Strangles carrier??

[daffydonna]

Hi I recently bought a TB mare and just lately she's had a runny nose,it started off just when ridden but now it's all the time. It's green gunky stuff and quite bad. I had her to vets today and she did 2 swabs to send away,it'll take a few days for them to get back. How likely is it to be strangles? She has put on weight,has a lovely glossy coat and is full of life so I'm not sure or I'm wondering could she be a carrier? What are the treatments involved and a rough cost of a flush and antibiotics if that's what it is? Any help is greatly received,I'm 60 and have always had horses tho luckily this is the first time I've ever had any dealings with this sort of thing

 

[NocturneNoel]

Strangles would usually involve a temperature with horse looking very ropey. Fingers crossed its something else, but just in case keep her quarantined until you get the results. Don't let anyone share your equipment and disinfect yourself thoroughly after visiting.

When a yard I was on had an outbreak, the carrier was not showing symptoms so I'd imagine its more likely your horse caught it from something else, if it does turn out to be strangles.
It probably cost around a grand to get my horses clear iirc, but they scoped clear after a few weeks and recovered quite well. And that was years ago. It can be much worse, but fingers crossed your girl just has a virus.

 

[Barton Bounty]

now , having read this, it could be flu or a virus. Are her inoculations up to date?

 

[daffydonna]

No the vet doesn't think she has strangles,but possibly thinks she may be a carrier. Won't know until I get results back. I'm just thinking of worse case scenario really. She's kept at home so luckily enough I don't need to worry about sharing with anyone. She is in a field with my 28yr old cob,I asked the vets about separating them but she gets really stressed without him and apparently as they get older they build an immunity to it. There's no way I can separate them unfortunately. She has been with him since I bought her,apart from the 2 weeks separation at the beginning. He shows no symptoms at all

 

[daffydonna]

now , having read this, it could be flu or a virus. Are her inoculations up to date?

Yes everything is up to date,she's had her back done as well as her teeth too. It was the dentist recommended to go to vets. She's had a course of antibiotics but they didn't really do anything unfortunately

 

[Barton Bounty]

If your at home and she is only a carrier then I wouldnt be worrying too much. You would only need to worry as livery wouldnt accept you and shows would probably be the same so other than you will be all good

 

[NocturneNoel]

I agree if at home that makes quarantine easier. Treatment for a carrier can be quite challenging, but I wouldn't stress yourself over it until you know more. From my experience carriers tend to be less conspicuous, little globs of snot into the water bucket where you don't see it. Could be a stubborn sinus infection or some other virus or allergy. See what the test results show... fingers crossed for you, let us know how you get on.

 

[daffydonna]

I agree if at home that makes quarantine easier. Treatment for a carrier can be quite challenging, but I wouldn't stress yourself over it until you know more. From my experience carriers tend to be less conspicuous, little globs of snot into the water bucket where you don't see it. Could be a stubborn sinus infection or some other virus or allergy. See what the test results show... fingers crossed for you, let us know how you get on.

This is quite bad,there's a lot of snot. It used to be just when she was ridden but it's now all the time. Her favourite thing is to rub her nose against you it's as well I have a strong stomach

 

[NocturneNoel]

This is quite bad,there's a lot of snot. It used to be just when she was ridden but it's now all the time. Her favourite thing is to rub her nose against you it's as well I have a strong stomach

Aw bless her... better run the washing machine off peak lol

 

[Barton Bounty]

Just wait till she blows out

 

[daffydonna]

Aw bless her... better run the washing machine off peak lol

Saying that my daughter's favourite thing to do is pick the crusty bogeys off round her nose. The mare really loves it. It's probably itchy. I seem to have a family of stinkers

 

[daffydonna]

Just wait till she blows out

As long as it's my daughter gets it instead of me she can blow away

 

[daffydonna]

We

If your at home and she is only a carrier then I wouldnt be worrying too much. You would only need to worry as livery wouldnt accept you and shows would probably be the same so other than you will be all good

Don't compete or anything so that's not a big issue luckily,it's mainly hacking tho my daughter wants to take a few group lessons on her. Will wait til results are back before we book anything tho.

 

[splashgirl45]

My horse had strangles and apart from the snotty nose she couldn’t put her head down to eat so I had to make sure her water and feed were high enough and her hay net, I got the vet straight away. She was poorly for about a week then improved quite quickly . If yours is still perky it might not be strangles..

 

[daffydonna]

My horse had strangles and apart from the snotty nose she couldn’t put her head down to eat so I had to make sure her water and feed were high enough and her hay net, I got the vet straight away. She was poorly for about a week then improved quite quickly . If yours is still perky it might not be strangles..

Goodness knows. She's certainly not poorly at all and has no problem eating at all thankfully. Will try not to panic til we get results back

 

[EventingMum]

Don't panic yet, wait for the swab result. I have posted several times about the mare I had with a false negative strangles blood test. She had no symptoms or temperature other than a trickle of a nasal discharge but swabbed positive. The vet was convinced she was a carrier but a gutteral pouch wash confirmed she wasn't. A guttural pouch wash is likely to cost around £400 from my experience if it's needed. Equally you could be looking at a sinus infection or respiratory infection.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Teeth issues can cause snotty nose as can guttural pouch infections.

One of my horses had several guttural pouch infections and the last time he tested positive as a carrier but then we tested again 6 months later and he was clear, vet said to me it's often the case with the testing it's not always consistent, I keep mine at home and my other horse had no issues.

 

[daffydonna]

Teeth issues can cause snotty nose as can guttural pouch infections.

One of my horses had several guttural pouch infections and the last time he tested positive as a carrier but then we tested again 6 months later and he was clear, vet said to me it's often the case with the testing it's not always consistent, I keep mine at home and my other horse had no issues.

She's had her teeth done so it's definitely not that

 

[Gloi]

Hopefully it's a virus/bacterial infection and a few antibiotic powders and some ventipulmin will set her straight.

 

[daffydonna]

Don't panic yet, wait for the swab result. I have posted several times about the mare I had with a false negative strangles blood test. She had no symptoms or temperature other than a trickle of a nasal discharge but swabbed positive. The vet was convinced she was a carrier but a gutteral pouch wash confirmed she wasn't. A guttural pouch wash is likely to cost around £400 from my experience if it's needed. Equally you could be looking at a sinus infection or respiratory infection.

Only time will

Hopefully it's a virus/bacterial infection and a few antibiotic powders and some ventipulmin will set her straight.

She's had a course of antibiotics, unfortunately they've done nothing for her. Although maybe it's not been the right antibiotic for whatever she has