30 Horses Exposed to Strangles in Wisconsin
A gelding at a boarding facility in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, is positive for strangles, with 30 total horses exposed.
Map of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
A gelding at a boarding facility in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, is positive for strangles, with 30 total horses exposed. Wikimedia Commons

On Sept. 29, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protectionconfirmed a vaccinated 12-year-old Standardbred gelding at a boarding facility in Fond du Lac County positive for strangles. He presented with mild bilateral nasal discharge and a decreased appetite. He did not have a fever or lymphadenopathy (swelling or abscessation of the lymph nodes under the jaw) and is currently alive. Thirty horses were exposed at the facility, which is under voluntary quarantine.  

EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. The EDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.

About Strangles

Strangles in horses is an infection caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi and spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that aren’t showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.

Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:

  • Fever
  • Swollen and/or abscessed lymph nodes
  • Nasal discharge
  • Coughing or wheezing
  • Muscle swelling
  • Difficulty swallowing

Veterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.

A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can help lower the risk of outbreak or contain one when it occurs.

Brought to you by BI
categories
tags
Trending Articles
A Veterinarian’s Responsibility in Horse Abuse Cases promo image
A Veterinarian’s Responsibility in Horse Abuse Cases
Ohio-2-Counties
2 Ohio Horses Positive for EHV
madigan-foal-compression-2400
Madigan Foal Squeeze Refresher
Tablets Pills Horse
Using the Right Meds to Manage Chronic Pain in Horses
Newsletter
Don’t miss an important EDCC Health Alert! Get alerts delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for EquiManagement’s newsletter.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Untitled
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.