A Rabid Cow in Minnesota Just Became a PPE Wake-Up Call for Two Vets and Three Techs

When a Brown County heifer turned out to be rabid, nine people, including two examining veterinarians, three vet techs, and two children, ended up needing post-exposure treatment.

A Hereford heifer in Brown County, Minnesota, has tested positive for rabies, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, triggering a quarantine of more than a dozen cattle and a recommendation that nine people, several of them family members and clinic staff, begin post-exposure treatment.

The timeline is a useful, sobering read for anyone in practice. The owner first noticed something wrong on Sept. 1, when the cow was found lying flat with its head down. A veterinarian came out that day and, working alongside the owner, gave the cow oral medication without gloves. A second veterinarian did the same the next day. By Sept. 3, a third vet examined the animal and found far more alarming signs: uncoordinated hind legs, high-stepping, vocalizing, and excessive drooling, on top of a fever. The cow was euthanized, and its head was sent to the Minnesota Department of Health's lab, which confirmed rabies on Sept. 8.

“Rabies may not be the first thing people think of” to explain strange behavior in livestock, said Dr. Steve Kivisto, who leads the rabies program for the board. Given how severe the disease is, he said, “it's better to assume an animal is infected until proven otherwise,” and to use proper PPE any time a rabies suspect is on the table.

That warning lands harder once you see who's now on the post-exposure list: the owner, the owner's daughter, two minor children, two of the three examining veterinarians, and three veterinary technicians who assisted. The cow's saliva may have reached all nine during those hands-on exams, and the Minnesota Department of Health has recommended treatment for each of them.

“Consistent use of PPE when treating ill animals can help prevent exposure” to rare illnesses like rabies, said State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Stacy Holzbauer, who added that MDH staff are available to consult on any animal bite or exposure situation and help assess risk and next steps.

Thirteen cattle on the property are now quarantined, and the board says it will keep more than 40 head under observation. A horse on the property, current on its rabies vaccine, is also being watched, along with three vaccinated dogs. Two barn cats that were not vaccinated, and likely had contact with the sick cow, were euthanized, a stark illustration of what unvaccinated status can mean once exposure is confirmed.

The likely source isn't a mystery. Skunks had been spotted earlier this year on a neighboring property, owned by a relative, next to where the rabid cow was kept. Statewide, wildlife, mostly bats and skunks, account for the large majority of Minnesota's confirmed rabies cases each year; domestic animals like cattle, cats, and dogs make up less than 15% of annual cases.

Source: Reporting by Valley News Live (KVLY), based on information from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.