OUTBREAK OF STRANGLES

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Gracie21

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Morning!

Have just had a text from yard owner to say there is an outbreak of strangles about 2.5 miles down the road from my yard-at a big livery yard. YO has been advised not to let any horses leave, especially to go to shows.

Are they over-reacting or should we take this as seriously as it appears? Stupid question probably...

I am SO desperate to go to my show on sunday, after lots of ups and downs we have just got prepared! Gutted that I probably won't be able to go!
 
I would stay put and definitely avoid any local shows - if your horse catches strangles he will be out of action for a long time. There was a case near us recently and the yard affected continued to hold events - resulting in the disease spreading around the area :( Strangles is easy to control if everyone is sensible and avoids contact with other horses.
 
EDickens said:
Morning!

Have just had a text from yard owner to say there is an outbreak of strangles about 2.5 miles down the road from my yard-at a big livery yard. YO has been advised not to let any horses leave, especially to go to shows.

Are they over-reacting or should we take this as seriously as it appears? Stupid question probably...

I am SO desperate to go to my show on sunday, after lots of ups and downs we have just got prepared! Gutted that I probably won't be able to go!
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I would still ride out. But would consider very carefully any local shows.
 
Sorry there will be plenty more shows to go to, I would not go

Lock down your yard, disinfect people and vehicles in and out, speak to vet for advice, lets hope that yard does the same thing to prevent the risk of spread, unfortunately there will be some idiot who hacks out or goes to a show regardless.

If you know anyone on that yard, don't let them on yours.

We had it on our yard years ago, we had one horse with it who was isolated as far away as possible, nothing else got it, which I think is a testomony to our YM, the way it was handled etc, no unnecessary visitors. Still don't know how the one horse got it, hadn't been off the yard, even hacked out, we think it was brought in by a person.

Have to say it ruined the whole of that summer, we did the responsible thing no horse left the yard, we had to keep waiting for clear swabs from infected horse every few weeks until it was clear, it took ages, you just have to accept it and get on with it, be responsible so its not spread to others. Unfortunately its not notifiable so its the infected yard's choice if they want to do the responsible thing, as someone else has said, it will spread if the place continues as normal.
 
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As previous poster said, don't go - there will be lots more shows.
An outbreak at a friend's yard a couple of years ago led to the deaths of two "oldies" who caught it. They never knew where it had come from (isolated farm) and managed it very well to prevent the spread to other horses, quarantining the infected ones and changing all clothing, tools etc before handling the others but it was still upward of three months before they were declared "clear" and able to ride out again.
 
2.5 miles is a decent distance away, so i would still hack out but take precautions
As yard, discuss as a group options of what you can do and assess understanding of the disease and how everyone feels about competing, tbh the bigger the yard it gets more difficult keeping track of things and people.
Its important to discuss it as the decision affects everyone.
If nobody on your yard has it, theres no reason why you cant get out and about if you take strict bio security precautions, tbh i do this anyway at every show as you dont know what anyone around you has.
For me a small local show isnt worth the risk, but if its for larger shows with qualifiers etc i can understand, if people take precautions they may want to compete.
If youre in any doubt contact the animal health trust and get information from them on beefing up your bio security to help keep everyone safe.
 
tbh the bigger the yard it gets more difficult keeping track of things and people
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THIS ^^ We are a yard of 10 different owners with at least one horse each.

Unfortunately a couple of people are competing this weekend and I doubt they will cancel (mounted games and a BD comp)
I am unsure whether to go or not, I have paid a lot for transport, entries etc (looking at £200 +)
I will ring and speak to our vets and see what they suggest!
 
Take the expenses as a low hit.

Would you rather risk your horses life? (slim but potential risk)

I'd speak to transporters etc, they may give a partial refund if there is a valid reason.

I would rather someone cancel my services due to a potential risk and give them some cash back than my lorry potentially becoming a strangles infestation.

There was a yard 7 miles from me with it recently, three people did moonlight flits, none of my horses left the yard and everything was disinfected.

Over the top? Yes.
I would rather be safe than sorry.

I wouldn't even hack out, avoid at all costs, after all, down my way, £200 is only a fraction of the vets costs related to strangles (blood tests etc)

Just hold tight and fingers crossed. Sorry to put the *****s up you but you can never be too clean/paranoid with horses if you ask me :)

now I'm off to play with the fluffy bunnies :rolleyes:
 
Is the not going to shows so that you don't pick it up from other horses? I am not sure why this is anymore likely that usual if the affected yard is on shut down?

