitted through fluids that include saliva and blood. Symptoms can include aggression, inclination to bite and excessive drooling or “foam in the mouth”.