03/02/2025
There have been several confirmed cases of strangles (a bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus equi equi) in South Island horses over the past month. Cases have been confirmed in Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
š©ŗ Clinical signs appear quite mild in affected horses. Symptoms include dullness, fever, nasal discharge and a cough, with few lymph node abscesses reported.
š Primarily Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds appear to be affected, and most of these cases are in broodmares.
ā All clusters appear contained at this time. Quarantine measures are in place on the affected properties and the vets involved continue to do an excellent job managing this.
š¦ At this stage, a common source of infection has not been identified but investigation is ongoing. The bacteria is spread via contact with infected horses or contaminated equipment.
š Please remember to keep a vigilant watch for any potential strangles cases and notify your vet of any suspected cases.
š Strangles vaccinations can be administered by your vet. Please contact your vet directly for more information about vaccination.
š§¼ You can also help minimise the risk to your horses by maintaining good cleanliness and hygiene measures, and avoiding mixing with potentially infected horses.
The New Zealand Equine Research Foundation has some great information on strangles on its website š https://nzerf.org.nz/strangles
To read our full update, please visit our website š https://nzva.org.nz/home/news/strangles-cases-in-canterbury/
