Strangle Tests...

[Lippyx]

With regards to Strangle Tests. I notice a few people nowadays not only have potential horses vetted but also have a strangle test. Is this an essential thing now? What if a horse tested positive? Would you still buy it? Bit naive but what does it mean when a horse is positive? Horse is a carrier of the disease? Does it mean they WILL get it at some point in their life? They could spread it to non carriers?

Thanks for any info xx

 

[Miss L Toe]

It is a blood test which may be required by new YO, before horse can move on to premises, even if it is negative, the horse may still need to be kept in isolation for three weeks as the incubation period is 14 days.
If the blood test is a positive, that is to say , the horse has been exposed to strangles, gutteral pouches can be inspected by endoscope for abnormalities, and a long term antibiotic gel inserted, a wash is taken and tested for live bacteria. It is not likely that a horse will "fail" this procedure, but really there is no absolute failure, or pass.

 

[Asha]

in my experience blood tests are unreliable and can also give false positives. Only way to tell is gutteral pouch wash, but this is expensive. So personally i would only go down the route of isolation for 14 days.

 

[Miss L Toe]

in my experience blood tests are unreliable and can also give false positives. Only way to tell is gutteral pouch wash, but this is expensive. So personally i would only go down the route of isolation for 14 days.

false positives are not so bad as false negatives though.