Guttural Pouch Endoscopy Tell Me All

[Bellalily]

Had my chaps tested three weeks ago, gone from 0.1 three months ago to 0.6! The other one has always been a high negative, but had gone up to 0.4.
They have been on their own in a field, out 24/7, no contact with any other horses at all. Results were 0.1 and 0.4. Moved them back to a yard for the winter as one was struggling a bit (old git) and within a few weeks realised I’d made a huge mistake and that the yard definitely wasn’t for us. After a million “sorry we’re full” messages from every other yard, heard back from one that they had two spaces coming up. Great, perfect yard, very well run, good reputation and tidy and within budget. Got strangles tests done again and they were 0.6 and 0.5!! Turned them back out for two weeks as coincidentally I’ve had the flu and pneumonia, had tests redone and they’ve come back as one still positive and the other is now a pass. So guttural pouch endoscopy booked for Wednesday. I’ve no idea what to expect and how long the results take, so would be keen to find anything out. I’d also like to know how a horse can go from 0.1 to 0.6 with no contact at all. I am baffled. ?

 

[SEL]

We had quite a few odd results when strangles hit the yard. Never did get a real answer as to why.

My mare had the scope. Sedation, tube and camera up nose into pouch. They flush the pouch so samples can be sent for testing and if the horse is a carrier then I think they can see evidence. Once the flush is complete the next thing is to get some antibiotics in via the same tube

My mare's flush came back negative so we were given the all clear to move yards. My gelding who shared a field with her recorded 2 x negative blood tests so didn't need a flush.

It's a PITA but effectively gives you the all clear to move

 

[SEL]

Results were really quick btw

 

[Bellalily]

We had quite a few odd results when strangles hit the yard. Never did get a real answer as to why.

My mare had the scope. Sedation, tube and camera up nose into pouch. They flush the pouch so samples can be sent for testing and if the horse is a carrier then I think they can see evidence. Once the flush is complete the next thing is to get some antibiotics in via the same tube

My mare's flush came back negative so we were given the all clear to move yards. My gelding who shared a field with her recorded 2 x negative blood tests so didn't need a flush.

It's a PITA but effectively gives you the all clear to move

Thank you, good to know.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

One of my horses has had several tests and endoscopy the first time he had about 80 chondroids in the pouch on one side, the second time it was just yellow gunk which was flushed then antibiotics in there and a course of antibiotics and had a clear test.

It's not particularly nice for them and I think he has a bit of nerve damage in his face from the repeated scopes, he has very mild symptoms because of it but nothing terrible.

The last test he was positive but he lives at home with my other horse with no other contact with any others.

He has always presented with a snotty nose which has led to the scope and test each time, I think I got the test results back the same day.

 

[Bellalily]

One of my horses has had several tests and endoscopy the first time he had about 80 chondroids in the pouch on one side, the second time it was just yellow gunk which was flushed then antibiotics in there and a course of antibiotics and had a clear test.

It's not particularly nice for them and I think he has a bit of nerve damage in his face from the repeated scopes, he has very mild symptoms because of it but nothing terrible.

The last test he was positive but he lives at home with my other horse with no other contact with any others.

He has always presented with a snotty nose which has led to the scope and test each time, I think I got the test results back the same day.

Thanks. Mine has shown absolutely no symptoms, dry nose, no cough and hurtling round the field like a loony and pulling my arms out when being led back and forth. Haven't actually known him so well in himself for a while. Hopefully all will be well, good news about the results. Thank you

 

[Sossigpoker]

The blood test is unreliable as yours has shown , the only way to know for sure is to put the camera up there.

I'm having a bit of a panic as a new pony at the yard (only stayed at the yard for a week before being turned out to the fields some way away ) came from a yard where a horse now has it. The pony had a clear blood test when it arrived but I know how unreliable those can be.
The pony has had a scope I believe.
I'm really worried tbh but not sure if I need to be ?

 

[Bellalily]

The blood test is unreliable as yours has shown , the only way to know for sure is to put the camera up there.

I'm having a bit of a panic as a new pony at the yard (only stayed at the yard for a week before being turned out to the fields some way away ) came from a yard where a horse now has it. The pony had a clear blood test when it arrived but I know how unreliable those can be.
The pony has had a scope I believe.
I'm really worried tbh but not sure if I need to be ?

If the pony was scoped, surely it should be clear. Although what the incubation period is and whether it would have come up is anybody’s guess. This is costing me a fortune, I’m not moving again ?

 

[Sossigpoker]

If the pony was scoped, surely it should be clear. Although what the incubation period is and whether it would have come up is anybody’s guess. This is costing me a fortune, I’m not moving again ?

Sorry I wasn't clear- the pony has had a scope at my yard , last Friday so we're waiting for results ?

 

[Apizz2019]

Ours had to have the gutteral pouch wash after his strangles results were high when we purchased and arrive at our new yard.

We had the strep protein M test, used by Liphook, which apparently throws more false positives than negatives, with the Elisa test throwing more false negatives than positives. Both tests are wholly unreliable and if we were to move again, I'd go for the pouch wash over a blood test every time.

The problem you have is, if your horse has ever had strangles, you'll likely, but not always, get a positive result. Ours is a dartmoor and Liphook said it's highly likely that he's had it at some stage in his life, with minimal symptoms. Maybe a snotty nose and that's it, so it may have never been noticed. Strangles isn't the horrid thing we imagine, for many horses, and symptoms can be so mild, hence why there are outbreaks.

It's the carriers that are the biggest issue as they present the biggest risk. A seemingly healthy horse that passes the blood test, yet has chondroids or strangles present in its pouches, something triggers them to shed the virus and bam, you have an outbreak. Imo, and some vets, the only way to be sure any horse is clear, is by doing a gutteral pouch wash.

We had our pouch wash results back within 24 hours, after 3 failed blood tests. The cost and aggro of the wash was far less than the repeated blood tests.