Posted 2005-08-02 9:51 PM (#28801) Subject: strangles in a horse.
Regular
Posts: 56
Location: va
There is a horse that I want to buy that is getting over strangles. I am scared that if I bring him home now he may give it to my horses. How long should I wait to let him heal up. Also there is vacines for strangles, but it says that there can be side effects. I would like to hear from people that have had horses with this sickness. Thank you
Posted 2005-08-03 1:00 AM (#28811 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1011
Location: Oregon
I would get a vet to give you the okay when he is okay to be around other horses. I would want him checked out anyway to make sure he was healthy. It takes a cold winter around here to kill it. I vaccinate my horses for it and have never had any side effects from it.
Posted 2005-08-03 2:40 PM (#28833 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK
I know a beautiful little pleasure mare that came down with it...now she can't be ridden, looks like she'd been run through barbed wire and is a broodmare. I hope you will have the vet check and ask as many questions as you can think of while you are there. Horse must be a bargain, right?
Posted 2005-08-03 4:44 PM (#28837 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: PA
David,
I vaccinate every year for Strangles along with the other diseases and have never had a reaction. I inject my 3 horses myself and have done so for over 10 years. Strangles can be a nasty disease...and very contageous. Get a competent horse vet out to give you a clean bill of health on this horse...it is worth the money, otherwise keep looking, Good Luck,
Posted 2005-08-03 6:13 PM (#28841 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Middle Tennessee
I had two young horses come down with strangles about 15 years ago and it was not a fun thing to deal with, but both did fine once the virus ran it's course. Once they do come down with it and get over it, they have a natural immunity to the virus. The first horse that came down with it had just come back from a very stressful show and had picked it up there. Then she brought it back to the barn, but the funny thing was that only one other horse came down with it. (a much milder case) There were about 10 other horses in the barn and none of them showed any symtoms and none were vaccinated for it. Personally I think this horse will also do fine, but as the others have said, make sure the vet gives the go ahead as far as allowing her near other horses.
I personally don't vaccinate for it, but I also don't go to shows anymore and have not had any problems. My fear was also about vaccine reactions, but I've heard that the vaccine they give these days is much safer then when I used to show. I would say if you plan on showing or staying overnight at strange barns, I would probably vaccinate. Especially if you have young horses. Good luck!
Posted 2005-08-03 7:11 PM (#28843 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska
Strangles can occur in any age horse, but most are 1-5 years of age,transmitted thur direct contact of infected horses and/or equipment. During the recovery phase, an animal is still shedding, but long term shedding (more than 8 weeks) has happened only once in modern history. Morbidity rates are 30 - 100 %. Mortality rates are 9-10 %. The course of the disease takes about 1 month from first clinical sign to full recovery. Vaccines for strangles are about 50% effective.
Posted 2005-08-03 8:16 PM (#28850 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Regular
Posts: 56
Location: va
This horse is 10 yrs old amd has not had a cough or a snotty nose or gone off his feed. I am wondering if he might have something else wrong with him, like a bad tooth or a spider bite, or snake bite. Any ideas ??
Posted 2005-08-03 8:28 PM (#28852 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah
Strangles is usually a very snotty nose, followed by a large abcess under the jaw bone, that usually burst and drains.
I vacinate for it and still had it run through my herd last summer. I rode with a friend last summer and his horse was coming down with it and gave it to my gelding. He brought it home and 3 of my 5 horses got it. All have recovered just fine. But ti took 5-6 weeks before I could really put them back to serious work.
Posted 2005-08-03 11:01 PM (#28860 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK
David, if the horse hasn't been diagnosed by a vet then anything could be wrong with it (This is very scary). If the seller is telling buyers the horse has something as serious as strangles but isn't sure...then they sound VERY incompetent, and down right crazy. Buying horses from these types of people can usually be more trouble than it's worth. How do you KNOW the horse has been vaccinated at all? Do tons more research and in the mean time, keep one eye watching for the RIGHT horse to come along. (If the horse isn't being cared for properly then what will it finally start showing symptoms of next year or the year after that?) Catch my drift?
Posted 2005-08-04 5:40 AM (#28862 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Olney, Illinois
Your horse should show symptoms if she does have Strangles. Keep in mind too, that if you bring her home and she's even just got scabs on the underneath side of her jaw, when the scab drops off, the virus can still live in the ground for quite a long time. This came from our vet.
Strangles, does not have to break open and drain. It can drain down her throat which is way more serious. I have given our horses the vaccine for strangles and we never had any reactions to it.
Just be careful, even if you go to see or ride her, you can bring the virus back home to your horses unless you wash your hands,shoes,brushes, etc. It is highly contagious. Good luck.
Posted 2005-08-04 4:05 PM (#28886 - in reply to #28862) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Veteran
Posts: 167
Location: Monroe, WA
The thing to remember is that "strangles" is caused by Staph and is VERY highly resistent. As noted, it does continue to lie dormant in soils and on surfaces, it's nearly impossible to get rid of in normal stable environments. Our place came with it (no extra charge!) and we have had to watch every new foal for the disease.
