Help! my barn has strangles?

Question

i found out theres a horse at my barn with strangles. and about five horses have it.

im afraid my tb might get it. but its been seven days since the strangles came.

what should i do?

thanks.

Answer 1

ok

Answer 2

theres nothing you can do the whole barn will hace to be quarantined

Answer 3

Is your horse vaccinated against strangles?  If not, do so.  Then move your horse to another barn, after the quarantine period is up.  I used to work at a boarding facility.  ALL horses were required to be fully vaccinated before being allowed on the property (they had to produce shot records), and they were then quarantined away from the other horses for at least 4 weeks before being allowed turnout or into any area where they may come into contact with another horse (like runs attached to some of the stalls).  Any boarding facility that allowed this to happen is not one I would keep my horse at.

Answer 4

First of all, I'd be ticked off that a new horse was let into the barn without quarantine.

I'd separate your horse from the rest and call the vet to see what they think.

Answer 5

Prevention:

Both intramuscular and intranasal vaccines are available. Isolation of new horses for 4 to 6 weeks, immediate isolation of infected horses, and disinfection of stalls, water buckets, feed troughs, and other equipment will help prevent the spread of strangles. As with any contagious disease, handwashing is a simple and effective tool.

Treatment:

As with many streptococcal infections, penicillin or penicillin-derivative antibiotics are the most effective treatments. However, some authorities are of the opinion that use of antibiotics are contra-indicated once abscesses have begun to form, as they pre-dispose to lymphatic spread of the infection (so-called b*****d strangles) which has a much higher mortality rate.

After an abscess has burst, it is very important to keep the wound clean. A diluted povidone-iodine solution has been used with good results to disinfect the open hole, flushing the inside with a syringe tipped with a teat cannula, followed by gentle scrubbing to keep the surrounding area clean.