PC Steele
Well-Known Member
How long does it take to get strangles test results back?
Strangles test
- Thread starter PC Steele
- Start date
EventingMum
Well-Known Member
Are you talking about a blood test? The last one I had done was taken on a Tuesday and I got the results on Friday morning.
However, please don't rely on a blood test as they are really unreliable. A lot come back positive but a subsequent guttural pouch wash is negative or much, much worse the blood test gives a false negative which happened to me. It's far safer to opt for isolation for three weeks for a horse coming into a yard.
However, please don't rely on a blood test as they are really unreliable. A lot come back positive but a subsequent guttural pouch wash is negative or much, much worse the blood test gives a false negative which happened to me. It's far safer to opt for isolation for three weeks for a horse coming into a yard.
SEL
Well-Known Member
I got a 24 hour turnaround when AHT was still doing them.
But what Eventing Mum says is spot on
But what Eventing Mum says is spot on
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
Bloods usually come back within 48 hours.
But don't get me started on how useless the test is. .
But don't get me started on how useless the test is. .
adamntitch
Well-Known Member
I had bloods come bk positive nearly400 later and a gluttuarl pouch wash came bk clear about a week in total
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
My mare's bloods came back positive, much to my surprise since she hadn't been anywhere, but we did the gutteral pouch test and she was fine. Moved yards as planned. While I was stressing about it, I talked to assorted horsey friends and like six people had said this had happened to them.
The moral of the story is that if you are moving to a yard that requires a negative strangles test, leave yourself some buffering time. I have done some last minute blood tests (due to my terrible organizational skills) and luckily it was negative, so I got away with it. Luckily, I was on the ball this time and did the test early enough, so when it turned out that she needed the gutteral pouch flush, there was still enough time to do it, get the results, and we could move when we wanted.
There's a local yard that had a strangles outbreak as a result of a false negative ELISA test (the blood test), and they require any incoming livery to get the gutteral pouch flush. It's expensive but more definitive.
There's just no perfect answer. The blood test isn't that reliable. The gutteral pouch flush is invasive and expensive. Three weeks of isolation is not practical for some yards and causes huge health and welfare problems for some horses. My old mare would not have coped, and I knew a yearling who died of a ruptured stomach ulcer after three weeks of total isolation.
And if people are going to horse shows or clinics or whatever, then there is always risk. There was a huge outbreak at a barn in the States I used to board at, and after recriminations and drama and people b1tching that the barn should have had a more anal isolation policy for new horses, the vets contact traced the outbreak, and it turns out patient 0 was an old gelding who'd been at the barn for 20 years. He was loaned by a kid at the time, and she'd taken him to a horse show where he'd picked it up. So there we are.
The moral of the story is that if you are moving to a yard that requires a negative strangles test, leave yourself some buffering time. I have done some last minute blood tests (due to my terrible organizational skills) and luckily it was negative, so I got away with it. Luckily, I was on the ball this time and did the test early enough, so when it turned out that she needed the gutteral pouch flush, there was still enough time to do it, get the results, and we could move when we wanted.
There's a local yard that had a strangles outbreak as a result of a false negative ELISA test (the blood test), and they require any incoming livery to get the gutteral pouch flush. It's expensive but more definitive.
There's just no perfect answer. The blood test isn't that reliable. The gutteral pouch flush is invasive and expensive. Three weeks of isolation is not practical for some yards and causes huge health and welfare problems for some horses. My old mare would not have coped, and I knew a yearling who died of a ruptured stomach ulcer after three weeks of total isolation.
And if people are going to horse shows or clinics or whatever, then there is always risk. There was a huge outbreak at a barn in the States I used to board at, and after recriminations and drama and people b1tching that the barn should have had a more anal isolation policy for new horses, the vets contact traced the outbreak, and it turns out patient 0 was an old gelding who'd been at the barn for 20 years. He was loaned by a kid at the time, and she'd taken him to a horse show where he'd picked it up. So there we are.
Hormonal Filly
Well-Known Member
Totally useless and unreliable! My mare came back ‘positive’ on bloods so had to spend £400 on a gutteral pouch wash for her to be totally clean (and sample taken was clear so not a carrier either) ?
Apparently it happens more often than not.
Widgeon
Well-Known Member
This is tangential and doesn't answer your question, but I've just had mine vaccinated against strangles. It'll be interesting to see how long it takes to catch on - I assume it will eventually.
https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/dechra-unveils-protein-based-equine-strangles-vaccine/
https://www.redwings.org.uk/news-and-views/new-strangles-vaccine
https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/dechra-unveils-protein-based-equine-strangles-vaccine/
https://www.redwings.org.uk/news-and-views/new-strangles-vaccine
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
Mine still had really high bloods 5 months after ! I'll never test again now unless there's a symptomatic horse. Certainly won't for a yard move. Too expensive and stressful !
