The strangles vaccine is the one exception: it should not be given if a horse's vaccination history is unknown. In rare cases, horses that have had strangles before and those that have been repeatedly vaccinated for the disease may have a serious complication called purpura hemorrhagica if they are vaccinated again, according to Dr. David Horohov of the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, Ky.

Purpura hemorrhagica is an immune reaction that causes the blood vessels in the head, legs, and abdomen to swell. This condition is painful for the horse as circulation is impaired. Horses with purpura hemorrhagica can be very depressed and it can take a long time for the swelling to abate. Purpura hemorrhagica can be fatal if it isn't treated effectively or in a timely manner.

Though the risk of purpura hemorrhagica is small, it's best to pull a strangles titer on a horse with an unknown history. The titer will show if a horse carries antibodies to Streptococcus equi. If he does show titers, he doesn't need to be vaccinated again.

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

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Because of the potential significant health and welfare consequences – and the economic costs associated with the disease – finding additional information about the strangles is crucial.

Dr. Catriona Mitchell and colleagues from 18 countries used DNA sequencing techniques to analyze 670 Streptococcus equi isolates from 19 countries. The researchers found different variants of the disease. Strangles in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Argentina are closely linked. The research team determined that the movement of horses and global trade help spread the disease.

The team suggests that labs utilize an online surveillance platform called Pathogenwatch to monitor the emergence and spread of new strains of strangles. This will assist with interventions and policy-making decisions.

The authors suggest that strangles be recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an internationally important disease. They also suggest that identifying horses that are infected with strangles before or immediately after travel would limit the movement of the disease.

Read the full article here.

Read more here.

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Affected horses may have a fever, get a snotty nose and feel poorly. Horses with strangles develop swollen, sore lymph nodes, particularly under their jaw. These abscesses eventually open and drain pus, Antibiotics are not necessary in most cases. 

Horse Illustrated reports that there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the common and highly transmissible illness.

Some of the most common misconceptions about strangles include misunderstandings about how the disease spreads and how protect against it. Strangles is not spread through respiratory droplets in the air, but rather contact between horses or fomites — contaminated objects like buckets or halters. It also doesn't survive well in an outdoor environment or in soil. While there are vaccinations available for strangles, they may not be effective. Owners should consult a veterinarian for vaccine guidance.

Read more at Horse Illustrated. 

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A horse with a runny nose is always something to note, but a bit more work may be required to determine its cause. 

Look closely at discharge color, odor, quantity and consistency, as well as if there is anything in the discharge like dirt, debris or feed. Notice if the discharge is coming from one nostril or two, as well as the horse's demeanor. A check of his vital signs is in order. 

If the horse's nasal discharge is clear and thin, and he's bright and acting normally, he most likely inhaled some dust or hay and has irritated his nasal passages, but is otherwise fine. A small trickle of bright red blood that stops bleeding in minutes is also most likely nothing to be concerned about—the horse probably got poked with a piece of stemmy hay. 

The following require a call to the vet as they may indicate serious issues: 

• Discharge that includes saliva or chewed food, which could mean the horse is choking. 
• Bright red blood that is flowing freely for more than 30 minutes may be a sign of nasal passage injury.
• Blood that is dark and draining could indicate that the horse has blood accumulating in his sinuses or respiratory tract. 
• Thick, yellow mucus can be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection, or strangles. 
• Discharge that smells, which may be indicative of an infection. 

If the discharge indicates the horse may have an infection or contagious disease, keep him away from other horses and tell the vet what he or she may be dealing with before they arrive so they can adequately prepare. Don't handle any other horses before the vet arrives; if there's no other option, be sure to wash and sanitize hands and change clothes whenever possible. 

Read more at EQUUS. 

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It's best to treat a horse with no vaccination history as if he has never received any vaccines, administering both shots and their routine boosters, reports EQUUS magazine. Administering additional doses of most vaccines is not harmful, with one exception: The strangles vaccine.

In rare instances, horses that have had strangles before, or those that have been repeatedly vaccinated for strangles, may develop a potentially serious complication if administered the vaccine again: purpura hemorrhagica. This abnormal reaction is when the blood vessels of the head, legs and abdomen swell.

Owners of horses with unknown vaccination history would be wise to draw a titer to see if the horse has antibodies to the organism that causes strangles before administering the vaccine.

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

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Strangles became a nationally monitored disease in 2017; this means that each state can have varying rules and regulations on how or if strangles is reported. Some states require that veterinarians notify the state if they have a suspected strangles case (notifiable), while other states only receive confirmed laboratory results (monitoring only). Still other states require that the state veterinarian be notified; the state vet can then put official quarantines and biosecurity measures in place (actionable).

Since so many states operate in different manners, there is no comprehensive database to show the prevalence and distribution of strangles in the United States. Additionally, there is no consensus as to if the disease should be notifiable or actionable, partially because of how difficult it can be to determine if a horse is free from disease.

This study was created to determine if horse owners and veterinarians want equine strangles to be a notifiable and/or actionable disease. Penn Vet is asking for responses to the survey, even if people haven't seen the disease. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Learn more and take the survey here.

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