Strangles

[iowa]

I was just wondering in case I needed it this summer, if anyone has ideas on the best treatment for strangles. I've read so many varying treatments that I thought I would ask you who may have ever had it or know someone who did. What was the treatment? Thanks

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Nothing, unfortunately. Complete quarantine, wash buckets, manure forks, boots, clothing, everything with bleach or Virkon. If there is a life threatening case, your vet will prescribe antibiotics, but avoid them unless absolutely necessary.

Best treatment is prevention. Use the vaccine (its not great, but its better than nothing!). Wash clothing between barn visits. Quarantine new horses.

 

[Katiean]

A barn that I boarded my big horses at had strangles go through it. The funny thing (not that strangles is funny) was that ALL of the horses on the inside of the barn and the horses on the shade side of the barn got it. Not one of the horses on the sun side of the barn (12x12 box stall with a stock gate across the front) got sick. I was lucky that my horses were on the sun side of the barn.

 

[chandab]

Been there done that, twice, at least.

First time, yearling filly, vet just prescribed bute for fever (can't remember at what temp I was to give it to bring it down), hot packing the swellings til they burst, then flushed the pockets with betadine and water for at least 10 days (not a specified length of time, just til they were well healed). Followed the same protocol when it happened again about 10 years later on a different farm with different horses. No lasting repurcussions that I've seen.

Plus all the quarantine and cleaning Nathan mentioned.

 

[albahurst]

New studies out just last April-

Excede is an excellent drug to treat Strangles! This is now a new treatment, as, before this, often nothing was the best route. Your vet may have not even read the reports on it yet. If you want further info, I can see about getting the reports that came out on it for you.

 

[chandab]

New studies out just last April-

Excede is an excellent drug to treat Strangles! This is now a new treatment, as, before this, often nothing was the best route. Your vet may have not even read the reports on it yet. If you want further info, I can see about getting the reports that came out on it for you.

I'd like to read that report. If you can get it, I'd love a copy or to at least be able to read it.

 

[albahurst]

I'd like to read that report. If you can get it, I'd love a copy or to at least be able to read it.

I am headed to the vet on Monday. I will put it on my list of things to ask about.

Lucky for us, our vet had just read the studies the week prior to us showing up at his office.

 

[iowa]

Yes, please let us know when you have a copy available to send. Thanks!

 

[valshingle]

Prevention! Give everyone the vaccine. Also, quarantine all new horses for 4 weeks.

 

[Riverrose28]

The comments are good, but I have some thing to add. Keep your show horses separate from your breeding stock. Since this bacteria can live in the soil do not let your horses graze at any show facility or drink from a community water source. When you get to the show before you unload your horses or set up your stalls, spray all walls and flooring with disinfectant, lysol will work. If you tie your horses up to the outside of the stall make sure to spray that as well. Another thing this bacteria can be carried on your shoes and clothing so when you get home feed and care for your breeding stock first, care for the show horses last, keep your spray disinfectant at the door and spray the bottom of your shoes so as not to track this around. If you do get this it is hard to deal with better to avoid it if possable.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

This is one of those situations where an ounce of prevention is worth much more than a pound of cure. Quarantine cannot be over rated. Depends on the strain of bacteria and immune status of the horse, but morbidity is 50-80% and mortality is 5-20% (I think).

I think the intranasal strangles vacc is pretty good. But no vacc can prevent disease 100% of the time. I was far less impressed by the IM vacc and frankly have refused to use it.

Both vacc's can have their risks. The IM vacc rxn's is similar to other IM vacc's, but local rxn's are more common. The IN vacc has the potential for a more life threatening rxn (although I've never seen or heard of one happening) if the horse previously had strangles or the IM vacc. It also has the potential to actually cause strangles as a vacc made in this way cannot completely exclude virulent bacteria. I have seen this a couple of times, but its pretty rare and the cases appear to be mild.

As for treatment, drugs in the penicillin/cephalosporin group have the best action against the bacteria (some other abx can as well). Yes, Excede shows some promise and has an advantage in how its administered, but be careful being over confident as it hasn't been widely used for this purpose yet. I have used it and been pleased. It is a large molecule and likely will have trouble getting into a mature abscess.

Antiinflammatories including bute and banamine are also indicated to reduce fever and swelling.

