Conference noted::equitation

    THAT IS REALLY TOO BAD ABOUT YOUR STRANGLES CASES IN YOUR BARN -
    CONSIDER YOURSELF REALLY LUCKY !!  I KNOW OF OTHER APPY'S THAT WERE
    EXPOSED TO THIS AND DIED A REALLY HORRIBLE DEATH!!!  I GUESS THE
    START OF IT CAME FROM A TRAINER IN NEW YORK - HE HAD SOME HORSES
    INFECTED AND DIDN'T BOTHER TO ISOLATE THEM - IN FACT TOOK THEM TO
    A SHOW AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE ONE OF THE HORSES INTO MY MARE'S
    STALL(TO CHANGE A HALTER)!!  THANK GOD MY MARE DID NOT PICK IT UP
    BUT IT WAS A REALLY SEVERE STRAIN GOING AROUND.  THEY SAY YOU CAN
    GET A INOCULATION FOR IT BUT IT HAS ALOT OF SIDE EFFECTS....
    ITS REALLY A SCAREY DISEASE.  WHAT APP SHOW WAS THE FILLY AT????
    
    LINDA
    

    There is an innoculation against strangles.  It's two shots, given
    two weeks apart.  I was required to give it to a mare that I shipped
    to Kentucky for breeding.  She had no ill effects from it.
    
    Merrie

    
    
    There is a strangles vac - and my own vet recommends it for young
    stock which 'could' be subjected to the virus, either directly or
    indirectly (you're taking another horse from your barn to a risk
    situation and bringing them back into the barn).  I DID use it last
    year and it was HARD on the under 2 yr olds.. but after seeing the
    effects of it on a mature horse I know I made the right decision..
     
    By "hard" I mean that it knocked them off their feet for a few days
    

    - no appetite - low grade fever - 'dingy' sort of feelings..  I
    didn't get any bad side effects however.  Best care for those days
    was to keep them warm and out of the drafts - get them as much exercise
    as possible (pasture type) and give 'em a hug on a regular basis!
    
    This brings to mind a possible 'other' topic - what do folks out
    there use to disinfect stalls w/when they go to shows... when they
    bring a new horse in, etc...??  I had a wonderful nifty "attach
    to a hose" sprayer given to me last year - just for spraying walls
    and ceilings w/but the only thing that I've ever used was amonia
    and water.
    
    What do the rest of you do?
    
    smiles - h

    RE: .1
    
    The show tha the filly was at was the local county 4-H fair here
    in Illinois.  All of the other horses at the show barn were owned
    by kids from the local clubs.  From what I understand, the first
    night that all of them were in the barn about 6 of them came down
    with colic and required that they have a vet go out to take care
    of them.  I don't know if any of them also came down with strangles
    or if this was something that was left in the barn from some other
    show held at the fairgrounds.  One of the vet books that I read
    said that the bacteria can stay viable in a barn or stall for up
    to a year after the last case is over.  This means that as soon
    as the runny nose and draining has ended that the entire barn should
    be disinfected especially water buckets that are used by more than
    one animal. According to my vet some horses that contract strangles
    and have extreme swelling in the jaw require trachiotomies to keep
    them from suffocating.  Not a pleasent thought.  My mare is all
    better now and I have started to ride her lightly again.  She is
    back to her usual bratty way of going.  The filly that brought the
    strangles into the barn is better also and has regained much of
    the weight she lost.  All for now.
    
    Pat Leech

    Strangles must be everywhere this year.  And I guess no vaccine
    is 100%.  Both my event horses came down with it at the Kentucky
    Horse Park.  The weekend before that a friend lost an Andalusian
    colt to colic and came home with another with strangles from a show
    at the same park. Seems that all the barns around here have either
    had strangles or the flu, or both.
    
    I've taken to only stabling next friends I show with and making
    sure there's a tack stall between us and the next horses. I use
    a hospital-type disinfectant for the stall and carry all my own
    feed, bedding and water from home.  It probably won't keep the
    critters from getting sick, but it makes me feel better. And just
    to be safe I'm thinking of skipping the indoor jumper shows.
    
