Didn't want to hijack other strangles threads but looking for info... (Also in NL)

sandi_84

sandi_84

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As above ^ I know what the disease is and what happens to the horse - scary! especially the nasty strain - but I've no idea about how both forms are treated Luckily I've not come across it but I always think it's handy to know these things.

Does the vet hand out a course of antibiotics or are the strains (the normal one and the ******* strangles) treated some other way?
 
In my experience, with a normal case, no treatment is given and the disease runs its course. You can give antibiotics before any symptoms show (there's a temperature spike a couple of days before that you can catch if you're watching out for it) but after that point, you're risking driving the disease further in, and potentially causing those complications you don't want. I've seen two horses given antibiotics while symptomatic (they thought it was something else initially) and both were incredibly ill. My horse at the time caught it from them, no treatment bar bute to ease the pain, and she was better in 4 weeks. The other horses took nearly 3 months to recover.

Nursing care for normal cases includes raising food/water if the abscess causes issues putting the neck to the floor, syringing out abscesses once burst and keeping them clean while they heal, bute for throat pain, sloppy feeds to keep hydrated and so they eat something.

I know the horse can get a severe reaction to it that I think is treated with steroids? But not seen this in a horse so not too sure about that.
 
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