The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association is advising horse owners to keep the risk of strangles in mind as they head into the weaning season.
During weaning, horses are often brought into closer confinement and are under more stress. That can increase the risk of strangles, a bacterial infection that can be especially harmful to young horses that have never been exposed to it.
“This is the time of year when we often start to see it,” said Curt Hagele, a veterinarian and registrar for the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association.
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He noted that vaccinations can help prevent the disease, which he described as contagious. Alleviating stress on foals during weaning can also be beneficial, he said.
There are no indications the risk of strangles will be higher this year than in previous years, but Hagele said horse owners must pay attention to it because it shows up regularly and can cause unpleasant complications for the animals.
Strangles is caused by the bacteria streptococcus equi. An infection usually concentrates in the lymph nodes of a horse’s throat and neck, according to the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association.
The infection causes the lymph nodes to enlarge and they often will break open to discharge pus.
The disease can be transmitted directly between infected and non-infected horses if they are kept in close contact. People also can spread the pathogen among horses if they get it on their hands, clothing or equipment.
“There are a lot of complications associated with the disease,” said Hugh Townsend, a professor of large animal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon.
“Once they do apparently get over it, a percentage of horses will shed the organism for a long period of time afterwards. They can remain infectious for many months.
“It takes the abscesses probably eight to 10 days to start to rupture and then another two to three weeks to clean up after that. When they’re in that state they’re infectious for other animals so you’ve got to keep them separated.”
Several symptoms
Strangles can cause horses to get a fever, to get depressed and to go off their feed. At the extreme, the disease can cause asphyxiation.
“If the lymph nodes above the pharynx become large enough, they compress it and the animal can’t breath,” said Townsend. “That’s where the name strangles comes from.”
There is no formal reporting scheme to track the disease in Western Canada. Horses that have been infected can develop an immunity that lasts six months or more, Townsend said. As a precaution, it is wise when bringing new horses onto a farm to isolate them for two to three weeks. During that time, they should be monitored for signs of strangles or other infectious diseases.
