Manage and control
Although highly contagious, strangles is a disease that can be managed and even prevented, says vet Nic de Brauwere
Photos: Jon Stroud, Bob Atkins, Redwings, Photology1971 - DeepBreathing - Marie Charazouva/shutterstock.com. With thanks to Redwings for their help with this feature, redwings.org.uk
Strangles is a nasty respiratory disease that, while not usually fatal, is very distressing for any horse suffering from it and can give rise to complications.
Unlike Covid and flu in humans, which are essentially airborne viruses, strangles is a bacterial infection spread through direct contact between horses or indirect contact via shared equipment, surfaces, drinking water and human handlers.
Our expert
Nic de Brauwere is Senior Welfare Veterinary Surgeon and Head of Welfare and Behaviour at Redwings Horse Sanctuary.
“After more than 20 years of research, a new strangles vaccine became available in the UK in 2022”
Spot the symptoms
Strangles is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi and the incubation period for the disease varies from 1–21 days, though most horses develop symptoms within two weeks.
The first symptom is almost always fever, which typically occurs two or three days before the horse shows other signs of being unwell or becomes infectious to others.
Other strangles symptoms may include nasal discharge, swollen glands around the head and neck, abscesses on lymph nodes behind or under the jaw and/or a cough. Horses often find it painful or difficult to swallow, can have laboured breathing and appear dull and lethargic.