Strangles

[HGFarm]

What a mess. After being involved in horses all my life, of all sizes, I have never had to deal with strangles. Never have even known anyone on a personal level that did.

We have new-ish neighbors next door with full sized horses, who move a lot in and out- sell some, buy some, take some to her sisters, move others back, etc... One of my big lots is up against their fence where some of their horses are. This is the ONLY place I can think of it may have come from... my horses have not been off my place since last spring and no one new in- nothing at all.... we take summers off cause it's just too hot.

A few weeks ago I had two mares come down with what I thought was a really awful cold- two mares in the lot that up against their horse pen. It was difficult to get rid of, and they felt horrible. I was told by my vet to just let it run it's course as it was the 'season' and lots of stuff was going around the valley. They finally recovered - the other two mares in with them never got it.

Then a couple of weeks later, two youngsters in the other lot on the other side of the property got it. And this time, they got the tell tale swollen jaw/throat area along with it.

I called the vet again immediately and she gave me instruction, etc... on how to proceed from here... what a horrible mess. Bleaching buckets and feeders daily. Giving them meds for the fever, etc.... using Lysol wipes on their noses. She gave me instructions also on the swellings that would break open.

All I can say is OMG- Saturday of last week the filly's broke open... I have never dealt with anything so gross and I don't have a weak stomache. I am just glad I did not waste time that morning eating breakfast. By Sunday, instead of the first two ruptures, she has about six!! They seem to have pretty much quit draining now- the icky stuff anyhow, so am working on healing up the open holes (two are big enough I could stick my thumbs in and I dont have tiny hands).

The poor colt is swollen and appears he will break open soon.... I have a third horse that the last couple of days sounds 'suspicous' so am watching her to see if she may be getting it.

Has anyone else had experience with this and any handy ideas on getting this to pass more quickly? The vet said to let it run it's course, but I feel so sorry for them - it is obvious they do not feel well. I just keep their feeders full of feed to pick in because they are not eating that much.

Keeping everything bleached and using the Lysol wipes and fly spray daily (the vet said the Lysol kills the germs)- She also had me use the ichthamol salve on the swollen areas to help draw the infection out and I am using disposable diapers to cover and 'bandage' the area. This also keeps the infected matter from dripping all over the place as well, further spreading germs.

HOW LONG DOES THIS TAKE TO PASS??!!! It has been two weeks for these guys and the colt has yet to open and drain his jaws, but his just started swelling the last three days- after the filly's had already swelled and ruptured open.

I find it odd too, that the first two mares never got swollen areas or ruptured open.... as I thought was always a symptom of strangles but then found out it is not always.

I will be spraying the entire property down with bleach this weekend from front to back, fencing and all-

Anybody have anything else to add that I could/should do? I do not wear the same shoes/clothes around the other horses that I do with these two, and I make sure everyone else is fed and done before going into their pens, but I had at least 2 others directly exposed to these guys....

Good grief..... it has been exhausting and worrisome for these poor guys

So if anyone else has some handy hints on dealing with this, let me know!!!! I can't do much about the horse traffic next door, but I am making sure I am not going anywhere there is any other horses, horse property, etc... and have pretty much quarantined myself and the place period.

 

[Keri]

I've only dealt with it a few times. Pretty much nothing you can do but sit and wait. Ew! Thinking about all that puss under their jaws makes me cringe!

 

[albahurst]

So sorry to hear of this illness at your place. The Strangles could have come from the World Show, too. I guess it is hard to know exactly where. I think you are doing all the right things. You might want to let your neighbors know, too, so that they can keep their horses away from yours.

Good luck.

Peggy

 

[kaykay]

It is a mess and frankly when we went thru it years ago we gave up using the bleach etc because it will make its rounds pretty much no matter what you do. I dont like it when one doesnt rupture because they seem to stay the sickest and have the biggest chance of getting it again. I have always been told to never cover the holes so Im really suprised they told you to use diapers. You want it drain out not pool in there.

We used hot towels on their throats to help them rupture quicker. One of ours had to be cut open by the vet as his entire head swelled.

Back when we went thru it most farms liken it to kids getting chicken pox. Its just going to happen and you just have to try and get through it.

