Strangles blood test

[Sossigpoker]

A slightly different question about strangles this time.

My horse had a high blood test (1.8) towards the end of April but was scoped clear. If he was blood tested again at the end of Sept , so about 5 months after , what are the chances the bloods would still come out high ?

Looking to move yards in Oct and dreading doing the blood test in case it's still high !

 

[Ample Prosecco]

It should have dropped significantly x

 

[Sossigpoker]

It should have dropped significantly x

Do you know how quickly the levels would fall to below 0.5?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

It varies from horse to horse but my vet reckoned 6 months to drop below ‘positive’ levels. But Amber dropped to 0.6/0.7 and has stayed there for 4 years+ She always tests positive and I’m assuming always will.
No vet is bothered though when I have taken her to studs (3 places now) because they can see the history. If it’s dropping then that should be ok.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Oh that's interesting. Has she had a guttural pouch wash?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Yes - she had strangles years ago shortly after I bought her. So she was pouch washed 6 weeks after being symptom free which was clear. But she has needed to be tested from time to time again and always brings back positive tests. Vet said some horses just have a higher level of antibodies. They are low but not technically negative.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

She’s deffo not a carrier - she’s positive because of previous exposure not chondroids. A yo insisted on another wash despite vet saying no need which was also clear. The studs are more relaxed about it because they can make sense of her numbers whereas a yo might just follow a hard rule. So it is a PITA sometimes. I hope yours drops below 0.5! A lot less hassle.

 

[Sossigpoker]

She’s deffo not a carrier - she’s positive because of previous exposure not chondroids. A yo insisted on another wash despite vet saying no need which was also clear. The studs are more relaxed about it because they can make sense of her numbers whereas a yo might just follow a hard rule. So it is a PITA sometimes. I hope yours drops below 0.5! A lot less hassle.

I'm dreading it tbh but I won't be doing another pouch wash no matter what , he wasn't a carrier in April and he won't be a carrier now.