Strangles

Spotted Mustang · 07-02-2008, 10:24 AM

I wanted to talk about Strangles.

Doublebarr was talking about how she handles it by allowing her yearlings to come down with it, which seems to make them immune. I hope she will come and share her experiences and how she treats it within her herd with us.

Has anyone else had a horse with strangles?

JBandRio · 07-02-2008, 10:25 AM

Having strangles does give immunity, but it's not necessarily a permanent immumity, and they can still come down with it in a less intense form in the near future.

Ryle · 07-02-2008, 10:40 AM

"Allowing horses to come down with strangles" also helps to create new silent carriers of the bacteria that can harbor it without symptom of disease but still spread it for years to come after "full recovery."

doublebarr · 07-02-2008, 10:44 AM

Ryle - Can horses who are vaccinated still come down with strangles and "become silent carriers"? I do know the answer.

Mutrok · 07-02-2008, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doublebarr

Ryle - Can horses who are vaccinated still come down with strangles and "become silent carriers"? I do know the answer.

A good friend of mine has a horse who is a carrier....had been vaccinated every year for years. His case was a pretty mild case but he will still titer positive.

Tell me more about carriers... How and when can they transmit it?

Ryle · 07-02-2008, 10:48 AM

yes, they can.
But we are talking about the active choice to expose horses to strangles in this thread, not just refusal to vaccinate.

doublebarr · 07-02-2008, 10:56 AM

Well, that is not the way I put it in the original post she is talking about. I do not vaccinate and much perfer my yearlings to contract strangles. Which, because we are close enough to the Amish that we are often in contact with their "constant sale barn purchases" and we see it every year. So, if that is what you mean by "choice to expose horses to strangles" then yes, we do. I however, never have had to worry about a pregnant mare coming down with it later in life or show horses coming down with strangels at a awful time. They get it as yearlings, and I can honestly say, with all the horses we've owned, NOTHING has ever gotten strangles again.

This is something that I have gone over with numerous vets and they are split about 50/50 in agreement or not. Some are very vocal about why I should vaccinate, and the others are in full agreement with our practice. And I am talking about Equine vets, not cow vets.

Ryle · 07-02-2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mutrok

A good friend of mine has a horse who is a carrier....had been vaccinated every year for years. His case was a pretty mild case but he will still titer positive.

Tell me more about carriers... How and when can they transmit it?

Titering positive from blood doesn't mean that he is a silent carrier, it just means that his body still has antibodies against strangles. Considering that 75% of horses that get the disease will develope a long-lasting immunity to the bacteria, that's not surprising.

To diagnose a silent carrier, you have to take samples from the guttural pouches.

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle....5&kw=strangles

doublebarr · 07-02-2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mutrok

A good friend of mine has a horse who is a carrier....had been vaccinated every year for years. His case was a pretty mild case but he will still titer positive.

Tell me more about carriers... How and when can they transmit it?

Same way as a horse with "active strangles". They just dont exhibit the symptoms. So, in reality, you do not know if any horse you come in contact with is a potential carrier, thus why I much perfer my yearlings to go through the virus and develope natural antibodies against the virus. Doesn't matter who we come in contact with, they've got immunity.

I do realize there ARE some cases where they don't, but they are the exception and I and some vets agree that they are also the ones who potentially develope strangles ON a vaccine.

Mutrok · 07-02-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryle

Titering positive from blood doesn't mean that he is a silent carrier, it just means that his body still has antibodies against strangles. Considering that 75% of horses that get the disease will develope a long-lasting immunity to the bacteria, that's not surprising.

To diagnose a silent carrier, you have to take samples from the guttural pouches.

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle....5&kw=strangles

That is exactly what they did

07-02-2008, 10:24 AM	#1
Spotted Mustang Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: TX Posts: 383	Strangles I wanted to talk about Strangles. Doublebarr was talking about how she handles it by allowing her yearlings to come down with it, which seems to make them immune. I hope she will come and share her experiences and how she treats it within her herd with us. Has anyone else had a horse with strangles? __________________ If all I did was teach you to think like a horse and truly understand their psychology, you'd have the keys to be able to do whatever you want with horses, and to win their hearts. ~ Pat Parelli

07-02-2008, 10:25 AM	#2
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 22,435 Images: 138 Blog Entries: 12	Having strangles does give immunity, but it's not necessarily a permanent immumity, and they can still come down with it in a less intense form in the near future. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

07-02-2008, 10:40 AM	#3
Ryle Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764 Images: 1	"Allowing horses to come down with strangles" also helps to create new silent carriers of the bacteria that can harbor it without symptom of disease but still spread it for years to come after "full recovery." __________________ Cindy D. Registered Veterinary Technician Member American Assoc. of Equine Veterinary Technicians

07-02-2008, 10:44 AM	#4
doublebarr Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 7,300 Images: 549	Ryle - Can horses who are vaccinated still come down with strangles and "become silent carriers"? I do know the answer. __________________ ROCK ON ANN COULTER!!! YOU GO GIRL!

07-02-2008, 10:48 AM	#6
Ryle Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764 Images: 1	yes, they can. But we are talking about the active choice to expose horses to strangles in this thread, not just refusal to vaccinate. __________________ Cindy D. Registered Veterinary Technician Member American Assoc. of Equine Veterinary Technicians

07-02-2008, 10:56 AM	#7
doublebarr Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 7,300 Images: 549	Well, that is not the way I put it in the original post she is talking about. I do not vaccinate and much perfer my yearlings to contract strangles. Which, because we are close enough to the Amish that we are often in contact with their "constant sale barn purchases" and we see it every year. So, if that is what you mean by "choice to expose horses to strangles" then yes, we do. I however, never have had to worry about a pregnant mare coming down with it later in life or show horses coming down with strangels at a awful time. They get it as yearlings, and I can honestly say, with all the horses we've owned, NOTHING has ever gotten strangles again. This is something that I have gone over with numerous vets and they are split about 50/50 in agreement or not. Some are very vocal about why I should vaccinate, and the others are in full agreement with our practice. And I am talking about Equine vets, not cow vets. __________________ ROCK ON ANN COULTER!!! YOU GO GIRL!

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