Rabies case confirmed in SW health district

    Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) confirmed the first positive rabies case in southwest Nebraska for the year. The rabies exposure is with a cow in Keith County.
    “Rabies in cattle occurs less often than in dogs or cats,” said Melissa Propp, Public Health Nurse.
    “The only way to diagnose rabies is with a laboratory test performed after death. Because cattle symptoms may mimic other more common diseases, people may be exposed to the infected animal while it is contagious,” she said.
    The best method to prevent human exposure is to ensure that livestock, horses and pets are protected against rabies with current vaccinations, Propp added.
    In cattle as in other warm-blooded animals, rabies is a severe, rapidly progressing neurological disease. It is transmitted via saliva, most commonly through bite wounds from an infected wild animal.
    Although symptoms may appear anytime from two weeks to several months after exposure, symptoms, on average, appear four to eight weeks after the exposure.
    Death usually occurs two to four days after the animal begins to show clinical signs.
    Rabies should be suspected in all livestock that shows a sudden onset of rapidly progressing neurological signs.
    However, cows with rabies may also show a wide range of clinical signs that resemble other more common diseases—depression, difficulty with eating or drinking, increased aggression, lameness and/or incoordination, loud bellowing, excessive drooling, behavioral changes, nervousness, irritability and convulsions or seizures
    Contact a local veterinarian, local healthcare provider and public health department regarding rabies testing and exposures.