Sending good thoughts

 

[Genie]

I have only heard about it and it seemed to be something happening around Mennonite country.

Maybe I am just saying that because those are the only cases I have heard of.

Reble may have a better insight as she is north of me and closer to Mennonite country.

She likely has not had the issue, but just seems to know about all these types of things and what to do.

She should have been a vet

 

[chandab]

I've dealt with full-blown strangles twice now, once with the full-size and once with the minis.

Both times, I flushed the open drain tracts with betadine/water solution daily til it was well on its way to healing; that was over 10 days for the full-size mare and a good week for the minis. Yes, it is terribly disgusting and I too have a week stomach.

My current vet recommended Lysol for disinfecting instead of bleach, said it did a better job and it doesn't smell as nasty.

 

[love_casper]

When my big horse had it, the day we noticed it vet came out and lanced the abscess, I had to clean it out with betadine every day, she got antibiotic IM shots twice a day, and she was over it in 7 days.

I agree it was the most DISGUSTING thing!! Sorry your lil guys have it.

 

[Riverdance]

About 5 years ago I bought a filly from a farm/trainer I had done a lot of business with in the past, as did a friend of mine who bought a colt from them. Well two weeks after the horses arrived on our prospective farms, we both had strangles. Come to find out, their farm had had it for several months and they did not tell us, just shipped out the horses to us. Since my friend is the one who went to pick them up, they were not exposed to any other horses before coming to our farms.

I had 70 horses here at that time, Morgans as well as Minis. Every single one of them came down with it, no matter how careful I was. I even lost two mares and had several abort. The same happened to my friends farm. Each of our vets said it was the worst case they had ever seen (and she lives 3 hours from me) I had a couple that had lumps all over their faces over and over again.

I gave up with the bleach and Lysol after a while, flys as well as other animals can spred it just by touching a fleck of puss or snot then landing on another horses eyes or nose. It took several months for all of the horses to come down with it and clear up. My farm was shut down for almost a year, then the following fall when the foals were weaned, they all came down with it. Some horses can be carriers after they have had it. That outbreak took 4 months to clear up.

It has been 4 years now, so knock on wood, I have not had it since. The good thing is that once a horse has it, they are less likely to get it again (though it is possible). It also seems to go after the younger ones more than the older ones, though one of the mares that died from the bastered form of it, was 12 years old.

I suspect that your neighbor with all of her horses coming and going, gave it to your farm. Too bad she did not let you know her horses had it. I would suggest that you re-fence that side of your property so that there is a distance between your horses and hers.

I am also sorry that you have to go through this, but everyone is right, just let it run its course. If you have ones that are really bad, you can give them Penicillin shots. Nothing else is recomended for it.

 

[muffntuf]

I had a case come from a well known breeder, a colt I bought. Oh my gosh, poor boy. He ended up with bast*** (excuse the french folks) strangles. He ended up scaring from it.

You just need to make sure nothing is in the way of the glands that need to bust open so it doesn't internalize. Hot compresses helps.

Unfortunatley once your barn is exposed, it is germ based, air born too. You just have to wait it out.

Maybe one of the vet techs on here has read or knows of some new techniques with strangles??

 

[Katiean]

I used to board my big horses and the whole barn came down with the strangles. No one new had come or gone. They just got it. The thing we found intersting was that one of the barns had a sun side and a shade side and the horses on the sun side of the barn, if they got the strangles at all it was very mild. I was lucky, my horses were on the sun side of the barn.

 

[ponyboi09]

At one time I thought a mare of mine had strangles. It turns out it wasn't, but it was a defect in a nerve in the guttural pouch causing air and infection to get trapped. Took a couple thousand and 3 vets and a vet school to finally get answers. But we did treat her as she was infected with strangles for a while. One thing that we found that helped to relieve some of the tightness in the neck was a warm cloth that had been dipped in ebson's(sp?) salt and hot water. One of the vets had told us that if it was strangles, this could possibly help speed the process up by getting the abscesses to come to a head and release. I have no clue if it works, as my girls ended up not having strangles, but it did allow my girl's breathing to become more relaxed.

