Two Saddlebreds Positive for Strangles in Wisconsin
The boarding facility where the horses reside is under quarantine, and 30 horses were exposed.
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Waukesha County
Wikimedia Commons image

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection confirmed two horses positive for strangles in Waukesha County. A 16-year-old Saddlebred gelding presented with submandibular lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement beneath the lower jaw) and dullness on Aug. 4. The second horse, a 21-year-old Saddlebred gelding, also presented on Aug. 4 with submandibular lymphadenopathy and fever.

Thirty horses at the boarding facility where the horses reside were exposed, and the property 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 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
Thoroughbred horse on pasture
The Effects of Mare Obesity on Pregnancy and Offspring
Side view
Veterinary Wellness Briefs: Practicing While Pregnant
The front view of a rider in jeans, cowboy chaps and checkered shirt on a reining horse slides to a stop in the red clay an arena
Oral Supplement From Biota Orientalis for Osteoarthritis 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.

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

EquiManagement
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.