2.5 miles is a fair distance, we had an outbreak at a large yard a couple of miles from us. It is only our two on our yard so we just hacked in the opposite direction and it certainly wouldn't have stopped me going out to shows etc as I don't think the risk from us or from others would be any greater than normal.
 
ester said:
Is the not going to shows so that you don't pick it up from other horses? I am not sure why this is anymore likely that usual if the affected yard is on shut down?

2.5 miles is a fair distance, we had an outbreak at a large yard a couple of miles from us. It is only our two on our yard so we just hacked in the opposite direction and it certainly wouldn't have stopped me going out to shows etc as I don't think the risk from us or from others would be any greater than normal.
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I totaly agree with Ester. Your risk of contracting strangles hasnt changed from normal. It is your awareness of that risk that has changed. Just take it as a wake up call and consider your biosecurity mesures .
 
ester said:
Is the not going to shows so that you don't pick it up from other horses? I am not sure why this is anymore likely that usual if the affected yard is on shut down?

2.5 miles is a fair distance, we had an outbreak at a large yard a couple of miles from us. It is only our two on our yard so we just hacked in the opposite direction and it certainly wouldn't have stopped me going out to shows etc as I don't think the risk from us or from others would be any greater than normal.
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Aahh, common sense! Strangles isn't airborne it's spread by contact, take the usual precautions and there's no additional risk?
 
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One other thing why on earth do people let their horses eat grass at shows where other horses have eaten it that could be potentially infected? You isolate new horses at home so why not keep a general eye on things at shows.
 
not just me then ;) :rolleyes:

kaylum, because people don't think about it and everybody does it. Also I would deem the risk to be quite low as unless there are horses grazing that field regularly it would require your horse to be eating the same grass as an infected horse on the same day of the show. Round here any ground used for multiple shows is usually a good couple of weeks apart at least and I don't *think* but will check that strep equi survives for that long.

eta, it appears to have not been studied much and mostly on 'hard surfaces' wood etc with differing results!
 
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Strangles is passed on by direct contact so as long as you don't allow your horse to sniff noses with other horses, drink from shared buckets / troughs, eat grass, share haynets, share direct airspace you should be fine to go to shows... You just need to apply a bit of common sense.

We have several yards in the close viscinity - our yard owner has 2 down the road from eachother and even when one yard had Strangles, the other still didn't get it, despite him going too and fro in his tractor daily, taking no precautions whatsoever. Although it is obviously sensible to keep your distance ;)
 
what is the risk though?

Clearly if you were suggesting hacking to the affected yard to chat to other horses, eat their grazing, chew their wood etc yes that would be a definite risk. But I cannot see one in the situation stated.
 
Thank you everyone for your input.

The YO has now re-evaluate and he is now waiting to hear back from our vets to see what they suggest.

On one hand I would say that they are a big professional livery yard so have the means and experience to be able to contain it and therefore I feel reassured that they are capable of dealing with it.
On the other hand, we may end up taking the safe way round and shutting down the yard. Just to be safe.

We will talk tonight and decide the best course of action.

I think, on re-evaluation, that we should probably continue as normal. As long as the yard with the affected carries out correct procedures (which I am sure they will) then we have little reason to panic. We have no new horses, no one has been near anyone from that yard etc.

The main risk to us is probably that one girl on livery is a freelance groom-she works at 5/6 different yards but a horse there may have been moved from infected yard. Small risk I suppose.

Off for hot cross buns for lunch now, any one want to join?
 
We had strangles on the yard last year, at least 6 horses got it, we did the quarantine and were allowed out but another horse came down with it in days. There is another small yard right next door, only a track separates them, another across the road, polo ponies opposite we are literally surrounded by other horses, not one of whom was affected by the outbreak and why would they, there is no direct contact. We were treated like lepers mind you and no one went to the local show as a result.
 
Woah! Massive over-reaction time! Crikey - if I had spent over £200 on entry fees there is no way I would be pulling out due to strangles at another yard! If that yard is in shut down they should not be going anywhere.

How many horses are there at this other yard? Are they competing animals?

Personally, I would go unless your YO says you must not. I would also be calling my vet to get advice on precautionary measures.
 
asommerville said:
Having just had 2 with it i would say stay put! nearly lost my mare to it and quite simply its not worth the risl
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yes and having seen a horse nearly choke to death because the vet didn't know what they were treating I agree. When you see it first hand you realise how easy it is to catch. If the idiots are moving horses from yard to yard they might not have any signs of strangles but they can still pass it on.

it's your YO's business and their call really.
 
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