 

[Minimor]

I have no helpful hints to offer, just want to say I sympathize with you--we've had to deal with strangles twice. We had 8 horses here the first time and twice that many the second time--and not a one of them had the abcesses, which I'm grateful for!

The first time we know where we got it from--brought it home from visiting another farm (horses there looked run down & dejected but none were obviously sick (as in no snotty noses, no obvious abcesses--they were either just coming down with it or were just getting over it) We did clean ourselves and our boots, change our clothes, etc when we got home, but apparently missed a germ somewhere as 3 or 4 days later the first of our horses came down sick. It appeared to be a bad respiratory infection--fever, depression, snotty noses--in the first ones affected. As it went through the herd it weakened--the later cases had only fever and depression and seemed to be okay a few days later. We really didn't think about it even being strangles, until one of the horses (2nd one to get sick) came down with purpura 2 or 3 weeks later. Since purpura is caused by an allergic reaction to the toxins given off by the dying S.equi bacteria, we knew that what we'd been dealing with was S.equi--strangles. Thankfully that colt did pull through the purpura, and in good condition. That was the spring of 1991.

The spring of 2003 we again had strangles go through our herd. That time we have no idea where it came from. We hadn't been anywhere, no horses in, no visitors. Some of the first cases were a normal respiratory infection, except when they would cough they would start to choke and a few times I was certain that a horse was going to keel over from lack of oxygen--they just couldn't get their breath--and since that is pretty much how "strangles" got it's name I soon realized that's what we were dealing with. Again. The Minis had that choking cough & some of them had very labored breathing. The Morgans developed runny noses and that was the most disgusting thing we've ever dealt with. It was like they had egg yolk running from their nostrils--we were always washing their noses, and their eyes, and still they would get it all over their front legs & on the fences, and it was just NEVERENDING. One Morgan got a big swelling in his throat & we were sure he was going to burst open an abcess. however, it must have broke open inside instead, because just when his nose started to run pus and egg yolk, the swelling went down. It seemed like forever that we were washing noses & eyes and being grossed out by the whole deal

When our horses come down sick we don't even bother trying to contain it to one group. It just doesn't work with our set up. strangles and some of the other respiratory diseases are just so contagious and we have too many shared fence lines, and then we often go through two corrals to get to a third corral when doing chores...it's less work to treat the whole herd than to try and disinfect and keep everything separate/apart, knowing the effort is going to be wasted anyway.

 

[h2t99]

Well we are one of the unfortunate ones, we have had it several times over the years!! I was told once you have it in your barn it is there!! It can lay dormant for years and then pop back up. We have had both regular and brat strangles. I would say let all your horses get it now and then you have no worries!! It is like chicken pox, usually they get it once and then not again. Every time we have had it only the new horses got it. Actually our trainer (big horse) would bring over his young show horses over so they could get it and be done with it!!

Do not give them penicillin unless they get really bad sick, it can cause them to get it even worse!! It tends to affect the very old and young worse, hot compresses and epsom salt will help also, when my stud got it he had abscess on top of abcess and I had to syringe water down his throat. We only had 2 very bad cases and one was a QH that was in his mid 20's and the other was my 2 yr old stud (mini). I would not cover the areas, let them drain and clean up later. The ones that never abcessed, watch them because they could still have internal abcess. We have gone through that also!! Check their legs and chest and underbelly.

So just treat it like your kids have chicken pox and keep them comfortable!!

With the epsom salt I would pour hot water in a bucket with rags and the salt and then hold them on the abcess to get them to burst!! It worked great!!

Good LUck!!

 

[Reble]

Found this information: Hope this might shed some light, so sorry this has happened.

Lot of good information already given...

http://www.aaep.org/health_articles_view.php?id=323

 

[Marty]

Ooh Laurie noooooooo I'm so sorry!

 

[minimule]

We had it here about 2 years ago. The worst was one of my yearling mules. We started it all in Oct and she was still having problems the following May. At one point she had a bubble the size of large grapefruit. When it finally burst, I almost lost my lunch. I drained almost a gallon of puss out and everytime more came out, I hurled. It was nasty.

We haven't had any recurrances since and I'm hoping we never do.

We got it from a horse trader. I picked up a couple of donkeys from her, from an auction, and they were the first to show signs.

