Strangles

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FriendlyCob

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Oh god oh god oh god!!!!

My horse has a dry cough- he's had it for 2 weeks now but we have strangles in the area and I'm really worried! He's living out at the mo and does get a runny noes- as far as I know it's always been like this but he does manage to get dirt all over it so not a pretty sight- I've had a feel of his throat and I didn't think it's swollen but I'm having him tested anyway to make sure. I'm I know I'm over the top but can't help it- he's my lovely boy!

Does anyone know what tests I need and how long the results take to get?
:( I already feel like a lepper an I'm not even sure if it's it yet?

Sorry I'm not in the vet forum but though there would be more help in here!

Thanks everyone xxx
 
What do you mean you are having him tested?
The nasal swab is pretty useless, in that you need three swabs,and still not 100% definative.
A blood test will tell you if horse has been exposed to the disease, and is most useful, tests don't take long, depends on urgency, and so on, less than a week I think.
The gutteral pouch costs £200 and is ghastly, no one would put their horse through it unless the horse was in an epidemic situation and had had symptoms.
Strangles is spread by contact, and just because a horse two miles away has it does not mean your horse is in any danger.
Loads of horse have dry coughs, very few with strangles have dry coughs though. Loads of horse have wet noses, very few have strangles.
Take his temperature twice a day to make sure it is normal.
New horses on the yard esp from dealers are biggest suspects, that is why a quarantine is essential.
 
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Not too far from us then :(:(:(
There's nothing any closer.
It can be spread by contact, and by being in close proximity to other infected horses (as far as I understand). Airborne transmission is possible for short distances via coughs, sneezes.
Its a good thing that there's nothing as of yet on your yard - just keep your hands/boots/car tyres disinfected and make sure you don't touch other horses if you can help it and see what the vet says tomorrow.
K x
 
bakedbean said:
if he's had a cough for 14 days he would be well into full blown strangles by now.
much cheaper to buy yourself a thermometer and take his temp yourself..1.5 degrees above the norm, then he has a problem.
Best to keep yourself "sterile"..buy some virkonS and wash boots on entry/leaving yard.
and keep away from any yards that are confirmed.
Strangles is NOT airbourne, it is passed via water sources, wood (lives 65 days on/in wood) nose to nose contact

it cannot be passed once the "snot" has dried..it isnt a very robust virus once the moisture has left it..
Click to expand...

Yeah I though this Bakedbean but I'd be devestated for the yard as well as me if it is x
 
bakedbean said:
if he's had a cough for 14 days he would be well into full blown strangles by now.
much cheaper to buy yourself a thermometer and take his temp yourself..1.5 degrees above the norm, then he has a problem.
Best to keep yourself "sterile"..buy some virkonS and wash boots on entry/leaving yard.
and keep away from any yards that are confirmed.
Strangles is NOT airbourne, it is passed via water sources, wood (lives 65 days on/in wood) nose to nose contact

it cannot be passed once the "snot" has dried..it isnt a very robust virus once the moisture has left it..
Click to expand...

Er.... its not a virus ,its a bacteria. It can be spread as an aerosol through coughing, also by indirect contact.
 
MrsD123 said:
What do you mean you are having him tested?
The nasal swab is pretty useless, in that you need three swabs,and still not 100% definative.
A blood test will tell you if horse has been exposed to the disease, and is most useful, tests don't take long, depends on urgency, and so on, less than a week I think.
The gutteral pouch costs £200 and is ghastly, no one would put their horse through it unless the horse was in an epidemic situation and had had symptoms.
Strangles is spread by contact, and just because a horse two miles away has it does not mean your horse is in any danger.
Loads of horse have dry coughs, very few with strangles have dry coughs though. Loads of horse have wet noses, very few have strangles.
Take his temperature twice a day to make sure it is normal.
New horses on the yard esp from dealers are biggest suspects, that is why a quarantine is essential.
Click to expand...


arggggggggggggggggggg and all this is coming from somebody that still wanted to hack her horse out whilst it was being treated for strangles.

mrs d.. *BANGS HEAD*
 
MrsD123 said:
What do you mean you are having him tested?
The nasal swab is pretty useless, in that you need three swabs,and still not 100% definative.
A blood test will tell you if horse has been exposed to the disease, and is most useful, tests don't take long, depends on urgency, and so on, less than a week I think.
The gutteral pouch costs £200 and is ghastly, no one would put their horse through it unless the horse was in an epidemic situation and had had symptoms.
Strangles is spread by contact, and just because a horse two miles away has it does not mean your horse is in any danger.
Loads of horse have dry coughs, very few with strangles have dry coughs though. Loads of horse have wet noses, very few have strangles.
Take his temperature twice a day to make sure it is normal.
New horses on the yard esp from dealers are biggest suspects, that is why a quarantine is essential.
Click to expand...


arggggggggggggggggggg and all this is coming from somebody that still wanted to hack her horse out whilst it was being treated for strangles.

mrs d.. *BANGS HEAD*
 
bakedbean said:
Strangles is NOT airbourne, it is passed via water sources, wood (lives 65 days on/in wood) nose to nose contact

it cannot be passed once the "snot" has dried..it isnt a very robust virus once the moisture has left it..
Click to expand...

