Five Signs of Strangles in Your Barn

Strangles (also known as Equine Distemper) is one of the most common contagiousequine diseases known through horses all over the UnitedStates.This disease affects thehorses’ lymph nodes, and upper respiratory tract by a bacterium called StreptococcusEqui. 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 stranglesfor a long period of time.

The mostcommon signs of Strangles are:

1. Fever
2. Loss of appetite
3. Depression
4. Marked snotty nasal discharge (most common)
5. 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 dilutedpovidone-iodine solution to disinfect the hole. Followthis by gently scrubbing the surrounding skin.

For more information on equine Strangles, click here.

Watch 5 Signs of Stranges: