Strangles

[hellybelly6]

Hope you can help. I had a horse vetted, he passed. He did not pass the strangles test - ELISA. He is having endoscopy and guttural pouch flush tomorrow I hope. My question is, worse case scenario if he is a carrier can he be cured, how and how long will it take?

Thank you

 

[meleeka]

Yes I believe it’s just a flush and perhaps a course of penicillin. If the flush doesn’t work they need surgery to remove any puss nodules (sorry not sure of the proper name).

 

[Shay]

Chondrotids is the correct term I think. But yes - a strangles carrier can be cleared of strangles. But it can take quite a time - multiples of 6 weeks I think as they have to re-test clear after 6 weeks. And it can be expensive - especially if surgery is required. A positive ELISA only means he has been exposed though so it might not be as serious.

 

[hellybelly6]

Thank you

 

[SEL]

The liquid they take from flushing the pouches will go away to be tested, which will indicate whether or not the horse is a carrier. Mine was scoped after a positive blood test earlier this year and the vet said she rarely sees chondrotids - it's not common.

The guttural pouch wash results for mine were negative, so all good on that front. On the plus side once they've been exposed they shouldn't get it in future.

Let us know how it goes.