19/10/2025
We highly recommend annual vaccination of horses against Strangles, particularly for those who travel frequently for competition and clinics. Call us on 94502020 to book your horse’s annual health check and vaccination!
https://www.facebook.com/share/17AkzkbRZb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
ℹ️Information for horse owners ℹ️
From our Young Member President Dr Jordie Flood
⚠️ Recent Strangles Outbreak – Central Coast, New South Wales ⚠️
Strangles is a highly contagious respiratory disease in horses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equisubspecies equi. Recent outbreaks have been reported in Central Coast, New South Wales.
It spreads easily through direct contact with infected horses or indirect contactwith contaminated gear, feed, water, or handlers’ clothing.
Horses usually show signs within 3 – 8 days of infection.
Strangles can affect horses of any age and is most common where horses are kept in close contact — such as studs, shows, and agistment centres.
❗️Clinical signs to watch for:❗️
• Fever (39.0 – 40.5 °C)
• Nasal discharge or runny nose
• Cough
• Painful, swollen lymph nodes (especially under the jaw)
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Depression or dullness
🚨 If your horse shows any of these signs, isolate it away from other horses immediately and contact your veterinarian.
Preventing spread:
• Keep sick horses separated
• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands
• Avoid sharing gear, feed bins, or water troughs
• Wash hands, boots, and clothing after handling sick horses
• Quarantine new arrivals for at least 2 weeks
Here is some more good information for further reading from disease surveillance in the UK. It covers the clinical signs and management strategies. It does mention a newer vaccine that is not yet available here and is different to the one we have in Australia.
https://equinesurveillance.org/landing/resources/EIDS_spotting_the_signs_of_strangles_040924.pdf