    
  

	I'm planning on starting with schooling shows next year and your
	note scares me. How bad is it at shows as far as disease goes? are
	there measures I can take to make showing less chancy? is it only
	a problem if you board overnight at the show grounds or is just
	being there likely to expose your horse? liesl

    Strangles or "Shipping Fever" is extremely contagious. Once one
    horse in a stable comes down with the disease, it's quite common
    for others in the same stable to become infected. However, in fifteen
    years of riding I have only come across the disease twice. Horses
    that have contracted the disease and recover are thought to be immune
    from further infection.
    
    Most probable sources of the infection are:
    
    	Water buckets and water troughs from which an infected horse
        has drunk.
   
       	Horses touching noses; one of them being infected.
    
    	Somebody patting an infected horse on the nose and going on
    	to pat other horses.
    
    	Occupying a stall previously occupied by an infected horse.
    
    So, any large gathering of horses is an opportunity to spread the
    disease. Anywhere where there are a lot of horses in transit, such
    as an auction, is almost guarenteed to have seen an infected horse;
    hence the name "shipping fever" for the disease. 
    
    Thus you can reduce the risk of your horse contracting the disease
    if you minimize his contact with other horses, bring your own water
    buckets, etc:. However, people can spread the disease so if horses
    in your barn become infected quarantine the place to people as well
    as other horses and don't you go near any other horse until the
    disease has run its course. 

    Our experience from many years on the show circuit is that your
    horse is more likely to contract a respiratory illness or Flu than
    it is to contract strangles.  This is especially true for older
    horses who seem to be less affected by strangles.  (note that we
    have never even seen it at our shows).  We vacinate all horses on
    the circuit every six weeks for Rhino (not just mares) and Flu.
    So far we have survived the `Northhampton disease' of 1985 and the
    `Great Springfield outbreak' of 1986 without a single outbreak even
    when we were located across the isle from horses which had to drop
    out of the circuit.
    
    Regards,
    
    Bob
    

    We just had another case of strangles in the barn that I board at
    in Ill.  The horse that was affected was a TB stallion that never
    has any direct contact with the other horses in the barn.  He gets
    turned out by himself in the indoor arena in the mornig when they
    clean stalls and then he gets put back in his stall.  They think
    that he caught the strangles from a water bucket that had not been
    properly disinfected after the others had it this summer.  The
    strangles virus can stay active and infectious for up to a year after
    a horse has had it in the stall and water/feed buckets that were
    used when it was sick.  The stallion is O.K. now and seems none
    the worse for it's illness.  I make sure that I keep a bottle of
    Lysol in my tack trunk and routinely clean my fillys stall and buckets
    every month as there are a lot of horse going in and out all the
    time. 
    
    
    Pat

    If you horse gets strangles, please don't treat your horse with
    the standard 3 days of penicillin.  This will just make him a carrier
    for the rest of his life.  A good vet will recommend that you treat
    him from 7 to 10 days.
    
    It seems that many more vets these day are recommending that you
    don't vaccinate against strangles.  They say that it's not very
    effective and in some cases it has caused strangles.  I think the
    vaccine is using a modified organism insteed of a killed virus.
    
    Larry.

    I have a 2 yr. old arab filly that my Vet suggested be innoculated
    against strangles. In a month she was due to go to a large stable
    for training in which 30 or more horses reside. He said it would
    help prevent respiratory disease in young horses such as herself
    that would be exposed to a number of other horses. He informed me
    that for a horse that has never had a strangles shot before, she
    would require 1 shot and a booster in 3 weeks (2 weeks is okay).
    She had her shot and had no side-effects from it. She had her booster
    2 weeks later, and no side-effects. It appears to be safe, but I
    don't see any reason to give a strangles innoc. unless your horse
    is going to be in a situation where there are other horses or possible
    conditions to transmit this virus.