Sometimes, the best treatment is no treatment.

Be aware that about 10% of cases become silent carriers. So lack of signs does not= lack of disease.

Dr Taylor

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ditto... I refuse to use the IM vaccine. And make sure that you give the IN version intranasally!! I've heard of people giving it IM, which is horrible. Pinnacle, the IN vaccine from Fort Dodge, is a very poor vaccine, but it is the best available. Highly recommended. You can overvaccinate though, that's how you get the reaction. If your horse is hyperimmune there is a risk of a pseudostrangles reaction. Don't vaccinate more then recommended, and titer if necessary.

 

[Ashley]

The vac doesnt always work and really personally wouldnt bother with it. I have had or still have 3 horses that were given in regularly and all three got strangles, the mare got it twice.

And as for lasting damage from catching it. I once owned a mare who had it, she always had a breathing issue after the fact.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

40% protection is better than 0%

 

[lil hoofbeats]

A barn that I boarded my big horses at had strangles go through it. The funny thing (not that strangles is funny) was that ALL of the horses on the inside of the barn and the horses on the shade side of the barn got it. Not one of the horses on the sun side of the barn (12x12 box stall with a stock gate across the front) got sick. I was lucky that my horses were on the sun side of the barn.

UV light kills alot of bad bacteria. Something to remember when foaling out mares in stalls. Maybe it played a part in this situation.

 

[Capall Beag IRL]

strangles is an infection passed by direct or indirect contact - it is not airbourne.

so it can lie dormant in an unclean stable, stall bedding, drinker, door frame, feed bucket, wheel barrow, mucking out fork etc

quarantine all new horses, sanitise all equipment, stable etc and do not share anything with other horses.

unaffected horses can catch it by rubbing on something that the infected horse has touched, incubation can be 1-3 weeks

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Just to add, it is a common myth that horses will get strangles only once in their life as immunity is 100% and maybe its better they get it then you never have to worry about it again.

Immunity lasts only 3-5 years, its not like chicken pox, because it is a bacteria not a virus.

Also understand the strangles vacc will not prevent 100% of cases, but likely will decrease mortality and severity of illness.

People don't like to broadcast they have strangles, so some folks are lulled into a false sense of security. I will tell you I treat strangles on multiple farms EVERY year. Its closer to you than you may think.

Dr Taylor

 

[Katiean]

People don't like to broadcast they have strangles, so some folks are lulled into a false sense of security. I will tell you I treat strangles on multiple farms EVERY year. Its closer to you than you may think.

Dr Taylor

This is so true. I trained a mini to drive a couple of years ago and the owner had 2 (big)horses with Strangles. She would not admit it and even took one of the infected (Big) horses to the show grounds where we were having a mini show. Even though her horse was sick, she still wanted to try out for the rodeo flag team. So for her selfishness she could have infected several mini (AMHA) horses along with the Budweiser Clydesdale's. She also went to another mini horse owners farm and refused that owners attempts to get her to use hand sanitizer on her hands or disinfectant on her shoes. Some people just don't want to admit their own selfishness.

 

[Matt73]

I gotta say. This is one of the reasons that I don't want to show my in-foal mare or my coming 2 year old filly. Both are absolutely stunning and would do very well, I feel (I'm not in the least bit biased, am I? lol). Lex is having her second foal after having a year off; I will continue to breed every other year...mostly for myself. My friend asked me if she (and I) could show Willow this summer. I have major reservations. Willow and Lex are buds; they are the only ones I have. If Willow were to get something and pass it to Lex and the foal, I wouldn't forgive myself. I'm not a germaphobe or a freaky neat-freak, but there are things you can do to prevent the spread of viruses/bacteria if you're breeding...and not showing/having a separate show barn/and having careful antiseptic practices is vital if you do both IMHO.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Fortunately haven't had to deal with strangles, yet. But prevention is the best way.

Quarantine is a must as well as cleaning/sterilizing anywhere you take your horse off your property. Even allowing people to pet your horse at a show (really hard with little kids), but hand sanitizer is a good thing!

If you get it follow your vets advice on care/treatment.

That lady that went around potential infected other horses, that type of selfishness is unbelievable. I would never knowingly expose someone else's animals to illness.