Strangles outbreak in Berkshire

I am sorry to say that even if your horse does not show any symptoms of strangles, if they have been in contact with confirmed cases you cannot assume they did not get it.

Last year my elderly gelding was in a retired herd of ponies ( never went anywhere) that caught it from a new pony in the adjoining field. Most of them had dramatic symptoms. He didn't even look off colour! We assumed he may have had it in the past and was immune.

He was blood tested at the same time as the others a short while after all were clear when someone wanted to graze theirs next door. This showed that he had been infected. The vet said this had been recent, not a sign of immunity as we supposed. He said we would have needed to be taking his temp twice a day to pick it up!
 
Strangles outbreaks is more common with the cold weather we are experiencing, if a horse is diagnosed with it then all others have to be swabbed for it, if all clear or some positive apart from medications, every horse will be swabbed every 2 weeks for six weeks, when all horses are clear then the yard is free from contamination, yes you have to disinfect your boots and person and such like when entering or leaving the premises, but hey these things happen, its not the end of the world and it is not the yards fault.

Some horses are carriers of strangles and will pass it on to a horse who immune system is low and so it spreads, the virus lives in water for 8 weeks so clean out those water troughs, it also lives in wood for 4 weeks so wash those doors, dogs also carry the bacteria streptoccysis so dogs on the yard could bring it in, it is nothing to be ashamed of but yes very contagious.
 
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