    If a horse has had strangles, and is immune from getting it in the
    future, is he always a carrier who can infect other horses?  I was told
    that after several months in a germ-free environment (a barn without
    strangles) he would no longer be a carrier.
    
    --L

    Hi folks!
    
    How many of you out there have kids that are in 4-H horse clubs?
    
    I was involved in 4-H from 1956 thru 1968.  I started as a clover
    bud....etc..
    
    I know there was "politics" then....but I've heard that things
    were worse these days and THEY WERE RIGHT!
    
    I've been helping out a 16 year old girl that can't afford an animal
    of her own by letting her use my gelding as her project.  She's
    been doing pretty well.
    
    Here's the problem.  This past 4th of July weekend there was the
    annual 5 county regional 4-H horse held at the Tri-county fairgrounds
    in Nothampton, Mass..  Like last year, Lynette asked me to be her
    chaperone....as usual, I agreed.
                    
    There was one other rider that showed from Lynettes' club.  This
    rider has a registered Morgan gelding that she has been showing
    with in the "A class" circuit.
    
    Well, it turns out that the Morgan was sick.  Mind you, this horse didn't
    show any outward signs of strangles.....and the only thing that
    was mentioned to me was that it wasn't eating well.  (the horse
    tends to be nervous)
    
    Anyways, the following night I received a call from the mother
    of this exhibitor telling me that the horse was running a fever
    and now showing outward signs of strangles....the vet 'suspected'
    stranges at that point.
    
    I became alarmed at this news since I had a close encounter back
    in 1967 with this disease.  In fact, there had been an epidemic
    at that point.  One of my horses picked it up at a show, brought
    it back to my barn and gave it to 6 others that we owned!  Many
    horses throughout the whole region came down with it.  Some died.
    Luckily ours all pulled through!  But what an ordeal and expense!
    
    To get on with the story:  Lynette was at my house when I had heard
    this news.  I suggested that she call her 4-H club leader and
    request some help in getting in touch with the show committee. 
    (the way I look at it is...ignorance of the situation for the
    other riders would be a DANGEROUS thing).....there are preventative
    things a person can do to stop the spread of this!
    Lynettes "leader" told her to "keep her mouth shut"!  Then I got
    on the phone and this leader told me "it's only a sore throat" and
    that it was "nothing"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    When I told the leader I would contact the extension service in
    Northampton she finally agreed to contact the show committee.....
    I contacted the extension service the next day.....they hummed and
    hawed over this, contacted, finally, the show committee and you
    guessed it:  did absolutely nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    I can't tell you how totally disgusted I am with the Northampton
    extension service, these show committee members and that
    4-H club leader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This leader even told me
    that the only way to get strangles was to let the horses sniff
    noses!  Anyone out there that is familiar with strangles would
    know that just touching an infected a sick horse and then touching
    a healthy horse will spread it!  That this disease can be especially
    dangerous for very young and elderly horses!
    
    Anyways, if you know anyone who showed at this particular show pass
    the word.......and by the way, a culture WAS done and it was 
    confirmed...............STRANGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    I was thinking of writing a letter to the editor for the Horsemans
    Yankee Pedlar......I've got to get my act together and do just that!
    
    
    I'M TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH THESE PEOPLE!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    A short while ago I wrote a lengthy message regarding "strangles"
    at the 5 county regional 4-H horse show.  I received a message back
    that this message was placed under the subject of "strangles". 
    
    Is it me.....?  I can't find it anywhere.
    
    I was hoping to communicate out there with folks that had kids involved
    in 4-H and perhaps even exhibited at this particular horse show.
    
    I'm afraid putting it somewhere else defeated the purpose.

        
    
    
    
    
    
    

Not specifically related to strangles or to your original note, but according
to a few radio news reports, EE (equine encephalomyelitis (sp?)) is being 
detected on the south shore of Massachusetts to the extent that they are 
considering closing campgrounds, etc. because it has the potential to be fatal
to humans. (They being the state health organization.)

