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Understanding Strangles: A Guide for Horse Owners
Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects horses, donkeys, and mules. Caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subspecies equi, this disease poses significant health risks to equine populations. This article aims to provide horse owners in Alberta and Canada with essential information on the risks, signs, outbreaks, and preventative measures related to strangles.
Risks of Strangles
Strangles is a serious concern for horse owners due to its highly contagious nature and potential complications. The disease can spread rapidly through direct contact with infected horses or indirectly via contaminated equipment, water, feed, and even human handlers. Horses of all ages are susceptible, but younger horses tend to be more severely affected. Complications can include abscesses in internal organs, known as "bastard strangles," and purpura hemorrhagica, an immune-mediated condition that can be fatal.
Information About Outbreaks
Outbreaks of strangles can have significant economic and operational impacts on equine facilities. In Alberta and across Canada, outbreaks are typically reported in places where horses congregate such as stables, racetracks, and other areas where horses congregate. The disease's ability to spread quickly necessitates prompt identification and management to prevent widespread infection. During an outbreak, affected facilities may need to implement quarantine measures, restrict movement of horses, and conduct thorough disinfection procedures to control the spread of the bacterium.
Outbreaks of strangles can occur at any time of the year but are more common in the spring. The disease spreads rapidly through direct contact with infected horses or indirectly through contaminated equipment, water sources, and human handlers. In a susceptible population, morbidity can reach up to 100%, making it essential to implement strict biosecurity measures to control the spread.
Signs of Strangles
Recognizing the signs of strangles early is crucial for effective management and treatment. Common clinical signs include:
- Fever
- Nasal discharge (initially clear, then becoming thick and yellow)
- Swelling and abscess formation in the lymph nodes, particularly around the throat and jaw
- Difficulty swallowing
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
In some cases, abscesses may rupture and drain, providing temporary relief but also increasing the risk of environmental contamination.
Preventative Measures
Preventing strangles requires a combination of good management practices, biosecurity measures, and vaccination. Your veterinarian can work with you on how you can prevent strangles, but there are some key strategies you can employ:
Quarantine New Arrivals: Isolate new horses for at least 2-3 weeks and monitor them for signs of illness before introducing them to the main herd.
Hygiene and Disinfection: Regularly clean and disinfect stables, equipment, and feed and water buckets, water sources. Ensure handlers practice good hygiene, including washing hands and changing clothes after handling different horses.
Vaccination: Discuss implementing a strangles vaccination policy with your veterinarian. Vaccines can help reduce the severity of the disease and limit its spread.
Monitoring and Early Detection: Regularly check horses for signs of illness and promptly isolate any horse showing symptoms of strangles. Early detection and treatment can prevent the disease from spreading.
Limit Horse Movement: During an outbreak, restrict the movement of horses to and from the affected facility to contain the disease. Immediately isolate any horse showing signs of strangles at least 10 meters away from others.
Protecting our Equine Companions
Strangles poses a significant health threat to horses, but with vigilant management and preventative measures, its impact can be minimized. Horse owners in Alberta and Canada should stay informed about the risks, signs, and strategies to prevent and control this disease.
To find up to date disease alerts you can consult The Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System Disease Alerts Tool and check out the CAHSS Equine Network Page.
For more more information, please refer to the Alberta Animal Health Source's detailed guide on strangles, "Strangles Disease: What Every Horse Owner Should Know."