Question about Strangles

[minibossmare]

Ok, here is a question, I have never ever dealt with strangles, NOR do I ever want to have it on my place.

If you where looking at a young horse that had once had strangles and had gotten over it, would you still consider buying it? Also is there a test to check if they are carriers, can they carry it?

I don't know enough about it, but I need some info.

I hate to pass on a horse I am interested in if there is no reason too, and I am not sure I am educated enough about it to make an informed decision.

But I also do not want to chance having it on my place, and having my other horses get it.

I appreciate your input on it!

Thanks!

 

[chandab]

How long ago did the horse have strangles? Did other horses at the same place get it also? [just curious].

I don't know if there is a test to see if a horse is a carrier.

I have an APHA mare that had strangles as a yearling (I bred and raised her and have had her for her 9+ years of life). She was treated and got over it. She's not had any problems because of it. She had a beautiful filly 3 years ago (only time bred) with no complications.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Yes, you can have a swab done to tell if the horse is a carrier. I wouldn't worry about a horse that had strangles in the past as long as it was well in the past

Edited: sigh, why can't I spell?

 

[MiLo Minis]

I would want to be sure that it was well in the past as the bacteria that causes it can live for months on halters, leads, in the barn, etc.

 

[minibossmare]

Just recently had it and is over it, and they are going to have the vet swab it to see if to make sure it is not a carrier before they will sell it.

SO if it is not a carrier, could I feel safe buying it and bring it to my property?

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Strangles Consensus Statement

Definately cruise through that document... very helpful. It can answer your questions better than I can

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Actually if you really want to know if a horse is still a carrier you need to have the gutteral pouches scoped. In fact this is becoming common practice at most large horse breeding farms along with the mares needing repro cultures.

A horse can carry it in there gutteral pouches for years and years and never look sick or show signs however under stressful situations can shed the bacteria.

that said I would guess that many many horses have had it and you have seen them at shows or perhaps even bought them before.

Strangles can be had more then once as there is more then one strain. Sadly I have come to learn more about it then I wanted to we have had it run thru my herd 3 times now. You can also vaccinate your horses before bringing this one home. Some dont believe in vaccinating in the face of an out break We did with great success. We used the Intra Nasal and used half doses since it is a modified live vaccine. Maybe we were over cautious but like I said we had results and it worked for us.

I personally would not let this stop me from purchasing a horse most farms are off self imposed quarrintine about 6-8 weeks after the last case started.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Reading the posted information and the article Nathan posted (thank you - very informative) it would be hard to say.

I think I would speak with my own vet and the vet treating the horse you're considering buying. I would also do a quarantine if you do purchase this horse for at least a month, and possibly have it checked one more time.

 

[Sanny]

Actually if you really want to know if a horse is still a carrier you need to have the gutteral pouches scoped. In fact this is becoming common practice at most large horse breeding farms along with the mares needing repro cultures.A horse can carry it in there gutteral pouches for years and years and never look sick or show signs however under stressful situations can shed the bacteria.

that said I would guess that many many horses have had it and you have seen them at shows or perhaps even bought them before.

Strangles can be had more then once as there is more then one strain. Sadly I have come to learn more about it then I wanted to we have had it run thru my herd 3 times now. You can also vaccinate your horses before bringing this one home. Some dont believe in vaccinating in the face of an out break We did with great success. We used the Intra Nasal and used half doses since it is a modified live vaccine. Maybe we were over cautious but like I said we had results and it worked for us.

I personally would not let this stop me from purchasing a horse most farms are off self imposed quarrintine about 6-8 weeks after the last case started.

Lisa is right and unfortunately knows first hand about this.

Request they have the gutteral pouches scoped as a condition of the sale. To be safe, also make sure your horses stay UTD on the strangles vaccine. I was at a show a couple of months ago and just found out the people stalled across the aisle from me had all their horses come down with severe cases of strangles 7-10 days after that show and the only thing they can think of is that they were exposed somehow at that show, probably in the stalls. They did not vaccinate their horses this year against strangles. I don't know why.

No other horses came down with it but all the other horses in the aisle including my own had been vaccinated.

I had a young horse come down with strangles a couple of years ago and we traced it to him being hauled in a trailer that a horse had been in that was sick. The trailer was clean and in good condition but obviously the virus was still surviving in it. Another horse that was in the trailer at the same time as mine also got sick.

The only other horse that got sick from him was the one he was sharing stall space with and they had it bad - to the point of needing to be treated with penicillin. I was diligent about cleaning everything constantly with bleach water and I always handled them last so that I went straight back to the house and changed clothes. I wore the rubber barn shoes and would dunk them in a bucket of bleach water too.

 

[minibossmare]

Well I will check about them scoping the gutteral pouches.

More and more I am thinking it is something I am not ready to deal with.

Our family has quite a few horses, big & small, and donkeys. And it would cost us a fortune to vaccinate the whole herd, when we have never had a problem with it.

We vaccinate with a 4-1 shot every spring, but haven't ever used a strangles vaccine.

I don't want to chance it, I really was interested in this weanling, but I guess I will have to pass.

It is not worth endangering my herd.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I am not pressuring you any way.. you have to do what is right for you but just keep in mind that unless you have a totally closed herd meaning no new ones coming in or out. NO trail rides or shows, no neighbors that show or take horses out on trails... Never going to a show ground yourself without your horses, or boarding stables or other farms to look for horses- or friends or clients that have been to boarding stables or show grounds chances are you could expose your horse to strangles.

 

[Miniv]

In my opinion.......if I REALLY REALLY wanted the horse, I would go through the hoops of having the horse's gutteral pouches swabed and tested. If the horse came up clear........I would provide my OWN halter and lead for the horse. And I would also do a full quarrantine time at my own place.

The one positive in all of this is -- at least you would know that your new horse has the antibodies in him or her for that strain of Strangles and wouldn't come down with it again! And if (God forbid) a different strain of Strangles should ever come onto your place, that one horse would likely not get it as badly.

It's all really up to how much you want the horse.......

MA