As far as strangles, I used to show my horse fairly often and was forewarned
about certain showgrounds around New England where there had historically been
alot of reports of strangles showing up there. I don't remember hearing about
it much at the 4H level, but at least for the local county Fair, they do
require a health certificate within a short time frame (not that it would
completely rule out sickness, but it might help reduce it...)

	I've been hearing some rumors that strangles is popping up in the
	southern NH/northern MA area and, before becoming overly alarmed
	and cancelling all horse plans for the next 2 years, I figured I'd
	ask if anyone knows whether or not its true, and if so where?

	Please feel free to reply here or send mail to ASD::MCCROSSAN.

	I'm probably overly paranoid, but I'm thinking about heading out
	for a couple of shows, and I'd rather not take any chances ;^) ;^)

	Thanks in advance for any thoughts....

    
    Notes 402 and 329 discuss strangles (symptoms, treatments) in detail if
    anyone wants more information.  I was the base noter for 402 and
    entered that note when my mare caught strangles when I lived in Chicago.  
    
    Stangles is not always fatal.  If you catch it early and treat it
    aggresively with antibiotics from the start most horses recover without
    long term problems.  
    
    There is a vaccine available for horses that have never had it.  Once a
    horse has had strangles and recovered they have a lifetime immunity. 
    The horses that are at the greatest risk are young horses less than 3
    years of age and older horses that have always been kept at home.  Most
    show horses have been out enough to have caught strangles and recovered
    at some point in their show careers.  
    
    If I remember correctly, horses that have had strangles should *not* be 
    vaccinated for the disease as there can be some very nasty side effects. 
    You would need to check with a vet on this point to be sure. 
    
    Pat

	More on "strangles" rumors.... It turns out that 2 horses did die
	recently at a barn, but one was an older horse who contracted
	strangles and the owners thought it was too much to put it through
	treatment, and the other horse had coliced....

	However, I haven't heard where this older horse contracted its case...

    
    One key thing to remember is that it's highly contagious!  Some folks
    don't realize that just by walking into the stall where a sick horse
    has been and then walking into a healthy horses stall you can spread
    it.  It can be transferred on the bottom of your shoes, manure forks,
    brushes, buckets, your hands, anything.
    
    One thing that makes my hair stand on end is that a lot of folks that
    are spectators at horse shows go around petting a number of horses. 
    This is a perfect way to spread the disease if one of them has it.
    
    If you believe your horse has been exposed isolate him from any others
    and keep an eye on him and of course CALL THE VET!  
    
    My vet doesn't encourage using the strangles vaccine because there is
    too much risk that your animal will become ill and he also feels that
    the vaccine isn't very effective.
    
    I had a scare with one of my animals last year that's being used as a
    4-H project....there was a case of strangles 2 stalls away from him.
    That horse did not have runny eyes or nose at that point but was not
    eating right....after the show we learned that he had strangles.
    
    If you are doing the show circuit and you are stabling your horses in
    the facilities on the show grounds disinfect!!!!!!!!  All you need to
    carry is some disinfectant and a spray bottle.  Spray everywhere before
    you put your horse in the stall.....remember, you don't know if the
    animal stabled before yours was sick or not...play it safe and assume
    the worst.
    
    I CAN'T ENCOURAGE FOLKS ENOUGH TO AVOID FOLKS COMING AROUND AND PETTING
    YOUR ANIMALS!  It might seem uncaring to people who do not understand
    however, your animals health must come first.
    
    Yes, I've been hearing for the last five years of nearly whole barns
    of horses coming down with strangles.  Especially barns that do a
    show circuit and have a lot of horses coming in and out all of the
    time.
    
