Florida Thoroughbred Positive for Strangles
The horse resides at a private facility in Marion County, where 50 additional horses are exposed.
A Thoroughbred gelding in Marion County, Florida, was confirmed positive for strangles, and 50 additional horses are exposed.
A Thoroughbred gelding in Marion County, Florida, was confirmed positive for strangles, and 50 additional horses are exposed. | Wikimedia Commons

A 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding in Marion County, Florida, was confirmed positive for strangles after developing clinical signs on October 27. The horse resides at a private facility, where 50 additional horses are exposed. 

This is the 31st confirmed case of strangles in Florida this year. 

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
Portrait Of Female Vet In Field With Horse
Veterinary Sustainability: Clinics Get Creative With Equine Emergency Coverage 
pack mules Grand Canyon
Disease Du Jour Podcast: Donkey and Mule Care
vet head under laptop
The Business of Practice Podcast: Resilient Veterinary Practitioners
stethoscope computer spreadsheet
Daily Vet Life Podcast: Business Tips for Mixed Practices
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.

Sign up for EDCC Health Watch text alerts to get notified when an equine disease outbreak is reported in your state or region.