Strangles Scare!

[JoM]

So - it is exactly as it sound on the title!! We have had 11 differant horses on the yard in 3 weeks, coming and going. One of the horses that has been here a while has come down poorly. Girl has rung vet who has swabbed and said - mmm - might well be strangles!

Great! So now we are all playing a waiting game until the cultures come back! The other 2 horses that share the field are also looking dodgy and the vet came and swabbed those yesterday.

So - its hands to yourself at our place at the moment and disenfect anything that moves!

Fingers crossed its just an infection they have picked up. Dancer is fine at the moment (fingers crossed) but now anything he does that I dont normally notice is sending me into panic mode!

Think whatever they have came in from a horse from a dealer in Doncaster - it has now gone back as it wasnt suitable. But I think it left something behind! They have had another 2 horses since then, so god knows what they are carrrying - or have caught as they used same stable and bed each time they got a new one delivered!

So - wish me luck guys - we may well need it!!!

[harveydales]

Fingers crossed it isn't strangles and Dancer manages to escape whatever it is that is going round.

That's just how my lot got strangles years ago. A new horse arrived with it from a dealers yard - funnily enough from near Doncaster too! I suppose there is always more of a risk at dealers yards with so many horses coming and going.

[nars]

Yes, like Pam says, that seems to be a major source of infection. I know that there was an outbreak near us a few years ago and it wasdoen to horses brought into a livery yard from dealers. I can understand why some yards impose quarantine for new horses.

Fingers crossed that Dancer avoids anything nasty.

[NFK Dumpling]

Fingers crossed for your lovely boy XX

[broxdown]

Fingers crossed - never nice having to deal with strangles!

[nic]

What are the symptons of this? This is one of those things I hear about but don't actually know anything about!

[Debbie]

I think it starts with a high fever and general lethargy, and then goes to swollen glands. I've not seen a horse with the strangles before (and I pray I never do!!!), but I think those are the initial symptoms.

Jo, I'm keeping everything tightly crossed D doesn't come down with it, and that the scare passes quickly. I'm another who thinks there should be a quarantine section if its a larger livery yard. Its so hard to shift something from a larger herd.

[mickey]

Fingers crossed it isnt. If its any consolation the vets round us are testing for strangles immediately even if the symptoms arent typical.
Think the intial swab takes 5/7 days.

[JoM]

Thanks everyone! I have everything tighly crossed!

I wonder if the dealer is the same wonderful guy! The people have had 3 horses from him now! One with a grade 2 heart murmour, 1 with tendon injuries and cancer and this one! All looking like hat racks as well! He wants strangling!!!

Symptoms start with them generally been not themselves, high fever, raspy chest, not eating and progresses to swollen glands and the yacky ulcer bits! Not nice!

At the moment (touch wood) D is very much D! Very bolshy and stuffing his face! Long may it continue!!

Em - i think they are using ledston at the yard - they have just all decided to use the same one as its easier for the vet. They obviously have to swill off everytime they visit!

[zeldalithgow]

Fingers crossed it's not strangles, when Prince got it it started with a snotty nose then progressed to a raised temp(not mega) and then the "lovely" abscess he wasn't too poorly with and still managed to graze ok through it

[nars]

You're in good hands with Ledston. They are the practice that has dealt with Sabina (spinal bone spur). Nigel was very helpful.

[Debbie]

Mar 13, 2008 21:54:24 GMT -1 @shiatsudales said:

We've just had ten horses put in the field that has a boundary fence with mine. Local dealer moved in a mile down the road a while ago and has been slowly putting more and more horses into the surrounding fields.

We came home from work to see what they'd done and then spent an hour and half in the pouring rain, gales and dark putting up emergency electric fencing to provide a buffer so the dealers horses coldn't have physical contact with mine over the fence.

Allow me to in sympathy Heather.... What a nightmare! I was soooo tempted to run a hot wire outside our own perimeter after Eldon told me a woman, daughter and dog were trudging across the farmer's field in a diagonal. He said they were aiming for Blossom til they spotted him watching. Ruddy nightmare trying to keep them safe!

[stevebartle]

I know as farmers we curse all the restrictions we are now put under but when we bring cattle home we cant move anything off for six days under present rules but we have for many years been a closed pedigree herd and have always quarintined new cattle for 28 days in isolation we employ the same principal with our own horses it works but needs plenty of room our only vunrable time is when we have visiting mares to cover in hand and in the showing season then we try to get as many as we can out at grass . I have found a harsh disinfectant called Virodene applied with a garden lance type spray the best for good coverage of disinfectant in sheds and stables we do all ours every summer just to be on the safe side after pressure washing them out . People forget these basic old fashioned procedures in the name of progress in the old days we used to use whitewash in the stone cattle sheds and stables for this reason before these modern chemicals came along
Its a pity more commercial livery yards and so called "dealers" dont observe basic hygene guidelines and then less of these problems would spread so quickly cos you can bet they wont pick up any vets bills for those affected by their eagerness to fill an empty stable or turn a quick profit !

[harveydales]

You are right. Steve, there is a lot to be said for the old methods such as whitewashing. Interesting.

[JoM]

Well, she has had one swab back today and that was negative. But it doesnt really mean anything as you can have 2 negatives and then a postive. The horse has also got some lump like developments under her chin. But, she is eating.

So - we are still waiting! Another 2 horses that share the field, showing symptoms have been swabbed, so we will see what theirs say and the other will then be re-swabbed!

What a bl**dy nightmare! And the amount of people on the yard that 'dont get it' is untrue! They cant understand why you have signs on your door saying not to touch your horse, etc - I didnt knwo a lot about stangles - but a hint of it and I went and did my homework - some people - not the foggiest - and dont seem bothered! And it will be those that come out unscathed - by sheer luck - its guaranteed!!