    I took my mare to a show back in 1967.  She never "sniffed noses" with
    other animals there that whole day.  The problem was that there 
    evidently was a sick horse at the show.  A lot of folks came up and
    petted my mare since she was a pretty little thing.  After the show
    I took her home.  She had a separate stall that opened to the outside.
    The other animals in that barn were separated from her by an 8 foot
    wall.  Well, my mare came down with strangles and so did the other
    6 in that barn....and not because they had direct exposure to my
    mare!  There was none!....but I was walking from stall to stall
    cleaning, feeding and brushing....and thats all it took.....we were
    lucky and saves all of them but it was an uphill battle....all of
    the animals were very sick....it cost a lot of money in vet bills...
    even though the vet showed my sisters and I how to give injections
    and left us the medication......not to mention that your horse is
    out of showing for a few months......
    
    
    
    The most dangerous cases are when the horse develops internal absesses.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    I remember back in the 1987/8 in a big barn in NH the entire barn was
    affected. What they did was, putting a chemical solution in a trog,
    you stepped into this solution with rubber boots to get in and
    out of the barn. You were not allowed to wear your own shoes. You put
    on a type of coveralls that got washed every day. The show horses got
    vaccinated in the spring and fall, this is routine at most show barns.
    The horses that were vaccinated still got sick, but certainly not to
    the point all the others did. 
    Vaccinate, it's still better than getting the illness. 

	Re: .3 and .4:

	I do vaccinate for about everything under the sun... I think my
	horse is convinced that he's playing the part of the pin cushion in a
	sewing or fabric store movie ;^) ;^)

	What reactions do horses have to the newer strangles vaccination? I've
	heard that the old shot was a live virus which generally caused alot
	of reactions, but that the new one is a modified inactive virus... What
	types, if any, reactions are people seeing for this newer type of
	strangles vaccine?

	Thanks,

	Linda

    I just sold my horse.  The new owner requested a strangles
    vaccine before he was moved to their barn.  This was the
    first strangles shot he had.  He got no reaction at all.
    I did give him some bute that night just in case he got
    a stiff neck, but he was fine.  He will get his second
    shot at the new barn 4 weeks after the first one.
    
    But I was told by my vet that they didn't think this
    vaccine was effective.
    
    Lori

    Has anyone else heard about the barn in Bolton that has strangles?
    
    I guess the owner/or whoever it is that uses the barn, purchased a 
    horse at an auction and brought it home and thought it was just had a
    snotty nose. After having the vet there...it is strangles. I guess
    these girls have horse in other barns and are trying to be really
    carefull about washing up so not to spread it.
    
    I just thought of it...because I was looking at the horse shows and saw
    the show for Bolton listed and it rang a bell with me. I was going and
    desided I would skip that show and stay out of that area for a few
    months. Of course some of these horses from this barn could go to other
    shows and carry it.
    
    tr

    
    
    Every year I hear of confirmed cases of strangles not only in
    western Mass. but also in mid-state....confirmed by vets....some
    horses fully recover...and yes...if the horse is in good shape your
    chances are on your side....but to think it's only paranoia is in
    my opinion dangerous....you can never be too safe and you can never
    be too careful....the strongest defense you have with this type of
    thing is KNOWLEDGE.....not only in what to look for but also how to
    protect your horse as much as possible from contagious disease....
    
    As I've said with past messages....the germ can pass just by walking
    into an infected horses stall and then into anothers.....I'm not
    saying to panic about these things ..... but if you're really aware
    and careful about what you do....odds are your animal will be ok.....
    
    A 4-H club leader in Northampton felt it was better to "keep your mouth
    shut" about a strangles case last year....I think this is just the
    opposite of what we should be teaching the kids....you got to teach
    them to be SMART about things.....and smart doesn't mean covering an
    incident up.....a lot of folks do just that!  
    
    So, if you're at the horse show....don't touch that other
    horse....don't let anyone touch yours.....disinfect the stall at the
    show grounds BEFORE you put your bedding or the horse in.....
    If you think your horse has been exposed...even though he/she may not
    show symptoms....QUARANTINE and call the vet.....play it safe!  
    Don't let the horse eat the grass!!!  who's horse was there before
    yours?  
    
