Strangles

pizzi

pizzi

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Has anyone's horses been affected by strangles or do they know of horses in their local area who have it? There are strangles outbreaks in Ayrshire but there are the usual rumours as to which yards are affected which are not helpful and of course, no-one wants to admit that their yard is affected. :(
 
I would be interested to know which vet practice is dealing with this as I had a vet out on 31st July, I remember the date because the bill arrived on the 1st of August!
She did the teeth, but did not use disinfectant in the water, I assume the tools were not used on other horses without disinfecting, but to be honest they should be more particular, and make it clear that they have strict protocols.
They don't take as many precautions as I did when my horse had it, I had enough trouble to cope with my own horse.
Make sure you dip your empty haynets in Bleach every day, avoid communal facilities, and don't let the hose go in to your water bucket.
 
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blood_magik said:
I heard stewarton but vets can't/won't confirm where exactly..
true or not, we've been told we're not allowed off the yard for a while
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Have been told that there are 6 outbreaks in East Ayrshire - not sure if this is yards or horses! I think that 5 are cases that the Mauchline vets have and 1 is Kilmarnock vets. Lots of rumours of course, which aren't helpful. :(
 
I think Mckenzie Bryson & Marshall are dealing with a quite a bit however don't quote me on it.

TBH whoever said stewarton livery - be careful where you repeat that. They don't have strangles and are very adamant about it, they threatened someone on facebook a few days ago (I was doing a bit of trawling on the unaffiliated shows ayrshire page), with their solicitors for saying that the yard had strangles.

I'm with you though - I wish the yards who did have it would just say they have it so people knew! It's nothing to be ashamed of, people are treating it like AIDs or something. it's not their fault - it happens to everyone (strangles, not aids..lol)
 
melxvengeance said:
I think Mckenzie Bryson & Marshall are dealing with a quite a bit however don't quote me on it.

TBH whoever said stewarton livery - be careful where you repeat that. They don't have strangles and are very adamant about it, they threatened someone on facebook a few days ago (I was doing a bit of trawling on the unaffiliated shows ayrshire page), with their solicitors for saying that the yard had strangles.

I'm with you though - I wish the yards who did have it would just say they have it so people knew! It's nothing to be ashamed of, people are treating it like AIDs or something. it's not their fault - it happens to everyone (strangles, not aids..lol)
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It would definately be helpful to know. Rumours flying around that the yard I am at has strangles - which it definately doesn't . Hopefully we will avoid it.
 
Definately. It's very frustrating not knowing who definately doesn't have it and who definately does. I think I'll be keeping my herd at home for a while just in case - I don't fancy footing a vet bill for 6 ponies all with strangles! The thought is utterly terrifying!
 
Well exactly, if everyone adhered to good bio-security measures whether their yard is infected or not then they are doing the best they can to control any further outbreaks.

As someone already posted, catching Strangles is nothing to be ashamed of, doing nothing to control it, is!
 
Posted in January 2011:
We have a highly infectious disease in our stables.
Here is what I wrote at the time:
Cross infection occurs at hay nets, at water buckets and any communal areas such as feed sheds, muck heaps, the kitchen, water taps etcetera.
1) Act quickly to prevent spread of disease: clean up the site and use Jeyes or DEFFRA approved fluids generally ( DEFFRA approved disinfectants are extensively tested, but are twice the price). Bleach is excellent for streptoccocal diseases, but will only work where the surface area is clean, also horses may not drink if the buckets are tainted.
2) divide into individual yards or groups, these groups are isolated from each other and no one person can access more than one group. where possible only one person will enter one stable.
Each yard will have a footbath to be used before and after entry. each yard will have a black bag to dispose of gloves, syringes and any other stuff, this should be removed daily.
Hay should be provided for each yard, and should be kept away from the horses noses, access should be from the side least affected by nasal droplets.
3) act quickly to remove low risk animals from the "hot spot"
ACTION Days 1-5 (as per veterinary advice)
Immediately lock up all animals in their stables: when mucking out do not allow any manure to spread on to the pathways. Put all water (from water buckets), and manure straight in to a clean wheelbarrow, dump wheelbarrow, wash wheelbarrow, disinfect wheelbarrow. Have a bucket of disinfectant ready for immediate use outside your stable, so that you can dip your (gloved) hands in it at any time. wash boots after exiting stable. Keep a pack of disinfectant wipes in the car to wipe over steering wheel etc, clean up the vehicle and everything you use has to be washed at 40 degrees.
Disinfect all areas around horses.
Do not allow people to come near your horse, use hose pipes to keep them away from a tap which is outside a horses's stable. Use a disinfectant spray before touching hose pipes. Use a disinfectant spray on taps or handles. Everyone should carry a spray of disinfectant (supermarket £1.00) and spray anything they touch.
Buy your own thermometer, do not allow anyone to enter your horses stable except in case of emergency, the vet and yard staff are able to transfer infection, do not allow them to infect your horse!
Stop all cross movements: Hay nets are the worse thing ever for disease spread, horses rub noses up and down them, then they are taken to the communal bale of hay.
Hose pipes dipped in to a water bucket will spread disease, make sure all buckets are disinfected, do not allow pipes to drop in to water buckets. do not fill water buckets if a nearby horse can contaminate with diseased droplets from its nose!
Feed room, close the feed room, this is a meeting place for horse owners, everyone should take their feed home and feed from a clean bucket.
Manure site: this should be kept clean, otherwise everyone using it will bring infection in and/or take infection out. No one should walk in the muck. Ideally the wheel barrow should be cleaned at the site of the manure heap. The manure heap should be emptied daily by a person not involved in horse handling. The area should be swept and cleaned every day.
Clothing: every time the yard is visited and a horse is touched, wash the outer clothing. Always wear rubber gloves, also disposable gloves, also rubber boots, also waterproof clothing every day. a helmet can be disinfected, else wear a clean hat every visit. Waterproof clothing is the only type of clothing which is able to be disinfected., else disposable outfits.
Obviously the yard should be closed to all but essential visitors until veterinary advise is otherwise.
Drains must be disinfected.
Everyone will pull together for the first few days, then other considerations like the cost of disinfectant and the extra work will come in to force, also those who have the disease will tend to think, what the hell, he has it already!
There will be recriminations, try to keep calm and keep emotional and physical distance from others, keep yourself up to date with events in the yard, remember that not all horse owners will want to share information with you. Yard management will not admit to liability (otherwise they may have to pay compensation)
Some peeps will not grasp the basics ie. isolation, cleanliness and the prevention of cross infection.
Strangles is not easy to identify, we had to take temperatures day and night, the normal is 37.5, the critical is 38.5 or more, and it can get a lot more.
There is no need to panic just because there is strangles in the area, it is spread by contact, so don't let anyone touch your horse if you are really worried, don't let horses touch each other, and wash bits etc every use, just add a good egg cup of bleach to your water bucket and use that to wash everything you use day to day, the rinse out and re-fill, it is much easier if you use as few things as possible.
if they are outside, keep them in their own groups.
 
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it was my yo who told me stewarton.
we don't have transport so it doesn't really affect us but it's still good to know if it's about so you can take precautions.
although I can also see the stewarton yards point - untrue rumours can be damaging to their business
 
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