Another factor - some horses may get over the infective process themselves, but will remain carriers for life - shedding continually. We had two that had this, and there was no getting around it. Our very competant vet advises against vaccinating, says it's just not effective enough to warrant the risks involved in infecting an otherwise healthy horse.
On young stock particularly, you MUST be sure to get them completely over the infection. If it is not cleared up completely, it can "go underground" and cause other internal problems - the old guys used to call this "bastard strangles", and it can ruin a horse for life, with internal abcesses, lung and stomach damage, etc. If your vet gives you meds for the horse, take them completely through the dosing - and if there's still evidence of infection, get the vet out again!
another poster mentioned that the seller is either unknowing or pulling a fast one - best to not buy a sick horse, unless you are doubly sure that YOU know what's going on. Pre-sale vet inspections are used for good reason on high-dollar horses. Best of luck in your horse search.
Posted 2005-08-04 7:11 PM (#28888 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska
Sorry halfpint, strangles is not Staphylococcus, but Streptococcus Equi, a gram positive bacteria that is highly sensitive to many drugs. Penicillin G is the anitbiotic of chioce for treatment, with quick results.
Yes there are many forms of streptococcus and other bacteria that can cause infections in a horse similiar to strangles.
Posted 2005-08-05 3:36 PM (#28904 - in reply to #28888) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Veteran
Posts: 167
Location: Monroe, WA
GOOD catch, Mr Conley, I must have brain fuzz this week (it's been a long one)
Our vet gives the initial whopping dose of PPG and then we follow up with oral SulMet on the cases that aren't too bad. I've found the easiest way to dose the sulmet tabs is to soften them to a paste with a bit of water, then put it into a cleaned wormer applicator - sure beats them not eating it when they won't touch their feed because it tastes funny! For the big horses who take more than a wormer tube will handle, you can slice the end off a 30cc syringe, "melt" the tabs in there, and do the squoosh thing easily.
The horses that get more involved, we've always had to do the route of PPG shots twice a day. You run out of spots to stick a needle REAL quick after the first few days..... especially on a youngster. I hate that.
Posted 2005-08-09 11:26 AM (#29027 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Mena, AR
My 7 year old gelding is just getting over strangles. He never goes anywhere, so I'm sure my show mare brought it home from my trainers barn.
She had a snotty nose (thick yellow). Her glands never swelled and never ran a fever. As soon as she got the snotty nose I had her to the vet and they put her on antibotics. About 8 days later my gelding had a running nose, clear, the next morining he was hanging head sick. The vet came out that afternoon and treated him for the temp and started him on antibotics. He had a 104 temp, and swollen glands. He ran a fever for 5 days, it took 10 - 12 days for the glands to rupture, and six weeks later he still has a little puss coming out of one of the glands. My yearling filly got a clear runny nose in the middle of this, we put her on antibotics, and she never got sick. All three were vacinated for strangles in Jan '05 at the same time. My vet said pretty much what other have said here, it is everywhere there has been puss shed, and can be in the ground and come back later. The horse can shed for three weeks or longer after they have fully recovered. She also said that a horse that has had strangles can get it again, but shouldn't be as bad the second time. I wouldn't be afraid of a horse that has strangles if he get a clean bill of health from your vet. I'd wait at least 4 weeks after he is all healed up before bringing him home.
Posted 2005-08-09 4:40 PM (#29055 - in reply to #29048) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Mena, AR
Originally written by david on 2005-08-09 3:39 PM
What kind of vaccine were your horses given in Jan 05 , some vets say it is wasted money.
Don't know what brand, but I'm about to got back for more shots, so I'll ask then. I know my vet favors giving shots for strangles if you take them out alot.
Posted 2005-08-28 9:16 PM (#29693 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Veteran
Posts: 157
Location: Perkiomenville, PA
Not a fun issue to deal with! I buy horses regularly from New Holland Sales Barn, which is rampant with strangles. In over 200 horses, it has not been a big deal! Just a bit of inconvenience. I sure wouldn't miss a good horse because he was on the mend. Also, many folks (me included) often give peniccilin before the symptoms come about. If this is what happened with your horse, the chances are good no boils will burst, and he will be spared a good deal of the discomfort of the disease. Good luck! We have found MANY excellent horses at the auction, one being ridden by a National endurance champion, one went on to win a $28,000 stake race, most just found the right owner match and make someone happy. I am not nearly of the opinion that another dealer/horse should be located because this one honestly explained to you that there is an issue right now. In short order the horse should be fine. Have fun!
Posted 2005-09-16 4:45 PM (#30487 - in reply to #28801) Subject: RE: strangles in a horse.
Member
Posts: 23
I've read TONS of info on the Web about this, and I've read all the posts in this thread, and I think I've got it. Now... here's my question. I need to move my horse from where she's being stabled now; the horse must be out in three weeks. I found a place nearby but it was quarantined for strangles a year ago. It's all gone now, the barn is full, and the horses are healthy. Here's my problem: all-day common turnout is the rule at the new place. This stuff apparently lives in the dirt for years. So... wouldn't that make the soil unsuitable for turnout for however many years that is? And any work surfaces as well? I mean, barns get strangles, they get quarantined, a couple of months later they're back open. Seems to be a huge contradiction there. Thanks in advance for any opinions. KS.