Strangles... following my post earlier...

Lippyx

Lippyx

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2008
Messages
3,870
Location
Essex... In my bubble, floating above reality!!
Visit site
My new ponio has come back negative, which I am totally thrilled about!!

My friends new horse however, showed a VERY high reading of anti-bodies (the highest the vet had ever seen!)

He is being scoped to see if he is a carrier or is getting over actually having it (he shows absolutely no symptoms, but is very skinny)

She is worried out of her mind, as if he is a carrier, she has to leave the yard she is at... and is worried she'll have a homeless horse, as so many yards test for this now!

Has anyone on here had (or have) a horse that's a carrier... what can she do? If anything?

Please send vibes and good luck wishes so I can pass to my friend!! xx
 
From my understanding a carrier is a horse with dried puss (from an earlier infection) containing the bacteria in it's glutteral pouch which means the horse will continue to 'shed' the bacteria. However once discovered the horse can have the pus removed (I think they can flush it out) and all will be well! This is from what I remember from a talk by a vet on the subject, I have probably not explained it very scientifically but there should be no reason for a homeless horse! Talk to the vet they will be best to advise you once they know exactly what they are dealing with.
Good luck with the new horse!!
x x
 
To add though whilst the horse is still a carrier it should be isolated so it doesn't spread the bacteria (which is only transmitted by direct contact with nasal discharge, it is not wind borne, but the 'snot' IS very contagious).
Healing vibes are being sent if he is coming down with it as it is a nasty infection for a horse to fight off (like flu for us I think in that it will make them feel very poorly), but as long as he is healthy and in the care of the vet I would think he will be fine. If he's just a carrier then I'm sure once he's been scoped he will be fine, though it might be worth mentioning if he is a carrier to any venues or yards he might have been in contact with so they can be vigilant looking for any symptoms. It really shouldn't have the stigma attached to it that it does as although a nasty disease and more serious for the young and old it is just another bacterial infection and with proper care easy to treat and stop further infections (with infected horses being porperly isolated until clear).
x x
 
Ask your friend to look on the animal health trust pages, she will find out everything she needs to know there.
The horse will need scoped and all chondroids found will need to be removed, how its done is all explained in the pages then i think its flushed with anti biotics. If the horse is a carrier, its not good practice to move it on, the yo should isolate the animal throughout treatment until clear.
 
Thanks guys... once again you prove to be so helpful!!

She got a rather big backlash from the people at the yard, and they all started kicking off... this is her first horse, and first time as an owner, so I thought it was all rather OTT, especially after seeing them getting all excited at the new arrival when he came! So she is feeling worried, sad, guilty... the lot! To top it all, a new horse was only scoped last week, and no one kicked off then!

I have passed the info over to her, so hopefully it will reassure her. I knew it wasn't "the end" if he was a carrier. Like you say it is just a virus, and if caught early and dealt with, its not that bad!
 
Lippyx said:
Thanks guys... once again you prove to be so helpful!!

She got a rather big backlash from the people at the yard, and they all started kicking off... this is her first horse, and first time as an owner, so I thought it was all rather OTT, especially after seeing them getting all excited at the new arrival when he came! So she is feeling worried, sad, guilty... the lot! To top it all, a new horse was only scoped last week, and no one kicked off then!

I have passed the info over to her, so hopefully it will reassure her. I knew it wasn't "the end" if he was a carrier. Like you say it is just a virus, and if caught early and dealt with, its not that bad!
Click to expand...

People can get so OTT about this type of thing, it could easily have been one of their horses.
This can be sorted out by the vets no problem, but will mean quarentine and a bit of extra expense/hassle. Not ideal as a new horse owner, but certainly not the end of the world.
 
The horse is identified so now a plan needs put in place that protects everyone. The yo must have allowed the horse on the yard before the results were in, i do hope it was in an isolation paddock?
 
Lippyx said:
Thanks guys... once again you prove to be so helpful!!

She got a rather big backlash from the people at the yard, and they all started kicking off... this is her first horse, and first time as an owner, so I thought it was all rather OTT, especially after seeing them getting all excited at the new arrival when he came! So she is feeling worried, sad, guilty... the lot! To top it all, a new horse was only scoped last week, and no one kicked off then!

I have passed the info over to her, so hopefully it will reassure her. I knew it wasn't "the end" if he was a carrier. Like you say it is just a virus, and if caught early and dealt with, its not that bad!
Click to expand...

Aww god I hope the other liveries think back on their behavior if their horses ever come down with it! Tell them to put more effort into checking their own horses for symptoms, have they all been tested as well?

Any-one of them could have caused the infection, every time they go to a show or are in contact with strange horses, this is no-ones fault and your friend should be applauded for having him checked and letting people know the outcome so they can be prepared.
A good indication of if they are coming down with the infection is the horses temperature and appetite, a raised temp and loss of appetite will become apparent way before any snot or abscesses , so these are the things to put their energy into, not making someone feel worse!
Fingers crossed for a quick and isolated outcome!
x x
 
Well, this is what I don't understand. The YO insists on new horses being tested once on the yard, yet they don't go into strict isolation... just no touches him, or anything to do with him (rugs etc.) I think the logic being is, he is tested at the yard, so he doesn't come into contact with other possible infectors, as all the horses on the yard have been tested... but like you say, they often go to shows etc.
 
Lippyx said:
Well, this is what I don't understand. The YO insists on new horses being tested once on the yard, yet they don't go into strict isolation... just no touches him, or anything to do with him (rugs etc.) I think the logic being is, he is tested at the yard, so he doesn't come into contact with other possible infectors, as all the horses on the yard have been tested... but like you say, they often go to shows etc.
Click to expand...

The yard I'm on is similar.
Not perfect, but I suppose better than nothing.
 
I really feel for your friend - my new horse came down with a stinking cold when he first arrived and was tested for strangles. 90% of the people on the yard were lovely and while obviously concerned, behaved sensibly and kindly. The other 10% were, well, less lovely. There is such a stigma surrounding strangles and I know I worked myself up into a right tiz waiting for results to come back - both with worry about my horse and feeling terrible about the chance I'd brought strangles onto the yard. It is silly. As said by others: it is a treatable virus and you can catch it anywhere. I hope your friends horse is okay and people on the yard settle down.
 
While I think the hysteria around strangles is sometimes overdone its not sensible to underplay how serious it is .
When I was a child shortly after I got my second pony she caught strangles at a show she nearly died was very sick for a year and was never the same again .
However I think it sounds like an excuse in many cases for nasty indviduals to bully someone and kick them when they are down .
Yards must quarantine new horses and be very very careful of those recently purchased on dealers yards.
 
I use to share my old yard with a bunch of yearlings and 2/3 year olds, and one of them came down with strangles and we stayed clear then one day my friend went down and this pony was down so she went over and found out that it had gone untreated and had turned into ******* strangles the poor thing was so weak and having fits. My friend phoned the owner and the local vet and he put the pony down and she kicked off at the owner because his yard manager just use to sit in his car and use never show any affection to the horses, he thankfully no longer works for them I believe now. Thankful to say managed to keep the infection away from my mare and the other 3 horses :)
 
In the vet books that give symptoms of strangles (among other diseases), they do not say that one common side effect of strangles is that horse owners start to act completely crazy and the disease causes all kinds of disastrous barn politics and general fallings out amongst the owners. They should.
 
Caol Ila said:
In the vet books that give symptoms of strangles (among other diseases), they do not say that one common side effect of strangles is that horse owners start to act completely crazy and the disease causes all kinds of disastrous barn politics and general fallings out amongst the owners. They should.
Click to expand...

Like this a lot .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top