Strangles out break

[megs22]

Recently there has been a strangles outbreak in our local area (about 5 miles away) and everyone at a livery yard where I work are becoming extremely worried about the consequences it will have on them, already they have decided to stop competing, and mixing with other horses, they are still going to hack, and the farrier, freelance instructor and vet is still able to come up to the yard, but unless they are clean they would be able to carry the bacteria from other yards on their clothes, vehicles tools etc.
My question to you is what do you do when there is an outbreak near you do you carry on competing or have a lock down to prevent your horse from coming into contact with it, do you still hack? how does a farrier prevent the cross contamination when he uses the same apron and tools?

 

[Wishful]

Don't know about farriers but I know that if a yard has confirmed strangles the vet's will go there last and take appropriate hygienic precautions - beyond their normal clean up routine. Also applies to snotty noses unless proven otherwise. Obviously vets do go onto strangles yards as they need to take samples/ treat the affected horses...

 

[wkiwi]

It would depend on the circumstances.
We had a confirmed case near us (few miles away) but it was a new horse on someone's yard, they isolated it straight away and got vet and it didn't spread to another horse even on the same yard. Some competitions were cancelled in the area, but most still ran with good entries. People immediately around the area of the yard (e.g. nearby livery yards) stopped hacking near there though (I think some went by trailer to safe areas if they were into hacking).
I would ask the local vet clinic about the situation in your area and what would be sensible.
Note that birds can carry the discharge on their feet so it can spread even if you are 100% isolated.