Strangles Outbreak in Banstead

[Parkranger]

Just been told that there was an outbreak at a yard local to me - thought to have been picked up at the Hengest summer show a few weeks back. I think people are keeping clear of Banstead Downs at the moment too.

Just wanted to put the warning out to be alert x

 

[RobinHood]

Thankyou for letting us know, I don't think anyone at the yard went to the Hengest show this year, although the first show I ever went to was run by chipstead rc at hengest.

 

[ajb]

Hiya
do you know whereabouts?? my friend is doing a lecture demo with her horse at Diamond centre which is very near and would be good to know yard? PM me if you know ...

 

[airedale]

do you know if anyone from the yard affected went to the XC at Walton last sunday ? lots of horses there so would be good to know

 

[Parkranger]

I don't know unfortunately - the yard was on Croydon lane, Banstead end.

We went to the XC at Walton too but it had finished by the time we got there! So walked in and straight back out again.

Very scarey though....

 

[airedale]

mmm - might not enter ours for the 2nd one on 1st Oct. there then. Will also put a downer on Horseman's Sunday - which really needs supporting and is this sunday - the horse collection has diminished so much as the number of riders drops each year and those that do come often don't realise there is a 'church collection' to donate to.

thanks for the tip - just booked yearling in for his first strangles jab - all the rest of the yard is already done.

 

[Parkranger]

I've never been to Horseman's Sunday - what's it all about?

 

[airedale]

there is a church service and all the horses get blessed. started in 1911 or thereabouts. used to have up to 900 horses attending but now it's about 100.....collection for an equine charity.

church service is open air with local minister, choir, etc.

 

[Rambo]

Erm....wasn't horseman's sunday LAST sunday

 

[madabout2]

Please don't panic and worry about having been at a show where someone elses horse has had strangles.
Yes it is a worrying disease but it is unlikely you catch it at a show unless you interact with other peoples horses or hand graze hwere another horse has been.

It is highly contagious but the virus needs to spread by either through direct contact between horses or via indirect contact, e.g
- tack and equipment
- shared drinking bowls and feed
- clothing
- hands

Or in the case of our yard a shared grooming kit which had been used on a pony that arrived already with the disease.

Also the bacteria can't exist in the environment for long periods.

11 horses on our yard (that is all of them) had strangles earlier this year - none of them had bastard strangles and none of them looked as bad as the phtots you see on the internet! Only 2 had abcesses and only one of these needed antibiotics.

I panicked when we got and yes if you have it on the yard you don't go anywhere to avoid contamination.

 

[debbielinder]

there was an out break in the north west about 2 months ago seemed to have all cleared up but had my vet out today and he confirmed rumours that a yard that previously had it has had another confirmed case it got quite bad last time hope they manage to contain it this time

 

[ginniebee]

We had an outbreak on our yard last april, thankfully yo took no chances and treated it as strangles before vet diagnoses. All infected horses were isolated in the barn. Yes, it is a horrible illness, but with carefull management, ie seeing to uninfected horses first infected ones last buckets of disinfectant ect we kept it contained, luckilly my two managed not to catch it. It took a good two months for abcesses to clear up and swabs to come back negative.

 

[Parkranger]

I didn't even know you can get a strangles injection - how behind the times am I! I take it it's not part of the normal innoculations and does it have a 100% success rate....?

 

[airedale]

For full details look at Intervet website.

It is usual 2 jabs one month apart followed by renewals every 6 months for medium risk or 3 months for high risk yards (e.g. combined dealing/livery). All horses in yard should be done but if everyone won't you can still choose to protect your own horse - but it won't avoid the quarantine period if any of the others in yard get it.

It is like the Human flu vaccination. It stops you getting the disease badly and makes recovery quicker but it doesn't act as a 100% protection (as for example the Tetanus jab does).

I feel that if I knew there was a vaccine and I hadn't used it and my horses got strangles I'd never forgive myself for not doing everything I could for their welfare - so all the horses in the yard are jabbed and I make it compulsory. Only reason yearling hadn't yet been done was I'd hoped he be sold - but he's being done now with first jab so he can have his 2nd in Nov. when the remainder have their boosters.

you cannot give strangles jab at same time as flu/tet but you can give it at same time as EHV if you have that done (which I do).

Jab is given in inside upper lip and I've had no reaction in any of mine aged from 3 to 30 and of all shapes and sizes and they've now had 5 and are due for their 6th as I have it done 6 monthly.

As above - very complicated strangles isn't that common and mostly horses survive - but do you really want your horse to be incarcerated on the yard for 2 to 3 months and then have a physical recovery period from the 'hit' on it's system, or would you rather pay about 23 quid for the strangles jab ?

I've done horses for 40 odd years and I've never heard so many outbreaks of strangles as now. I do wonder if global warming and our climatic changes have anything to do with it sometimes.