Strangles is one of the most common diseases diagnosed in horses worldwide, with over 600 outbreaks estimated to occur throughout the UK every year. Strangles can affect any age, sex or breed of horse and is feared among the equine community due to its because of its debilitating effects and its potential economic impact on equestrian businesses.

Strangles is a disease caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi that can be easily spread directly via horse to horse contact and indirectly through contaminated equipment, handler clothing and boots etc.

Whilst strangles is not spread through the air (airborne), the bacteria can spread when a horse with strangles coughs or snorts.

Watch a video on how strangles is contracted and how a horse can be come a carrier 

Clinical signs

• High temperature, above 38.5°C
• Lethargy/dull and depressed
• Reluctance to eat/drink, difficulty swallowing and/or a lowered head and neck
• A cough (although not always present or as common)
• Thick and discoloured nasal discharge
• Swelling of the glands under the jaw (lymph nodes), in the space between the head and neck, or on the head or neck which may lead to the formation of abscesses

The abscesses which cause the lymph nodes to swell can burst, discharging highly infectious, thick, creamy-yellow pus. In some cases the glands swell so much they restrict the airway, hence the name strangles.

Some horses may only show mild signs such as a mild fever, other forms of nasal discharge, a slight loss of appetite or even no signs at all. This is called ‘atypical strangles’. Horses with atypical strangles may go unnoticed but they can still shed the infection to others. If you do notice your horse is showing mild signs it is always sensible to isolate them as a precaution and contact us for advice.

It normally takes 3-14 days after the horse has been in contact with the strangles bacteria for signs to develop (incubation period). However, there have been times where it has taken up to 28 days.

Steps to follow if you suspect strangles

• Isolate the horse that is showing signs of strangles and any other horses that have had direct contact with that horse. Also isolate those which have/may have had indirect contact with the horse
• Call us for advice and to examine the horse showing signs. Your vet is likely to take samples that will be sent off to the lab to diagnose whether the horse has strangles or not
• Contact owners of the affected horse and owners of all other horses on the yard to explain the situation and what procedures must be followed to help prevent the spread
• The yard should be on ‘lock down’- no horses moving on or off the yard to help prevent the spread of disease
• Keep a very close eye on all other horses on the yard for any sign of strangles. It is vital to check their temperatures at least twice a day as any rise in temperature could be an early sign of strangles. Keep us informed of any suspected new cases.
• Spread the word, not the disease. It’s important to let people know, such as your farrier and neighbouring equine property, that you have a suspected or confirmed case of strangles. Strangles can have an unjustified and unhelpful stigma associated with it which may cause people to keep an outbreak to themselves. This can increase the risk of spread.

Vaccination

Vaccination options are available – the new Strangvac is the one we use.

The purpose of vaccination is to aim to reduce clinical signs and prevent the spread of disease. It can offer individual horse immunity and also possibly  herd immunity.

Vaccination can form part of a biosecurity toolkit (watch the video below on more biosecurity measures) – alongside good hygiene, testing protocols and temperature checking.

Let’s break down the stigma surrounding strangles, help prevent the spread and do the responsible thing by speaking out!

Watch a video on biosecurity measures that should be implemented during an outbreak

Further reading : 

Click on the images to open the documents for further reading

March is laminitis month

What is laminitis?

Laminitis is an extremely painful condition that can affect any horse, pony, donkey or their hybrids (this booklet will concentrate on horses and ponies). It is very serious and
you should contact your vet immediately if you suspect your animal may have it.

Laminitis occurs when the finger-like projections of the lamellar layer, which support the pedal bone of the foot within the hoof capsule, become weakened by losing their
normal shape. This results in instability of the pedal bone within the foot, potential inflammation and signs of pain and lameness.

In severe cases, the weakened lamellae may no longer be able to keep the pedal bone in its normal position, causing it to separate from the hoof wall and rotate or drop
towards the sole of the foot, thus crushing the sensitive layers underneath.

