Strangles inconclusive?

[carthorse]

I don't quite understand the test for strangles. A few years ago one of our horses had a small cut under her jaw and it was swollen so we called the vet. The vet said we had to have strangles tests and we were told not to move any horses. Luckily it came back clear and her wound cleared up.
A few months ago a yard where my friend keeps her horse had a new pony arrive who got a cough so the pony had tests and the yard was shut down. I think the test was inconclusive but there were many tests done on all the horses and all horses were stabled fully. It took ages before they were cleared, nothing else got the cough and the pony never got any abscesses, so I don't know if it had it but between the liveries the spent thousands with the vet. They now have the all clear.
I have just heard of another person who has a horse that has coughed so called the vet, the horse had to have a blood test which is inconclusive. The whole yard is now on lock down.
Do vets do strangles tests on all coughing horses now and what does inconclusive mean. Of course I know strangles is a big worry but do vets know when a horse has strangles and do lots have it but no abscesses?

 

[spike123]

not all horses get the abscesses. I don't rate the tests either as when we had it at the yard the first horse to become ill just had a snotty nose and was a little dull but appeared otherwise fine. Her test results came back positive and of the horses that went on to get it only 3 had the abscesses. One of those actually tested negative for strangles yet was the worst affected and had the most abscesses.

 

[Shay]

I think the abcesses only appear in ******* stangles. Otherwise the early symptoms are a cough and a snotty nose.

Inconclusive means what it says. The test wasn't negative and wasn't clearly positive. So it has to be done again. It could be becuase there wasn't enough material, or becuase any infection wasn't far enough advanced. Or any number of reasons. As Spike says some horses test negative when the do have it - some the reverse.

Stangles isn't something to mess with. Vets have to be careful.

 

[Shay]

I wasn't swearing - the filter replaced the correct term for the variant of strangles which produces abcesses. You'll have to guess or go look it up!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Bstrd strangles is not defined by abscesses, it is a further condition when the infection re-locates in to the rest of the body, and is always very serious.
Most equines who are infected with strangles only have mild symptoms, which is only detected by a rise in temperature, this is why temperature has to be taken twice a day when there is an outbreak.
Some equines will get abscesses which are pus filled swellings in the throat area, this is the image of strangles in all the books.
Very young, and older animals can succumb to the disease.
I am not clear about "inconclusive" blood test, it may mean that the horse has had some contact with the disease, usually a timescale is mentioned.

 

[foxy1]

I think the abcesses only appear in ******* stangles. Otherwise the early symptoms are a cough and a snotty nose.

Not true. A horse with strangles might or might not abscess. Problem is the tests are notoriously hit and miss. A positive is def positive but a negative result could be a false negative.