    
    
    I believe these things can be managed.....

    I was told by my vet about the barn in Bolton. She treats their horses.
    It may be that the vets in the area do not all call one another when
    something like this happens. I believe the barn was all put on 
    medication to treat the sick as well as to help the others hopefully
    not get it. 
    
    I did at that point talk to her about the vaccine or shots for it and
    was told that they have to receive two boosters before the horse would
    build up an (spelling) immunity to strangles to help the animal so at
    this point in time it is really to late to help with this local out 
    break but would help in any future ones.
    
    I think that vets in an area should have some way of letting others
    know of illness going around so that they can be aware of these
    problems.
    
    I do not know where in Bolton this barn is or the owners.
    
    I feel bad for them and their wallets!
    
    

	Just an FYI type thing I guess but, I was just reading through the
	"Other" section in one of the event descriptions in the summer
	USCTA Omnibus and for one of the horse trials coming up in July,
	the organizers strongly suggested that all horses have the strangles
	vaccination... I'd never seen anything like that listed before... Or
	maybe I'd never read in that much detail before ;^)

    The guy who services my boyfriends front end machine (what a mouthful)
    is one of the horse owners who's horse came down w/ strangles.  THe
    horse is quarantined for a month.  I got the details second hand, and
    don't know much more.
    
    This guy said that I should disinfect the stalls I'll use when going to
    a show and bring my own shavings.  His horse came down with it after
    being in an infected horses stall (or something along those lines).
    
    So, anyone know of a good disinfectant for stalls?
    
    It was mentioned to me soe time ago that once a horse got strangles
    they became imune to it.  It this an old wives tale?
    
    Thanks-
    
    Michele

     I was told by a vet a few years ago that, yes, once they had recovered
    from a case of Strangles they become immune. We had a case in our barn
    at the time, and I was concerned about my mare contacting it. The 
    attending vet told the boarders that many race horses are exposed to
    it at the track at an early age, and that those of us with off the
    track horses probably had little to worry about. My mare in particular
    came up lame at the time and while he examined her for the lameness
    I asked him about the Stranges further, he examined her throat area
    and found a lump that he thought to be a gland left enlarged due to
    a long-gone problem, quite possible Strangles. Indeed, while several
    of the barn's lesson horses contracted it (the orginal case was a
    boarder who shows heavily), none of the other boarders did.
    

    RE:  .13
    
    We use Creolin as a disinfectant, both for foaling and moving horses
    to new stalls.  

    
    	Nolvasan can be diluted with water and used to spray down
    	the stall before use. Just read an article in Horse Illustrated
    	this month, it says horses can transmit strangles up to five
    	or six weeks after they appear to have recovered. 
    
    	Sherry
    

Rumor from a very reliable source:

Twin Pines Farm is under quarantine for strangles.  Vet is Dr. Sally
McCreary.

I am not sure of the location of this farm but it is in Eastern Mass - I
believe in the Townsend area.  Please correct me.

    Pepperell.  Which is sort of between Groton and Dunstable.
    

    
    What is the incubation period for Strangles?  We have a case of
    Strangles in our barn from a horse that just moved in about a week and
    a half ago.  The horse vetted out sound and then became ill several
    days ago and has a confirmed case of Strangles.   I guess she was in
    the incubation stage at the time of her vet check.  My question is we
    have several mares in foal at our barn (2 that are due NOW) and one due
    in April.  What type of risk does this pose to them if they were not
    innoculated (only one of them got the shot)?
    
    KJ

    I think it can be up to six weeks. I'd isolate the affected horse
    immediately, and get the vet's advice. A friend's yard was hit by
    strangles a couple of years ago and they lost one horse; they were
    lucky not to lose more...
    
    JJ.

    
    On Tuesday we noticed that Poco (a horse at our barn) had a swelling
    on the top of his his jowl(sp) area.  The next day it went down, but
    it moved to where his glands are located... we called our vet and she
    is sure has strangles.  He is not his self at, but he has not temp
    as of yet.
    
