What’s the deal with strangles?

Strangles is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection in horses caused by the bacteria streptococcus equi. It is characterized by acute onset fever and nasal discharge.  Your veterinarian may notice swollen lymph nodes and the classic presentation is abscessed lymph nodes under the jaw that are draining or ruptured. The name “Strangles” comes from horses that appeared to be suffocating due to lymph node enlargement. 

Unfortunately there is no effective treatment for this upper respiratory infection in horses. The most important preventative measure is strict isolation of any affected horse to prevent  spread and then let the infection run its course that generally takes 2 weeks to resolve. After infection your horse will have some immunity to the bacteria. Any horse can get Strangles and most have some sort of exposure or immunity to the disease. It is the younger horses, 4 years and younger, that are the most severely affected; but older horses that may be immune compromised are also at risk. Luckily, the death rate is low, but some horses can get very sick and develop a spread of the infection through the body called “Bastard Strangles”. 

The most important aspect for a favorable outcome is early detection and treatment with supportive care. There are vaccines against strangles, but they come with their own risks; ask your vet about vaccine options and precautions.

If you suspect you may have an upper respiratory infection contact your veterinarian for an appointment and they may need to do further diagnostics such as blood tests and cultures. 

Signs to look for:

- Nasal discharge, fever (temperature higher than 100F), decreased appetite, coughing, depression or trouble swallowing.

What to do if you are worried your horse may have Strangles or has been exposed.

- Quarantine affected horse and strict hygiene between other horses. 

- Monitor temperatures twice a day

- Contact your veterinarian for an appointment