Strangles!! Need answers

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Missiecb

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14 January 2016
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Hi All

Im looking for a horse to loan and have found one that is lovely and im due to go and see it tomorrow. I have been told by the owner that the horse has had strangles before Christmas but is in the clear now. Not sure if its still on the yard or not.
Can you all help as im a little bit worried about going to see this horse and then also if i really like it and considering moving it to my yard. I know you can have blood tests to confirm if its a carrier or not but how reliable is this?
I dont want to pose any risk to the horses that are currently at the yard and worried what everyone will think if i do loan this horse.

Also does this mean its exempt from the insurance if it gets it again? Does it alter the performance of the horse after its had it?

Thanks in advance :)
 
If you have blood tests now they WILL show positive whether the horse is clear or not. This is because the test is for antibodies that take months to return to normal levels after the infection has cleared. You would need 2 at least 2 weeks apart which should show falling titre levels. I would ask the owner to give the treating vet permission to talk to you, they should be able to set your mind at rest or otherwise. If she won't give permission walk.
 
hairycob said:
If you have blood tests now they WILL show positive whether the horse is clear or not. This is because the test is for antibodies that take months to return to normal levels after the infection has cleared. You would need 2 at least 2 weeks apart which should show falling titre levels. I would ask the owner to give the treating vet permission to talk to you, they should be able to set your mind at rest or otherwise. If she won't give permission walk.
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This.

I would also be tempted to get the number of the YO where the horse is at to call and ask if the yard is still in a Strangles lockdown.

After you visit the horse, go home, wash your clothes, have a shower, then go to your current yard. Disinfect your boots etc. Just incase.
 
If horses on the yard are still quarantined nothing should be moving off the yard. When mine had strangles I put dettol in every washing machine load & used virkol on boots etc.
 
hairycob said:
If you have blood tests now they WILL show positive whether the horse is clear or not. This is because the test is for antibodies that take months to return to normal levels after the infection has cleared. You would need 2 at least 2 weeks apart which should show falling titre levels. I would ask the owner to give the treating vet permission to talk to you, they should be able to set your mind at rest or otherwise. If she won't give permission walk.
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This, also if there are still horses in quarantine then nothing should be moving off the yard.

In answer to your questions on insurance, the horse will only be covered for complications arising from this bout of strangles for 12 months, then anything related is likely to be excluded, most will not get it a second time so that is unlikely to be an issue for you.
If it has recovered fully and been brought back to work without any problems there is no reason to be concerned about it's performance being affected, many horses will have had strangles, a lot will have shown very few or no symptoms, and still go on to have totally normal lives, one of mine had it very mildly about 20 years ago, he is now a healthy pensioner after an active and successful career.
 
Probably also worth talking to the YO where you plan to take the horse. Strangles happens - the problem is in the stigma which causes people to try to hide it. But it also causes a lot of (often unnecessary) scares. Other owners at the new yard might have concerns and it is better to know where you are going to go with that.

Also speak to the vet you intend to use and have a candid conversation about the possible complications to strangles. Although hopefully the worst would have shown by now it can take horses months to really get back to their old self's.

And nothing should move off the yard until the entire yard is declared strangles free - not just the one horse!
 
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