    Our vet told us that she rarely see's this not get worse..she is
    expecting him to get the snoties/coughing/temp etc..
    
    Poco is  not him self at all right now.  Also, Poco lives with 2
    other horses (mine and a friends).  It is just about impossible for
    this horses not to have contact - we have an open 6 acre pasture
    and there stalls are very close together and they can all touch
    noses and sneeze on one another.
    
    I'm affraid we will all come down with this.
    
    A thing that has me puzzled is "how did this happen"?  we also had
    2 other strange things take place over the past month.
    
    1st - 2 horses moved in accross the street from Canada.
    2nd - 3 weeks later (after the canada kids moved in) we all
    	  came down w/ bot flys - we have NEVER in 20yrs had bot flys
    3rd - 2 weeks after the bot flys - 2 of the horses came down w/
          a flu - maybe Rhino flu
    4th - after the recovered - 3 weeks later - Poco comes down w/
          strangles.
    
    Do you think it was the Canada horses?  It probally is just a
    coninadance - and I am just looking for a reason for all this
    bad luck - but you have to admit it's strange.
    
    I am so depressed and worried.
    
    Louisa

    Have you traveled anywhere lately?  I understand the Strangles virus
    can live for a long time in warm moist areas (manure plies, stalls,
    turnouts etc.).  
    
    I also think your horse has to directly come in contact with the virus
    in order to catch it.  So if you have not been nose to nose with the 
    kids across the street, I can't say I'd blame them.  
    
    If your horses are older or have been around, chances are they've 
    already had it.  I would be cautious about having new horses come 
    to your barn.  I would also caution other horse people to take carful
    measures if they visit you (w/ out a horse) becasue they can bring the
    virus home to their kids on their clothes or boots.
    
    
     

    
    GOOD NEWS.
    
    i just found out we do have STRANGLES!  I was so depressed!  The
    horse is totaly normal now - and he never did have a temp.  Were
    pretty sure it was side affects from fall shots - or some other
    strange happening - but  i just got a call and he's fine.  
    
    Happy once again,
    
    louisa

	Whew! Good to hear! We could add this to our "safety at shows"
	note - no nose-sniffing at shows, no drinking out of others'
	water buckets, etc. It's always so difficult knowing where any
	of this comes from, and sometimes panics occur (like last year's
	note about not shipping over state lines, etc - don't remember
	the disease at the time).

	Anyhow, glad to hear it was minor!!

	-julie

    
    I am to, he's still fine and he's back to normal.    And the other
    2 horses are just okay-dokey.  I think we will look into trying
    to have the owner of the barn make some kind of seperate pasture -
    just incase anything like this ever happnes - it would nice to have
    them  totally apart.
    
    Lou

Hi folks,

My horse Shannon was just diagnosed yesterday with strangles althought there
was never any real doubt as she has hugh swellings round her face and at
the top of her neck.

The funny thing was that for the past five weeks the vet has been treating her 
as if she had a cold virus.  The first symptoms were difficulty eating,
clear discharge from her nose, slight cough mainly when she was eating and
generally looking pretty miserable.  After an antibiotic jag and a couple
of five day course of powders she seemed to be getting beter and then
over the last three days she developed the swelling underneath her neck.

My question is is this common?  Some of the girls at the stables think that
there is a cold virus and strangles going around but to me it seems pretty
logical that a couple of days after stoping the antibyotic powders this
all flares up that it is probably been the strangles all along.

They also are not doing a very good job of isolating the affected horses
four in total have showed the signs although I am sure that they will
all come down with it if they are going to.

This is the first time I have seen the disease and I am very worried as it 
seems a pretty horible.  Shannon is inside at the moment as she is having 
trouble streching her neck to eat of the ground so until the swelling
goes down we shall keep a close eye on her.  The vet has also left her
more antibyotic powders to stop the swelling from getting worse and bursting.
I have mixed feeling about that but we shall she how she dose.