Strangles can be airbourne spreading through droplet infection eg. Coughs and sneezes etc. It can also be spread by fomite contact eg. Handling/ sharing equipment etc. And can also be spread by poor hygiene by stable staff who dont take adequate precautions It is a highly infectious virus and if its suspected all precautions should be taken. whoever told you that secretions when dried arent infectious is talking utter crap. Treat the strangles virus as something other than highly infectious and you do so at your peril.
 
One of my ponies has just been diagnosed with strangles. The vet said that the airbourne contagions dont travel very far he said it was far more likely to be spread by moist means. We were at a show two weeks before and she may have picked it up there. At the moment all other ponies are ok and we are hoping that it stays that way
 
Take basic hygiene precautions if you have been in contact, do not use haynets, especially communal ones, feed off the floor. Do not dip the hose in to the bucket when filling. Use as little equipment as possible. If you have to handle more than horse, do the diseased one last, remove your overall/jacket and gloves, put in a bag and take home to wash. The inside of your car is more likely to be contaminated than the outside.
Change clothes every time you handle your horse. Do not touch any horse or mix with other people or use a communal tack room or feed room. Put your horse in to isolation, make sure no one touches him.
Take temperature twice a day.
Bleach is a good disinfectant IF you are using it on a clean surface, but degrades on a dirty surface, use Jeyes Fluid for footbaths, and use bleach on hose and taps, door handles, locks etc. Use on brush and a hoofpick, wash every use in bleach solution. Marigolds are more practical and robust than latex gloves.
Wipe tack over with anti bactericide cloths [supermarket] Best to take everything home and wash it all then leave out in sunlight for several days before storing for 2-3 months.
Wipe the steering wheel etc of the car every time you are in it after being at yard.
Competition horses may need to be vaccinated [ask for vet advice as it is not a one off] clean lorry every time it is used, cleanliness is essential, then you can wash down with Bleach solution, Jeyes fluid will actually sterilise "dirt" but you really need to be scrupulous with this disease.
 
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jhoward said:
arggggggggggggggggggg and all this is coming from somebody that still wanted to hack her horse out whilst it was being treated for strangles.

mrs d.. *BANGS HEAD*
Click to expand...
all this from someone who knows something about disease control, [it is possible to hack out a horse six weeks after any symptoms as long as the hack is at the walk and no horses ever use that ride]
 
MrsD123 said:
all this from someone who knows something about disease control, [it is possible to hack out a horse six weeks after any symptoms as long as the hack is at the walk and no horses ever use that ride]
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Bloody hell.............................
 
MrsD123 said:
all this from someone who knows something about disease control, [it is possible to hack out a horse six weeks after any symptoms as long as the hack is at the walk and no horses ever use that ride]
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Do you need to put signs up warning other riders that they shouldn't ride on the route you take? Is the 6 weeks after symptoms disappear or from the first sign and is that after a vet has said the horse is no longer infected? I would be mortified if someone rode their infected horse anywhere near my horses. Whilst I do think that strangles is often panicked about, and people try to keep it secret because of the panic it causes, I would expect any owner to be responsible in ensuring there is absolutely no risk of their horse infecting another before taking it off their own yard. I wouldn't dream of hacking out an infected horse unless my vet had confirmed it was clear and no risk to others.
 
Here we go again, I took my horse for a paddle in the sea, USING A ROUTE NO ONE ELSE COULD USE!!!!, he had not had any symptoms for six weeks. He was not anywhere near any horses or people for that matter.
And the vet moved him twice, at which times he was much closer to any horses than I took him.
 
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MrsD123 said:
Here we go again, I took my horse for a paddle in the sea, using a route no one else could use, he had not had any symptoms for six weeks. He was not anywhere near any horses or people for that matter.
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oh yes, because the sea doesnt move...and nobody ever goes in it...
 
MrsD123 said:
Here we go again, I took my horse for a paddle in the sea, USING A ROUTE NO ONE ELSE COULD USE!!!!, he had not had any symptoms for six weeks. He was not anywhere near any horses or people for that matter.
And the vet moved him twice, at which times he was much closer to any horses than I took him.
Click to expand...

Ah that's a little more information than you had originaly posted, way back when. At which time you were stating that your horse had strangles, but you wanted to hack him:confused:
 
amymay said:
Ah that's a little more information than you had originaly posted, way back when. At which time you were stating that your horse had strangles, but you wanted to hack him:confused:
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People jumped to conclusions, threads were carefully worded to ensure anonymity, in line with forum policy, but I would hardly hack out when he was actively infectious, he was stabled for two months and in a field [aka the bog] for two months, horses passed withing ten metres of the bog, but I could access a hack where no horses go.
 
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