Strangles and leaving the yard?

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bgb

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Strangles was tested positive at my livery yard two weeks ago. My horse is in the field next to the infected horses, but a double fence was set up as soon as the tests came back. To prevent spread, all horses were either turned out 24/7 or kept in 24/7. I turned mine out 24/7 but he came back in on Sunday night (slightly feral :eek:!). Not all horses in the infected field have tested positive after the two week period but the vet has advised that they are kept in isolation for a further 6 weeks.

None of the horses that were in my horse's field have tested positive after the two week period.

All the yard was powerwashed and disinfected and I have disinfected all of my kit, tack etc. My sister's pony is in the infected field but he has not showed any symptoms...yet (*touch wood*). We have been meticulously careful in cleaning all clothes etc. and the pony has not been touched by us since the positive swabs.

However, I am entered in Eden Valley on the 6th April which is now going to be pushing it fitness and preparation wise, but would you leave the yard so soon after? I don't know if my YO will let me travel, just trying to gather opinions.
 
Talk to the vet about it but for the yard to be considered non-contagous and for it to be safe for horses to leave the yard then all horses must have 3 swabs done which are negative for strangles and the swabs have to be at least (possibly more) a week apart as until you get those negative swabs the horses that have had strangles must be considered to be infectious as they can carry the bacteria without showing any symptoms.
You need to considered the risk of spreading the bacteria to any other horses at the event as well as to the yard it is held at.
 
If your in a desperate rush then you could have a guttural pouch flush done and then tested for bacteria, but until either swabbed negative 3 times or flushed they could potentially be carriers and appear healthy but potentially infect others.
 
If I was going to that event, I would pull out if I thought that someone was going from an infected yard. It is the difference between you missing one event and someone else having their summer ruined, not to mention a horse ill when there is absolutely no need :mad:
 
After having my 17hh hunter PTS after an outbreak of strangles at a previous livery yard, I would advise to get in touch with your vet and ask for their advice.
Its a horrid virus and can sit for quite some time dormant in equines.
 
No way would i go, we had strangles on the yard a few years ago & it was a nightmare as its so easily spread. We were in lock down right through from early Nov to April as it gradually went through all the horses.
 
YorksG said:
If I was going to that event, I would pull out if I thought that someone was going from an infected yard. It is the difference between you missing one event and someone else having their summer ruined, not to mention a horse ill when there is absolutely no need :mad:
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You also have to consider the horses kept on livery there as well as yo's own horses and there are mares in foal at that yard
 
I remember years back when it was a real issue in the south east. So many horses @ compeition centres died....even now quite recently at one VERY well know competition centre, a horse was very poorly, moved to quickly to a yard i was on and a few horses got sick (not strangles but virus type symptoms). We was livid when we found out the YO knew about the illness of the new horse!!!
 
Delicious_D said:
TBH to risk infecting other peoples horses because of your desire to compete astonishes me....
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^^ This!!

Write off this one event, get your horse fit and healthy and when the yard is clear, start competing again.

Don't put other horses at risk just for the sake of getting a run - I know people who have done this and I think it is very selfish behaviour - this is always another day!
 
+1
horse can be symptomless carriers whereby the virus lies dormant in the blood of the horse until the horses immunity is compromised, i.e. stressed (travling, competing...al add stress). Being symptomless does not mean they are not contageous. If we were only contageous upon sight of symptoms, to quote the big bang theor 'we would have realised to kill the one with the runny nose'.

Only a blood test and gutteral pouch flush can give your horse a clean bill of health in the immediate time period of the testing. It is not an indicator for future health, be it an hour, a day or a week after.
 
At no point did I say I was definitely going. I was asking for opinions, and the resounding answer is no. I didn't want snide remarks..

After talking to my vet tonight he said it would be safer to stay at home but he did add that most horses will, even if owners have tried their hardest to prevent the disease, have competed alongside an infected horse or even passed one out hacking etc.

Also, how do you know that your horse is completely clear if they havn't been tested? They could be a carrier for all you know.

I'm not too sure why this thread has posted twice...silly phone.
 
Even horses who appear symptom free should be tested for a definitive answer. If they are not you run the risk of another case when life is back to normal again and it's just not worth the risk. Irritating for those who's horses need to be tested but better safe than sorry.
 
I think you are to be commended for asking/speaking to your vet, and hope you follow the recommendations.

Years ago a local yard had confirmed strangles and yet folk were out competing. Several owners at the yard where I rode were vociferous in their condemnation of this - yet when there were cases at their own yard on a different occasion the yard certainly did not practice what it preached and actively denied having strangles. It was a shame because most folks outwith the yard only wanted to be supportive, however that was kind of hard when realistically others horses were knowingly being put at risk. Hope all the horses at your yard make full recoveries.
 
As people have pointed out your horse can be a carrier despite never having shown symptoms and maybe never will. So people can be at shows not knowing there is any potential risk, if your within snorting distance of another horse or anything a horse could have snorted/come into contact with then the potential for infection is there. how many of us have had a horse snort on us in passing in the warm up ring? i know I have wiped my face on occasion ;)

Anything you take out with your yard that can come into contact with others including arena gates, or watching leaning over a wall or any surface that a horse could have touched or snorted on can pass on infections, so even if your not taking your horse to a show if you go yourself you can take it back to your yard. Also heard of false positives on occasions as well.

OP good that you have taken advice from your vet, probably the best thing to do in the situation.
 
BeauBear said:
^^ This!!

Write off this one event, get your horse fit and healthy and when the yard is clear, start competing again.

Don't put other horses at risk just for the sake of getting a run - I know people who have done this and I think it is very selfish behaviour - this is always another day!
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^^ agree. If this happened on my yard, I would be furious if a livery decided to go off competing. Not only is it selfish of the individual, but it also gives the yard a bad name for not being responsible in their disease management protocol.

I do understand that you weren't expecting harsh remarks, and in your shoes i would also be wanting to know - but i'd go straight to my vet for advice, rather than posting on a forum where with something like this you'd be likely to get a negative reaction. Go with the vets advice - theres always another day.
 
Just a question, sorry OP but it is relevant, If vet tested and scoped and horse clear, no associated or near infected horses how would people feel about that then if vet said ok to compete? Horse given OK to leave yard and tested as non infected???

Just the other side of the coin. Nothing to do with me I dont have my horses on livery yards mine are always on private land :)
 
We had strangles at our yard a few months back. I kept my horses isolated until I knew for certain that they were free of it before I moved to my new yard. Its one event, not worth risking the lives of other horses
 
A few years ago a yard where I worked had a horse with strangles and it was the only one to have it, people bought it unseen on the net and it was delivered with it, no one could take there horse from the yard for nearly three months, that means no hacking or transportation, I wouldnt take the risk going out to compete, Think how other competitors would feel? How would you feel if it was the other way round.
 
I have been through strangles with one of mine recently, kept in isolation (stabled), bloody nightmare, I have 2 horses, I am on a yard with 8 others, my boy was the only one who got it, I like to think it was because I did everything by the book, I even had the gutteral pouch wash done in order to release fellow liverys from quarantine asap, mine got it from a neighbours horse over the boundary fence, so don't be in a rush to get out to shows, your yo, should stop all movement.
 
Mmm i wonder whether the event organisers will see this and make a statement. I wouldnt risk it either having been in a similar situation.
 
Glad you aren't going. O wish you the best of luck in getting every horse on your yard well again and the very declaring you all safe to exit the yard as soon as possible :)
 
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