strangles

[madmare4]

hiya guys I need peoples opinion on this matter...
so our yard for a couple of weeks had a "mysterious" virus. it went around 7 different horses all of which were in the same field. only one person got the vet out who said not to worry keep and eye on his temperature then when it goes back down put him back in the field... another elderly horse came down with the same virus but was quite ill with it only then was this horse tested for strangles which came back positive was it moved into a barn away from everyone else. all the other horses with the virus continued to go out with the other horses and only when the vets told them they had to be tested they were - and all of them came back as a positive for strangles... they are still out in the field! other horses are now coming down with the symptoms including one with a full snotty nose and the owner is refusing to bring it in! now more and more are coming in with it and no one is getting the vet!! nor are they being kept in or quarantined! so now there is about 25 horses with it... all in the field! its spread across to two different fields now as well. I keep my horses in a separate paddock as I always have but now both of my neighbours have it. im basically a sitting duck! because the yard owners couldn't control the situation! I cant exactly take my horses off the yard because we have strangles and I don't know what to do! im disinfecting everything I don't let anyone use my stuff inc my wheelbarrow and I have a disinfectant mat in the front of my stables. but seriously how can I do anymore when everyone else is being so carless???? Help!

 

[Honey08]

How horrible for you. You're doing all you can. What a irresponsible lot. There is a bit of strangles around. Dean Valley has cancelled all their competitions and shut their farm ride etc. to avoid it. Fingers crossed for you. I'd be having a stern word with the YO.

Perhaps post this in the tack room for more opinions?

 

[madmare4]

Thanks, yea I know, there's quite a few in that area with it and some of them are big yards down the road and I don't blame them closing it off tbh! Well the YO has the thought of the sooner they all get it the quicker it will be over.... Also it's too late to bring anything in now from the field either but I'm sure something can still be done!
How do I post on the tack room?
Thanks

 

[fatpiggy]

I don't think you can do any more than what you are doing now. And I wouldn't entirely blame the vet or the YO. Many people suggest that leaving infected horses out is actually better management and if the original cases were not showing classic symptoms then why would anyone suspect strangles? I'd be interested in learning how it arrived on the yard in the first place though. Prevention is always better than cure. Many moons ago we had a case on the RS where I kept my horse. I nursed the mare at weekends and she was really quite poorly. But we managed to keep it to just the one case. The only way we think she could have caught it was from a customer who had ridden at another yard and then carried it on and rode or handled our mare.

 

[Micky]

Sadly fatpiggy, some of these people are still going out and about with their horses, kindly spreading the virus around the area!! Some are just not acknowledging strangles which is irresponsible as it can kill in the end if the horse is slightly under the weather or has a diminished immune system...
Not a lot you can do madmare bar what you are doing, look after your horse and remember it has to have 3 clear swabs before it can leave the yard as is clear of infection, the same must be true for All the other horses on your yard...keep your chin up, youre doing all you can.