Local yard has strangles - what can I do?

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Cedars

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A very local yard to us (read: separated by one road) has confirmed strangles.

I am panicking! Particularly as my baby isn't even 3 yet and its worse in the youngsters isn't it?

What can I do to protect our guys? Although we (us humans) were on the yard last week, they hack past our fields (and apparently are going to continue to do so) so I'm obviously a bit panicked.

Sending the OH to pick up a big vat of farm disinfectant tomorrow, but what else can we do? Any supplements to boost their immune systems? (especially for my littlie!)

:( help!
 
You can get your horses vaccinated...my boy is getting done tomorrow as we have a couple of yards near us with strangles. Lots of vets near me are doing special offers...mine is doing the vaccine for £20 then the follow up month later for free! (and no call out if more than 6 horses).

Its not an air borne disease but it can be carried on tack and clothes albeit only lives for 12 hours...(I think) but it can live up to 28 days in water so dont use anyone elses water buckets!!! Your horse wont get it purely with the horses trotting past on the road - only if they come over and let the horses touch each other!!!
 
Don't go on the infected yard again (obviously!). Other than that there isn't a huge amount you can do. Are you able to stop using the fields adjacent to the hacking route? If not, I'd at least put up a line of electric fencing to keep your horses away from those from the other yard. And do not let anyone from the other yard on to yours, of course.

Good luck; my two got strangles at the end of last year - it's no fun at all.
 
It's transmitted via direct contact so keeping yourselves clean. It's a faf, but total change of clothes if you are involved with the other yard. If they are going to continue to hack past you then make a new fence line inside the existing one, preventing horses being able to scratch on fencing and graze around potentially coughed on grass. It's not the end of the world but also not pleasant. Have a think and plan what you will do if you are affected, it will be les stressful if it happens then.
 
Is it worth having the youngster and the eventer vaccinated for strangles?

Will make sure horses cannot get to fences at all in the morning. :( all other ideas appreciated. Any supplements that might help?
 
My previous yard had Strangles last winter and still hasn't quite got the all clear! There's quite a few different opinions on strangles, firstly, it is NOT air borne and can only really be transmitted by either direct contact with the infect animal OR direct contact with infected snot/abscess gunk/spit etc from said infected horse (ie on fence posts, ground, clothing etc) It can live in water for around 30days, has been tested and proven to live on wood for up to 63 days in any temp above 2 degrees C continuously and it can live on clothing for a few days too as far as I remember. So, the important bits, make sure your horses cannot have direct contact with the infected horses so fence away from the fence line (inside) to keep them a little further back, don't go onto the infected yard and don't let people from that yard onto yours (unless of course they've not been on that yard beforehand and are wearing clean clothing) and keep an eye on horses temps, any temp spike get the vet straight away as a high temp is one of the first signs.
 
There are mixed reviews about the vaccine and lots of vets won't use/ recommend it because of lack of evidence of it's affectivness. It does give some nasty side affects, if you search on here you will see other peoples experiences.
 
strangles is highly contagious but as already said only via direct contact with either an infected horse or the mucous produced by infected horses coming into contact with you or them. Given you were on the yard last week there is a fairly high chance that you may well have already been in contact with it directly and possibly passed it onto one of the horses on your yard. Our vets won't vaccinate against strangles and I think if you or one of the horses has already had contact in the past week or so they wouldn't vaccinate anyway. As someone suggested already monitor their temperatures twice daily for the next 14 days and any rise over 38.5 is considered a suspect temperature and that is the point in which to isolate potential infected horse and get in touch with your vet. If the yard affected are continuing to hack out then they are being irresponsible coming near to other horses. All it takes is for one horse as of yet not showing any signs but still being infectious rubbing against a fence,snorting onto your fence, or grazing a patch of grass outside, followed by one of your horses doing the same thing and the virus is instantly spread.
 
It has been in our area since last November.
Yard 1 (RS) got it, denied it and didn't take hygiene precautions for the first 2 weeks or so, until they realised that outsiders knew about it.
Yard 2 (livery) got it just after Christmas. YO immediately put stringent hygiene procedures into place and confined all liveries to the yard. Yard is split into 2, with a country road between. The infection has been confined to one side of the road. They have just been given the all-clear after 3 clear swabs.
As you fear OP, it was the youngsters who got it but all are fine now. All you can do is stay away from the infected yard, disinfect anywhere that might have been touched by horses/people from the infected yard and keep your horses away from the boundary.
 
After the violent reaction of one of my horses last month to the vaccine my vet is one disinclined to recommend vaccination.
If you decide to vaccinate be sure to read the information literature yourself so you can make an informed choice before you do it.
 
Yes I'm aware of an outbreak in Gloucs. Very irresponsible if the yard doesn't close down, can you speak to them? They won't be popular in the area if they don't.
 
No point, very clear on the website they're staying open. Going to speak to head girl to see if we can at least stop them hacking past our fields. They're not close enough to touch noses or eat the same grass but they are within snorting distance.

Bleeeugggghhh feel so stressed. Going to ring the vet first thing and see what they recommend. :(
 
The other yard should not have horses going on or off the yard until clear and that includes hacking.

You need to avoid any contact with the other yard and their horses. You could disinfect but it's isolation that is the key, that said I did disinfect everything when in a similar situation :)
 
Grrrrr what a horrible illness! Feel so sorry for big yards like this when they get strangles, bloody nightmare I'd imagine :(
 
pizzi said:
A livery yard in East Ayrshire has one horse- as yet - confirmed with strangles. Horse had been away getting schooled.
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Which yard has a confirmed case and where was the horse being schooled??? PM me if you prefer. Curious as in East Ayrshire, prevention is better than cure and will up bio security if ness.
 
Cedars said:
No point, very clear on the website they're staying open. Going to speak to head girl to see if we can at least stop them hacking past our fields. They're not close enough to touch noses or eat the same grass but they are within snorting distance.

Bleeeugggghhh feel so stressed. Going to ring the vet first thing and see what they recommend. :(
Click to expand...

Do they mention strangles on their website? Are they a yard where comps. etc. are held - or other on site services offered??
 
In that case Trading Standards may be interested to know that they are continuing to operate, whilst having a strangles outbreak.

And if they are running any affiliated events - then the affiliates should also be notified.
 
Cedars said:
No point, very clear on the website they're staying open. Going to speak to head girl to see if we can at least stop them hacking past our fields. They're not close enough to touch noses or eat the same grass but they are within snorting distance.

Bleeeugggghhh feel so stressed. Going to ring the vet first thing and see what they recommend. :(
Click to expand...

Could you electric fence the boundary so they are further away if you can't stop them hacking past.
 
had supper with a vet last night said that part of the problem is that immunity from either contact with the disease or the vaccine is sort lived as little as 3months so even if you have been unlucky and your horse caught it in the past you are not safe.
 
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