VET notes
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
● The symptoms of strangles
● How it spreads
● How to test for strangles
● Treatments
● How tomanage an outbreak
STRANGLES IS ENDEMIC within the UK, meaning that it is relatively common within the overall horse population. It is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi and is a highly contagious and potentially serious respiratory infection. The bacteria, which only clinically affect horses, donkeys and mules, sit in the guttural pouch.
Strangles isn't only distressing for the affected horse and owner, but it can also pose significant challenges for large yards due to the potentially rapid spread of infection, as well as the curtailment of activities like competing, training off site, or the sale and movement of horses, all of which can have serious economic consequences for yard owners and their clients.
Symptoms
Strangles primarily affects a horse's upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms that include…
■ Depression.
■ Loss of appetite/difficulty eating.
■ Raised temperature (fever).
■ Cough.
■ Nasal discharge that is often thick and yellow (purulent or pus like).
■ Swollen lymph nodes (glands) around the throat and between the lower jaw.
■ Drainage of pus from the lymph nodes around the jaw/burst abscesses.
While many horses, given proper care, recover from strangles, complications such as abscesses, difficulty breathing and secondary infections can
