Kentucky Horse Positive for Strangles
A horse at a boarding facility in Scott County, Kentucky, is positive for strangles, and 10 additional horses are exposed.
A horse at a boarding facility in Scott County, Kentucky, is positive for strangles, and 10 additional horses are exposed. | Wikimedia Commons

On May 19, a horse at a boarding facility in Scott County, Kentucky, was confirmed positive for strangles. The horse developed clinical signs on May 16, including fever and nasal discharge.

The horse is under official quarantine, and 10 additional horses are exposed.

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.

Share
Related Articles
horse in stable
Paso Fino Stallion in Florida Tests Positive for WNV
Horse in a stall
Ontario Gelding Tests Positive for WNV
Silhouette of a beautiful Arabian horse against sun shining thro
Ontario Filly Dies After Contracting EEE
White horse eye
Unvaccinated New York Mare Positive for WNV
Newsletter
Don’t miss an important EDCC Health Alert! Get alerts delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for Horse & Rider’s newsletter.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Additional Offers
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.