Strangles
What Is It and What To Do to keep your horse protected
Strangles is the common name for the Bacteria Streptococcus equi and is a very contagious bacterial disease that is communicable through contact with other infected horses or something that has come in contact with the infected horse such as brushes, tack, water troughs, people, etc.
Some of the signs are:
Snotty nose (can be up to two weeks before lymph node abscesses occur)
Fever up to 105 in the very sick
Swollen lymph nodes that can rupture and drain (especially around the throat and under jaw)
Anorexia (stops eating)
Keep in mind that it may be up to two weeks after exposure before the signs appear. Even with treatment the animal may be contagious for up to a month. Carrier state may occur which means that the animal can form walled off abscesses inside the body that can lay dormant for years. If stressed the animal can have another breakout and/or
die.
Bio-security is your best line of defense!
Respiratory diseases are highly contagious and easily transmitted from horse to horse not only by direct contact but can be transmitted via clothing, shoes, hoses, grooming materials, tack, car tires, etc.
Quarantine is very important! No animals in or out of a facility, to decrease the likelihood of spreading the infection to another site. It is imperative that ill horses be quarantined away from other animals and anyone that comes into contact with them wash their hands, change clothes and use disinfecting foot baths before having contact with other horses. When on rides or at shows, severely limit contact with other animals. Horses don’t need to touch noses to socialize.
Diagnosis is done when the veterinarian retrieves some of the nasal discharge or tapping the swollen lymph node. The sample is then sent to the lab for culture or Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay (PCR). This is the only definitive way to confirm the infection.
Following treatment and apparent resolution of the disease, the infected animals are further tested to determine
if they are still shedding the bacteria. This is done most commonly through nasal wash or flush and requires three negative tests, spaced out over approximately three weeks.
It is NOT recommended to vaccinate your horse in the face of an outbreak!
If there have been suspected or confirmed respiratory illnesses at your horse’s location, it is important to NOT booster their respiratory vaccines (Flu, Rhino, or Strangles). Vaccinations work by challenging the Immune System. If your horse has been potentially exposed to an illness, their immune system may already be compromised and working to fight to protect them from the disease. Vaccinating them can further suppress their immune system and make them more susceptible to illness. Also, vaccinating your horse if he/she has a high blood titer can make them susceptible to
complications, such as an Immune Mediated Disease called Purpura hemorrhagica, which can result in death. Keep in mind that vaccines don’t always completely protect your horse from contacting a disease. The effectiveness of a vaccine can prevent the disease from taking hold or it decreases the severity of the episode.
We strongly recommend having a veterinarian administer the vaccinations so that your horse may be covered by a vaccine guarantee offered through some vaccine manufacturers. Some of these programs will cover the cost of diagnostics and treatment if the horse becomes ill from one of the covered diseases.
We at Wildflower Veterinary Services use one of the more advanced vaccines that incorporates a process called microtechnology to give a higher immune response and fewer vaccination reactions.
Please do not hesitate to call us with your questions!
The office can be reached calling (253) 847-1626 or emailing wildflowervet7@gmail.com