Ten top tips to get a grip on strangles!

Strangles is a highly contagious, seriously debilitating disease which is, understandably, feared by horse owners.  As with any disease protection programme, vaccination has a vital role to play among other preventative measures.  With this in mind, Alasdair King, MRCVS, veterinary manager at Intervet UK Ltd offers horse owners ten top tips to help reduce the chance of their horse coming down with this devastating condition.

• Ensure good hygiene procedures are followed – Strangles is transmitted directly by horse-to-horse contact and indirectly on tack, feed, equipment and even owners themselves.  Putting in place and enforcing a comprehensive hygiene protocol will significantly reduce the chances of an outbreak on your yard and also prevent the disease from spreading.

• Quarantine new arrivals – As the incubation period for strangles is approximately three weeks, it is advisable that all new horses on a yard be quarantined for at least this period and swabbed before being allowed to mix with others. During this time the newcomer should be closely monitored for signs of disease.

• Limit the number of horses on a yard – Overcrowding increases the likelihood of respiratory infection spreading from horse-to-horse and so should be avoided.

• Reduce contact with horses of unknown origin – Strangles is now one of the most common infectious respiratory diseases in the UK and there is a significant chance that an unknown horse may have come from an infected yard. Reducing the number of ‘strangers’ your horse comes into contact with will dramatically reduce the chance of contracting strangles.
  
  
• Be vigilant for clinical signs - A horse infected with strangles may have a high temperature, nasal discharge, cough, depression, lack appetite, show respiratory distress or exhibit enlarged glands on the head and neck. These enlarged glands often become abscesses, which contain highly infectious pus. However in some cases few clinical signs are evident and diagnosis is only made when another horse goes down with the disease and exhibits more classic signs.

• Watch for complications – If strangles is diagnosed, be aware of the possible complications. In 10% of cases, an often fatal complication known as ‘Bastard’ strangles develops.  Here abscesses also form in other body organs. Another complication is purpura haemorraghica (damage to blood vessels of the limbs, eye lids and gums) which can be so extreme that it can cause circulatory failure and death.

• Remain on your guard – New outbreaks can occur up to six weeks or more after the initial outbreak as infected horses can shed the bacterium for long periods.  In addition, about 10% of horses may become ‘carriers’, harbouring the disease with no outward signs, for years after an infection.  This makes strangles an extremely difficult disease to control and is usually the reason for repeat outbreaks on a yard.

• Don’t take chances – If you suspect strangles contact your vet as soon as possible. Ideally the horse concerned should be isolated and the area, along with all equipment, tack etc., that the horse has been in contact with, should be thoroughly disinfected.

• Be aware of horses at risk – Strangles can affect all ages and types but those most at risk are young stock, horses kept in large numbers and those which travel a lot, for example to shows, riding club events and competitions.

•  Vaccinate the vulnerable* – Horses considered to be at high risk should initially be vaccinated twice, four weeks apart and then given a booster every three months. Medium risk horses may be re-vaccinated less frequently, i.e. every six months. If you are unsure whether to vaccinate or for more information, please consult your vet.
  
  
  *Please note that all batches of Equilis StrepE have been withdrawn from the market. An update on its availability can be found here.