Signs of Rabies in Goats

Look for symptoms of rabies in goats.

Rabies is a virus that causes swelling in the brain in warm-blooded animals and can spread through a bite or other contact from animal to animal. When dealing with a large amount of livestock, one case of rabies can quickly become many if it is not isolated and treated quickly. If your goat has been bitten by a dog or if it has been in contact with animals that have rabies, it is best to take the precautionary measure and have it vaccinated. Once rabies becomes symptomatic, it may already be too late to treat.

Pre-Symptomatic

There may be a long period of dormancy in goats before the rabies virus becomes symptomatic. According to a Colorado State University report, rabies can take anywhere from 10 days to 7 months to become symptomatic in goats. Once it does, it only takes two to 12 days to potentially cause death. This incubation time is the time it takes the rabies virus to travel to the brain. Once in the brain, the vaccine is much less effective. As a result, if there is even a suspicion of rabies, you should take the goat into a veterinarian.

Furious

One of the major forms of rabies in livestock and pets is called the "furious" form, according to an Ohio State University report. If the goat develops this form it may become aggressive and attack people and other animals. Most common in goats is a major change in behavior. These changes of behavior may include apprehension, aggressiveness, hyper-excitability, irritability, nervousness, solitude, anorexia and a change in voice. Goats with rabies have been found to bleat frequently.

Paralytic

This form of rabies in goats may follow the furious form or it may be the only symptoms that a goat has. According to the Goat World website, goats with the paralytic condition of rabies tend to froth and salivate. This salivation is especially dangerous since it can carry the disease to other animals. Goats can lose the ability to swallow and cease drinking or eating. Eventually, the goats become paralyzed and without treatment they may die.

Complications

The major complications of rabies in goats are spreading the condition to other goats and death. It can take as few as two days for a goat to die from rabies. While infection of the virus is most often through a bite, this is not always the case, as many forms of contact can spread the virus. Err on the side of caution with goats, as waiting an extra day could lead to further infections or premature death.

References

• NBCI: Symptoms of Rabies in Pets and Domestic Animals in South Africa and South West Africa
• Goat World: Common Diseases of Goats
• Colorado State University: Goats and Sheep