What are other peoples experiences of the disease?  Did you use antibyotics??

Very worried

Michelle

    My vet had me giving my gelding shots of pennicillin, at first it was 
    a small dose but then the horse got much sicker. He got pnewmonia, maybe 
    from all the guck getting down into his lungs.  He was very miserable. 
    
    It is actually good if the pussy cysts pop. They should do so on their own, 
    or else the vet may have to do it. My mare also got it and except for a
    little yellow discharge, you'd never know, she didn't need treatment.
    My vet book says that only the very old, very young and horses who have
    never had it will be hit hard.
    
    My vet book says that if pennicillin is to be given, it should be
    given right at the start or not at all. If given at the start the cysts
    may not be bad, but if given after the cysts have formed it will
    prolong the whole mess and they may not pop. It says some vets don't like 
    to give it at all, saying it just makes things worse, so don't worry if
    your vet doesn't prescribe it. 
        
    Sharon

	Well I am hoping it is a good sign but after a couple of day of 
	antibiotics the swelling has gone down round the sides of her face
	and neck although it is still quite large on the underside of her
	face.  The vet has been give her them off and on for the last five
	weeks.  She seems to improve during a course but unfortunately
	everytime she comes off them she shows different symptoms!!

	She seems to be able to stretch her neck a bit easier but is still
	very tender about the swelling.  The swelling has scabbed a bit but
	still does not look like it will bust which I am not sure is a good
	sign.  Other than that Shannon does not seem to be too sick as she is
	eating and drinking plenty and towing me about when I take her
	out for walks in hand!

	The stables have been clearing some grazing for the infected horse
	to go out in well away for the other so hopefully if she regains
	more "normal" movement in her neck she can out all the time.

	Has anyones horse got over strangles without the swelling bursting?
	From what you were saying Sharon it sounds like I might have to ask
	the vet to burst the cyst?  I am going to see him tonight so I shall
	see what he says.
	
	Regards

	Michelle

	PS. Another pony has shown the first signs so it looks like it is
	on the spread!

    The "cyst" are accutally swollen lymph nodes, they are at the angle of
    the throat.  The book says they eventually breakdown and drain. This is
    'inside', NOT outside!  It sounds like your horse has something much more 
    severe, in that his whole face sounds like it swelled, not just under the 
    throat.  He has scabs on the outside? Wow!
    Perhaps he has some kind of secondary infection, my horse got
    pnewmonia, maybe your horse got some kind of nasal cavity infection. 
    
    I'd just follow what the vet says, it sounds like he is getting better.
    My vet book also says, "More than one strain of bacteria exists.  This
    may explain why signs of the illness are so variable."
    
    Sharon

    Where is your horse?  Just wondering if we're going to get an outbreak
    of it in New England.

Re -1
	Don't worry my horse is stabled in Scotland, (U.K.) about 40 miles
	south of Glasgow so unless you are comming across for a 
	holiday...........

 Re -2
	Thanks for the information Sharon I am not really sure what is 
	going on but she seems to be alot better yesterday.  

	Over the coarse of last week the swelling started all over her face
	including at the angle of the throat and drained too two main swellings.
	One is at the angle of the throat and the other was located between
	the two check bones on the underside of her face.

	It was this last swelling which finally burst on Saturday.  It did burst
	on the underside of her face outside and has been leeking a yellow 
	fluid ever since.  Yesterday Shannon seemed alot happier although
	she is very tender about the wound the swelling had gone down 
	considerable and she ate her dinner in her bucket on the floor for the
	first time in a couple of weeks!

	None of the other horse seems to have taken it quite like shannon
	most of them seem only to have a slight swelling which goes down
	when they start having a thick yellow discharge from the nose.
	My vet seems to think this is all normal for Strangle so who knows.

	Atleast she seems to be on the mend after almost two months!!

	I guess I have to look for some topics on "convalescent" now

	Thanks

	Michelle