4 Michigan Horses Positive for Strangles
The horses live in Genesee, Ingham, and Kent counties.
Four horses in Michigan, located in Genesee, Ingham, and Kent counties, were recently confirmed positive for strangles.
Four horses in Michigan, located in Genesee, Ingham, and Kent counties, were recently confirmed positive for strangles. | Wikimedia Commons

Four horses in Michigan were recently confirmed positive for strangles. The horses live in Genesee, Ingham, and Kent counties. 

In Genesee County, a 17-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was confirmed positive after developing clinical signs on April 6, including nasal discharge, fever, and decreased appetite. He is under quarantine. 

In Ingham County, two Miniature Horses on the same property were recently confirmed positive for strangles. They are under quarantine, and four horses are exposed. 

In Kent County, a 25-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding was confirmed positive for strangles on April 3 after developing a severe abscess at his throat latch on March 28. He has been euthanized. 

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 EDCC is 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 Boehringer Ingelheim, The Art of the Horse
categories
tags
Trending Articles
Horses in the stable
Multi-State EIA Outbreak in Quarter Horse Racehorses
Equine Ultrasound Exam
Using Ultrasound to Diagnose Muscle Injuries in Horses 
Tablets Pills Horse
Using the Right Medications to Manage Chronic Pain in Horses
1-Bathing_BiancaMcCartyPhotography-22
New Opinions Regarding Free Fecal Water Syndrome
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.