Find out more

World Horse Welfare and BOVA have put together a very informative document which details what laminitis is, how it develops, when to call the vet, reducing the risk of laminitis – and much more.

You can read the full document here: Equine laminitis BOVA and WHW

If you’re concerned and would like one of our equine vets to visit you – either for prevention or management, give the team a call.

Tel: 01653 618303

Sweet Itch is one of the most common skin diseases seen in the horse.

About 2.8% of horses in the U.K. are affected to some degree. Most horses first start showing signs when they are between 1 and 4 years of age and the condition generally worsens with each summer. All too often ponies purchased during the winter months prove to have Sweet Itch the following summer!

Which breeds are prone to sweet itch?

Certain breeds are particularly prone to the disease; Icelandic horses, Friesians, Shetland ponies, Shires, Hackneys and Welsh ponies have all been suggested as susceptible breeds.

What causes sweet itch?

Sweet Itch is caused by hypersensitivity to the bite of the tiny Culicoides midge. There are approximately 20 species of Culicoides present in the UK. The fly is active from March to October but peaks in numbers in May to September. Culicoides are very small and can pass through conventional mosquito netting. They are most active during dawn and dusk. The midges breed in aquatic habitats; any standing water, decaying vegetation and even manure is sufficient.

What are the signs and symptoms of sweet itch?

The worst affected sites are usually the tail head, under the mane and underneath the horses’ abdomen. The mane is one of the sites where the flies feed.

Affected animals are very itchy, may rub intensely, and become restless. Prolonged rubbing results in crusting, scaling, skin thickening, hair loss and damage to the skin. Mane and tail hairs may be broken.

Treatment and management

A thorough clinical examination will be needed to rule out other possible causes of itching e.g. Oxyuris/pinworm, lice and food allergies.  Good insect control is ESSENTIAL and should be the main focus of management:
– Stable the horse from 4.00pm until 8.00 am.
– Use specially developed rugs and hoods to provide protection.
– Apply sponge on fly repellents; often twice daily application may be required.
– Use Deosect; a longer lasting, pour-on repellent.
– Use a very fine fly screen over the stable door.
– Increase airflow by using a fan in the stable.
– Eliminate as many moist breeding grounds as possible; don’t allow puddles of standing water.
– Consider moving the horse away from wooded and wet areas.

Medication is available that can help decrease the severity but as yet there is no cure for Sweet Itch. There is an enormous variety of supplements on the market that promise to alleviate signs but none have been proven effective in a reasonable amount of horses.

* * Steroid medication: various types of this class of drugs are available from short to long acting with more or less risk of side effects (laminitis). This can be used in more extreme cases that are uncontrollable with other medication and management changes.

* There is a vaccination which was developed as a ringworm vaccine which seems to have as an added benefit a reduction of Sweet Itch signs, this was noted by Dutch vets using this vaccine. A course of 2 injections with 2 weeks in between should be administered before the start of the midge season (February-March). There is a UK study where after the vaccine 1/3 horses showed no more signs, 1/3 reduced signs and 1/3 showed no improvement.

Abit about the vaccine

We started using this vaccine 4 years ago and have had the expected results which have been a huge help for the afflicted ponies, Its time to vaccinate in February prior to this seasons midge. We import the vaccine so please contact the surgery to order your doses now so that you don’t miss out. Your horse would need to be seen by one of our vets for us to be able to administer the sweet itch vaccine, which can either be at your house or yard (visit charges will apply) or at the practice.

We can run a sweet itch vaccine clinic at the practice for those who can travel to us which will save you the visit fees too. We want your pony to have the best chance of a comfortable Summer.

As we have to import the vaccine we need to know towards the end of January each year if you wish us to order this in for you ready for the Sweet Itch season starting in March, so please do get in touch as soon as possible.  We can only offer this to clients who are registered with us.

Tel: 01653 618303
Email: prescriptions@stationhousevets.co.uk

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