Information & Advice

Strangles is a highly contagious disease. It gains its name from the fact that affected horses can develop enlarged lymph nodes around the throat that restrict passage of food and in severe cases restrict breathing. Horses were emotively described as being ‘strangled’ by the disease in early veterinary books and the term has been adopted worldwide.

The disease is caused by a bacteria, Strep equi, and can be easily spread. Nose to nose contact between horses is an obvious source, but people, tack and equipment also have the ability to transmit infection. Water troughs can harbour infection for up to a month if contaminated with nasal discharge. Paddocks too, should be considered ‘dirty’ for a month after being used by affected animals. This is because both faeces and discharges can harbour bacteria.

Aerosol spread, where horses share the same confined air space, for example in an enclosed waiting arena or on a lorry, will transmit infection. Riding past infected premises should not pose a risk as long as horses are at least 25 metres away.

The incubation period following exposure is approximately 14 days although this can be up to 3 weeks in some individuals. Once infected, horses can remain infectious to others for up to 6 weeks in most cases. This period can be extended by months if the animal is not screened clear of disease and becomes a carrier.

Clinical signs include high temperature, dullness, sore throat and neck, enlarged lymph nodes around the jaw and throat and profuse nasal discharge. Some abscesses may rupture. Please remember not all these symptoms will appear at once or in every case.

ACTION
ISOLATE suspect cases. Call us to take samples and start appropriate treatment. Pain relief is always necessary; antibiotic use will depend on each individual case.

IF DISEASE IS CONFIRMED

Isolate the affected horse/s and set up strict bio security

Stop movements on or off yard and be honest – tell your neighbours.

Separate horses into three groups under veterinary supervision –infected group, suspicious group and unaffected group. Allocate individual people to one of the three groups only so there is no risk of a person spreading the bacteria.

Affected animals must remain within that group until PROVEN to be clear of infection. This requires either 3 naso pharyngeal swabs over a two week period or examination and lavage of the guttural pouches via endoscopy.

If affected animals are not screened they run the risk of becoming carriers and being responsible for future outbreaks.

PREVENTION

Monitor horses closely and take daily temperatures- above 39oC or 102oF warrants discussion. If attending events of any sort in the future, avoid nose to nose contact with any other horses. Always take your own equipment with you when staying away from home at an event –never share buckets!

New horses coming to a yard should be isolated for 3 weeks – in a paddock preferably and 25 metres from others. A blood sample taken on arrival and again at the end of the isolation period will determine whether or not there has been exposure to infection.

Not just the fat pony at grass – it can affect ALL horses and ponies.

SIGNS

Can vary from a mild lameness, shuffling gait or looking a bit “footy”, to more severe signs, such as:

Standing “rocked back” pointing front feet.
Reluctant to walk, difficult to turn.
Warm feet, bounding pulses on either side of the fetlock joints.
Sweating and blowing, maybe lying down – can look like colic.

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY: Call us on 01905 773262

ALL cases of laminitis should be treated as an emergency – the sooner treatment can be started, the better the long-term outlook. Get the horse/pony into a stable on a deep bed of shavings. Use a trailer/horsebox if this is some
distance.
DO NOT walk any further than is necessary to get the horse into the stable. If needs be, wait for the vet before moving.

LONGTERM

Treatment prescribed by the vet will involve painkillers/anti-inflammatory drugs to make the horse
more comfortable and reduce the inflammation in the laminae of the feet. It will also involve a prolonged period of box rest on a deep bed of shavings. This will be for MANY WEEKS – trying to return to work too early can result in serious life-threatening damage.

Foot x-rays at the earliest opportunity will be necessary in severe cases, but even in mild cases will be important for comparisons in the future, and for the vet and farrier to make shoeing/trimming decisions.

Co-operation from your farrier will be vital – hooves may need to be specially trimmed to reduce stress on the laminae, and special supportive “heart bar” shoes may be necessary. This will involve several visits.

CAUSES OF PASTURE-ASSOCIATED LAMINITIS

Obesity leads to increased susceptibility. Long toes cause mechanical stress on the laminae and increase susceptibility. Latest research indicates that fructans, complex sugars in grass are the main culprit. Levels of fructans vary with grass type, and also with temperature and light intensity, which will vary hourly throughout the day and also by season.

Other causes of laminitis include:
Feed overload
Other illness or severe lameness
Steroid treatment into joints or systemically
Stress
Metabolic diseases such as Equine Cushings disease

PREVENTION: better than cure

Do not let your horse/pony get overweight. Restrict grazing, especially in spring, not forgetting there may also be an autumn grass flush.

Fructan levels in grass are highest in frosty/cool grass and on bright sunny days – turn out at night. Turn out with a muzzle on to restrict grass intake. Avoid rye grass pastures – old meadow with a mixture of “traditional” grasses is best

Grass stores more fructans in its stem than in its leaves – stubble/grass stems left after hay cropping or pasture “topping” is much higher in fructans and more dangerous than closely grazed well managed pasture which will be more leaf than stem
Do not overfeed: Aim for low carbohydrate and high fibre, look for the Laminitis Trust approval logo.

Mud Fever is a really common problem over the winter months. It tends to affect horses with white socks or legs, as pink skin is often thinner than other types.

Mud Fever is caused by damage to the skin surface from constant moisture and acidic soil (clay-like mud is often the worst for this). The damage causes an overgrowth of common skin bacteria, leading to skin irritation, cracking and bleeding. The damage to the skin surface can make your horse more susceptible to other conditions such as lymphangitis where the legs become painful and filled.

If you think your horse is suffering from med fever, contact us so we can help you treat it before it gets worse.

Top tips to avoid mud fever:

  1. Is there any way you can prevent your horse from standing in mud? Fence off very muddy areas or place rubber matting over the top of them. Move feeding areas around the field so they’re not always in one place, and check your water troughs for any leaks! Though at certain points in the year, it does feel like everywhere is mud…
  2. Don’t wash your horse’s legs every day. If they come in with dry but muddy legs, brush the mud off instead of hosing their legs down. If the mud is still wet, give it a chance to dry before brushing it off.
  3. Sometimes only washing will work! If you do need to wash down your horse’s legs, add a little hibiscrub to your water towards the end of the process (just enough to turn the water slightly pink). This will help to reduce the amount of bacteria present. Dry their legs off as well as you can – an old towel is handy, but so is standing in a dry stable.
  4. For repeat offenders, clipping any feathers off can be helpful. This allows better airflow to the skin and makes it easier for you to treat and monitor.
  5. Apply a barrier cream to stop mud and moisture soaking into your horse’s skin. Aqueous cream or petroleum jelly can be useful for this, but there are lots of different lotions out there. If you’re trying to avoid mud fever, we recommend to keep it as simple as possible because – like people – horses may be sensitive to some herbal or chemical products, and new products may irritate their skin.