Strangles is a highly infectious disease, signs can be horrifying. In the late 40s early 50s when as a

young lassie I rode at a small riding school,one year the owner bought in a lovely pony from an auction

 mart not long after the whole of the riding ponies school caught strangles no doubt the new pony had

brought the disease to the stables,the horses and ponies where a sorry sight heads almost to the ground

huge boils under the jowl that were running thick with pus, noses dripping thick lumps of cattarrh, the

school owner was distraught and the school had to close for over 6mths as none of the horses were fit

enough to work.

These days the disease and the importance of good hygiene and stable management is much better

understood there is also a vaccination that can be given.

Strangles is a disease of the upper resiratory tract primarily of younger horses, although animals of

any age can become affected. It is characterized by an acute pharyngitis and rhinitis followed

by abscessation of the regional lymph glands which may rupture and discharge thick creamy coloured

pus. The disease can be sporadic and become a severe problem in some areas

 Signs to look for.

Typical attacks begin with dullness lack of appetite rise in temperature to between 39.5 and 40.5degrees

and congestion of the visible mucous membranes especially of the nose and eyes, a nasal discharge at

first watery but becomes mucopurulent, there is often a cough, one or both of the submaxillary

nodes or one of the pharyngeal nodes, becomes enlarged, hot, tense, and painful to the touch

until a soft spot, usually over a prominent part of the swelling this becomes pointed and indecates the abcess following the bursting of the abcess the horses condition  improves greatly the temperature

falls and the appitite returns, very occasionally complications occur in the form of a suppurative

pneumonia there may also be abcess formation on the liver or other abdominal organs.

The owner needs to call the vet, and immediate isolation of the affected animal is necessary

if the animal was in a box it must be disinfected and left empty for about 4 wks, the horse must be kept

warm and soft food fed as swallowing will be painful.

The incubation period is 3 to 6 days.