by L Hurley

Created on: January 13, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Strangles is a word horse owners dread to hear. Picture your horse depressed and running a high fever, they won't eat, a thick yellow discharge is emanating from their nostrils and they have hot swelling between their jaws and in the glands on either side of their throat. It is heartbreaking to see their distress. What can you do?

Equine strangles is a respiratory disease caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus equi. In the best cases infected horses must be isolated and rested for up to three months, at worst complications can lead to pneumonia and even death. Your horse's recovery is dependent on its immune system fighting the bacteria. To give your horse the best chance of recovery keep them warm, dry and the stable area quiet. Try to encourage your horse to eat by moistening their feed with water which will make the process of swallowing the food less painful for them. Even a little food is better than nothing to provide the energy needed to help their body fight the disease.

As the disease is highly contagious if you suspect your horse has strangles your first priority should be to isolate it from contact with other horses. The disease is easily spread by contact with nasal discharge and some horses can carry the bacteria for many months after they have recovered. To isolate your horse you need to confine it to a stable or if this is not possible to a yard with no horses in adjoining yards. All tack, grooming equipment, water troughs and feed bins must be disinfected and not used by other horses. Changing your clothes and washing your hands in disinfectant is also essential before attending to other horses as it is possible for you to transfer the bacteria to your other horses.

Horses usually develop the first signs of strangles three to four days after they are infected so keep a close eye on horses that have been in contact with the sick horse for signs of infection. It is also advisable when introducing a new horse to your property to keep it separated from your other horses until you are sure it is not carrying a contagious disease.

Strangles is a painful and distressing disease for which a vaccine is available. Like vaccines against human respiratory diseases the equine strangles vaccination cannot provide complete protection from infection, it will however reduce the severity of the symptoms and in doing so contributes to reducing the spread of the disease in an outbreak.

Vaccination is not expensive; an initial program of three injections, two weeks apart followed by an annual booster will protect your horse from the worst symptoms of this horrible disease. It costs around $20 per treatment and is administered by intramuscular injection which can be applied by any competent horse handler or owner. With such an accessible means of protecting their horses from the worst symptoms of this disease it is surprising more horse owners don't take the opportunity to do it.

Sources:
www.health4horses.com.au
www.pfizeranimalh ealth.com.au

Learn more about this author, L Hurley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.