 

[Miniv]

We've had it.........fortunately not where we live now, so will post this with crossed fingers. Yes, it can spread from both nose to nose AND is probably airborne.........Most often though, WE are the culprits by carrying the virus on our clothes or hands without realizing it before the symptoms raise their ugly heads.

As already stated, vaccines are fine, as they LESSON the symptoms, but don't necessarily protect completely. Once a horse has Strangles, the usual treatment is to let it run its course. It's also good to encourage the abscess with applying a warm damp cloth. Once it's popped, or a "hole" has occurred a syringe filled with iodine can be pumped into it, once or twice, or three times a day.........We have had to break the hole open again if we are only doing it once a day. Draining is VERY IMPORTANT.

Strangles is ugly and miserable for all ages of horses. However, those who have strong immunities will come through without any major concerns. It's the very old and very young ones that could succumb.

What's also scary is that the virus can live in your soil for YEARS. (Another poster also mentioned this.) So, what we did was to drag our fields with LIME, on the recommendation of our vet. We didn't have another case after that.

I would also recommend that you thoroughly disinfect your stalls, buckets, troughs, and feed dishes, etc.......once the symptoms and draining is over. Be sure your barn clothes and shoes are disinfected too!

Wish there was some wonderful magical medicine to help you! (sigh)

 

[wildoak]

Nasty disease isn't it. We have apparently dodged the bullet all these years, but we have sure danced around it. I have a neighbor also who unknowingly brought a boarded horse in with strangles. We had some sick babies later that spring but they never cultured positive.

You may clean and sterilize till you are blue in the face, and still have it run through your herd. That seems to be the norm - and you can't very well control where the barn cats track in and out, or dogs, birds....whatever. When we thought our babies had it I separated them as well as I could, but we just aren't set up to isolate very successfully.

Hope it runs its course quickly and everyone comes through it without issue.

Jan

 

[chandab]

What's also scary is that the virus can live in your soil for YEARS. (

Strangles is caused by a bacteria, not a virus. Streptococcus Equi is the bacteria responsible for strangles. Penicillin is very effective in killing the bacteria; but the usual recommendation is to let it run its course and give supportive care.

 

[HGFarm]

Thanks everyone!! I will continue to bleach the water buckets and feeders but I think I will stop going crazy about bleaching down this whole place, ground and all, til this is about done. Don't think it's going to do much good at this point.

Yep, the vet said shoes, clothing, etc... will take it along with you.. I have given up on stripping down every time I walk in the back door at the laundry room and throwing my clothes in the washer.

The third mare- that was in with the two that currently have it, now has a suspicious soft wet raspy light cough.... so I am sure she is coming down with it too.

I guess I would rather them all just get it and get it over with and be done with it.

Oh, thats a great idea about the lime... it doesnt hurt the horses? I have never used lime for anything- never had the need, LOL

I did the warm water and epsom salts thing on the colts lump this evening to see if I can get it to move along and just break open. OMG minimule- that IS disgusting!! I got the dry heaves working on this mare last weekend- had I eaten breakfast beforehand.... - she had two small ruptures and I went to clean them up with a warm wet paper towel and of course the moment I applied any pressure.......

For those of you that have huge herds and had it hit your places.... man, I dont know how you did it and kept up with it all. You must have been just ready to throw in the towel after that many horses and that long!!!

Oh, I was going to mention about the diapers to cover the area. Since we only have dirt lots here- the open places would be absolutely filthy and hard to clean out if not covered. The shape of the diapers fits nicely around the jaw area without being tight at all, so all the areas are still open and draining well, but the diaper keeps it clean and helps keep the drainage from going everywhere. Since they make diapers now that are sort of shaped to fit around a baby's butt, they fit nicely around the jaws also, and I just tape it to the halter at each side top and bottom- the 'puffiness' of the diaper keeps it loose but gives great coverage!! Also kind of protects the open wounds.

Thanks for the link there too, I will go check it out.... and yep, sure wish I had a magic wand to make it all disappear. I did make the two sickies a batch of beet pulp this evening too, to go with their hay and they sure liked that. By just leaving the hay in their feeder all the time and allowing them to pick at it, they are at least holding their weight pretty well through all this.