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
I could have saved about £100 had I gone straight for the gutteral pouch test. I had a £500 vet bill instead of a £400 vet bill. Yay. It's a bit like gambling.
Julia0803
Well-Known Member
When our old yard had had strangles several of the geldings in our field didn’t catch it, but had been turned out with several others who did.
We wanted to test before going out again, to make sure we weren’t putting others at risk.
We weren’t offered a blood test. Either the wash, or three separate nose swabs, (I think they were a week apart but this was about ten years ago, so I could be wrong).
The vet dissuaded me (and several others) from the wash as he said it could be quite unpleasant (and the one livery who did have the wash had quite a significant nosebleed), and advised us to go for the swab testing. They used what looked like huge long cotton buds, about 30cm long, that went right up the nose.
If you had three clear, which luckily we did, you were pronounced clear. I can’t remember what the test was called, but I know it was sufficient that our cob was allowed to attend PC camp based on the results.
I can’t remember the exact cost… I have a vague recollection of it being around £100 per test but I could be wrong.
We wanted to test before going out again, to make sure we weren’t putting others at risk.
We weren’t offered a blood test. Either the wash, or three separate nose swabs, (I think they were a week apart but this was about ten years ago, so I could be wrong).
The vet dissuaded me (and several others) from the wash as he said it could be quite unpleasant (and the one livery who did have the wash had quite a significant nosebleed), and advised us to go for the swab testing. They used what looked like huge long cotton buds, about 30cm long, that went right up the nose.
If you had three clear, which luckily we did, you were pronounced clear. I can’t remember what the test was called, but I know it was sufficient that our cob was allowed to attend PC camp based on the results.
I can’t remember the exact cost… I have a vague recollection of it being around £100 per test but I could be wrong.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Hermosa was lightly sedated and calm as anything for the gutteral pouch endoscopy (I felt less calm after I got the vet bill), but a fellow livery told me that her mare totally freaked out, despite the sedation, and she's been nervous and awkward around vets ever since. Not ideal. Just no great options, really.
Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
So if a strangles test was a requirement to move yards, you’d just not move to that yard? IME good yards, with right set up and close to home are few and far between, and you sometimes have to do what is requested.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
Yeah I wouldn't move. Because relying on a useless strangles test just shows stupidity and ignorance.
Very few yards ask for them although due to hysteria whipped up on social media,.a few have started.
Unless you're going to isolate new arrivals AND isolate and test after every competition or clinic you've been to , there's no point.
My horse is likely to continue to have a high blood result for a long time following a potential exposure almost a year ago.
I won't pay for another scope or put myself through that stress again.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
In my part of the country, almost every yard asks for it. You're pretty screwed yard move wise if you're not willing to do it.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
A lot of places are more sensible here.
Do they also test and isolate every horse that's been away to a competition or a lesson ? If not ,.why not ?
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
That’s the failing of the system. But a lot of yards want to feel like they’re doing something.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
They should do something more useful and sensible and isolate new arrivals. And isolate every horse coming back from competition,.camp ,.clinic etc.
Or we could all just calm down, take sensible precautions and not get hysterical. My yard apparently had strangles yet no horse showed any symptoms apart from one had a snotty nose. And nearly a year later my horse has high antibodies that uneducated people get hysterical about ??
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
The trouble is we should do a lot of things. I have great ideas for alleviating child poverty but no one wants to listen to them, either.
Reality is....reality. Yards aren't going to change these rules. I could have kept my horses at two different yards forever. Both required a strangles test. F*ck. That. And the £500 I don't have anymore. Didn't need that anyway.
Reality is....reality. Yards aren't going to change these rules. I could have kept my horses at two different yards forever. Both required a strangles test. F*ck. That. And the £500 I don't have anymore. Didn't need that anyway.
Poingsettia
Well-Known Member
Old thread but I was searching the topic. I’m considering a yard move, and a test is required. Due to limited vet cover I may not get much flexibility on dates to take blood. Is there a expiry date on a test as such? Eg if the blood was done mid month, assuming the horse was clear and no exposure to new horses, would the test be valid for weeks / months?
HorsesRule2009
Well-Known Member
It's only really valid when it's taken as any time after that is potential for the horse to come into contact with the virus.
You maybe ok if the yard you are going to would accept a long time period but that is down to the individual in charge
You maybe ok if the yard you are going to would accept a long time period but that is down to the individual in charge
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Deleted, old thread.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
How much does that cost and how effective is it, do you know?
doodle
Well-Known Member
I have just had a strangles test pre yard move. The earliest I could get it was 10 days prior to move. That was new yo and vets saying the same thung. It was done wed pm and I got results Fri am