Rabies control operations

We are continuing rabies surveillance and control operations to help keep wildlife, people and pets safe from terrestrial rabies.

For more information call our Wildlife Health Information Line at 1-888-574-6656 (monitored during business hours only).

Overview

Rabies is a virus that can be transmitted, through saliva, from an infected mammal to any other mammal, including livestock, pets, wildlife and humans.

Rabies is almost always fatal and an animal will typically die within a few days after signs of rabies appear.

How livestock get rabies

Livestock can get rabies if they:

  • are bitten by a rabid animal
  • get saliva from an infected animal, dead or alive, in an open cut, sore or wound
  • get saliva from an infected animal, dead or alive, in its eyes, mouth or nose

Even a frozen carcass can contain live rabies virus.

Cases of rabies in livestock in Ontario are most commonly reported in bovines (cows, bison and oxen). The last confirmed case of rabies in a bovine was in 2018.

Livestock that aren’t mammals, including fish and poultry, can’t get rabies.

Incubation period

The incubation period is the time between exposure to the rabies virus and when signs of the disease begin to appear. In livestock, the signs of rabies will usually appear less than 20 days after exposure but in some cases it can take months before the signs of rabies appear. The length of the incubation period depends on how the virus got into the animal’s body, the amount of virus that got into the animal’s body, and the variant of rabies the animal was exposed to.

Infectious period

If an animal gets infected with the rabies virus, it can transmit the virus to others as soon as the virus gets into its saliva. This can happen up to 2 weeks before the animal starts to show signs of rabies.

Signs of rabies

The signs of rabies in livestock can include:

  • behaviour change, either:
    • very aggressive or
    • dull and depressed
  • making strange noises (caused by spasms in the vocal chords)
  • weakness in the hindquarters

Once signs of rabies appear, in any animal, the disease is almost always fatal.

Rabies exposure

Animal exposure

If you suspect that your farmed animal may have rabies, or if it has been bitten or scratched by a wild animal that you suspect may have rabies:

  • keep it away from other livestock, pets and humans
  • try to isolate it in a quiet area
  • call your local veterinarian

Find out how to report sick or strange acting wildlife.

Human exposure

If you or another person has been in contact with the saliva of an animal that you suspect may have rabies call your family doctor or local public health unit.

Learn more about rabies in humans.

For veterinarians

Veterinarians can submit an online request to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness for help with:

  • risk assessments
  • rabies sample submission
  • post-exposure management related to potential rabies
  • rabies exposures in pets or livestock

Learn more about rabies information for veterinarians.

Reducing rabies risk in livestock

You can reduce the risk of rabies in your livestock by:

  • limiting contact between your livestock and wildlife
  • avoiding pasturing livestock in remote areas of your property where contact with wildlife is more likely
  • cleaning up any scrap material or equipment that wildlife might use for shelter or nesting
  • not leaving out food (including pet food), scraps or garbage that could attract scavengers

Learn more about rabies in wildlife.

Vaccinating livestock

As of July 1, 2018, under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Regulation 567, livestock owners are legally required to have horses, cattle and sheep vaccinated for rabies in Ontario if the animals have contact with anyone other than their regular caretakers (such as horse competitions, petting zoos). Consult your veterinarian for more information about rabies vaccination recommendations and other requirements in your specific area. For more information on whether this requirement applies to your animals, contact your local public health unit.

You can discuss vaccinating your other livestock and the costs with your veterinarian.

Learn more about the rules for rabies vaccination in livestock.

Rabies in Ontario

Ontario’s Wildlife Rabies Program works to control and eliminate raccoon and fox variant rabies in Southern Ontario.

Learn more about:

Finding a dead animal

If you find a dead wild animal:

  • do not touch the carcass with your bare hands
  • keep the carcass in a cool place, safely away from people and animals until it’s determined whether it needs to be tested
  • call your veterinarian if you suspect the animal had contact with your livestock or pets
  • call our Wildlife Health Information Line at 1-888-574-6656 if the animal did not have contact with your livestock or pets to find out if the carcass should be tested for rabies