Strangles (also known as Equine Distemper) is one of the most common contagious equine diseases known through horses all over the United States. This disease affects the horses’ lymph nodes, and upper respiratory tract by a bacterium called Streptococcus Equi. This disease is spread through the snotty discharge or material from draining abscesses. Sometimes it is common for a horse to carry the bacterium and show no signs of strangles for a long period of time.
The most common signs of Strangles are:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Depression
- Marked snotty nasal discharge (most common)
- Swelling of Lymph nodes
Strangles is very contagious and can easily be spread throughout an entire barn. If a horse has symptoms of strangles, quarantine them until the symptoms subside. Make sure to disinfect what the infected horse has touched.
Strangles can be treated with penicillin or penicillin-derivative antibiotics. If your horse develops an abscess and it bursts, it is extremely important to keep the wound clean. Use a diluted povidone-iodine solution to disinfect the hole. Follow this by gently scrubbing the surrounding skin.
For more information on equine Strangles, click here.
Watch 5 Signs of Strangles:
