WELLINGTON COUNTY – Four local strangles cases have been reported to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) this month.
Strangles is a highly contagious equine respiratory disease, also known as equine distemper, that can cause high fevers, inappetence, coughing, thick white nasal discharge and severely swollen lymph nodes in horses’ heads and necks.
It gets its name because the lymph nodes can swell so severely that they are said to “strangle” the horse, restricting breathing.
On Sept. 6, OMAFRA reported a 15-year-old standardbred mare in Wellington County tested positive for strangles.
The horse developed a fever and swelling in her throat, and is now considered to be recovering, OMAFRA officials state.
On Sept. 11, OMAFRA reported three more posiitve cases at another Wellington County facility.
“These horses were showing classic signs of strangles, beginning around Sept. 2, and tested positive on PCR testing,” OMAFRA officials state.
“The facility manager has voluntarily stopped movement of horses on and off the property and is working with their veterinarian on instituting biosecurity protocols.”
That brings the total number of confirmed strangles cases in the county reported to OMAFRA so far this year to seven.
In the same period in 2023, OMAFRA reported one strangles case in Wellington County.
Strangles has been designated as an “immediately notifiable disease” under the Health Animal Act since February 2023, meaning all veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Ontario must report positive strangles test results to OMAFRA.
Strangles is transmitted through horse-to-horse contact and can be carried on people’s skin and clothing, as well as equipment.
Identifying strangles as early as possible is key to reducing its spread. Temperatures often rise a day or two before the horse starts shedding the contagions, so isolating a horse as soon as its temperature rises can significantly slow the spread.
The best way to prevent horses from contracting strangles is limiting potential exposure to the disease, according to a consensus statement from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM).
“Quarantine and screening of all new arrivals, appropriate disinfection and cleaning of potentially contagious equipment, and education of caretakers on proper hygeine” are measures ACVIM recommends equine facilities take to decrease the risk of contracting strangles.
