Veterinarians in the Okanagan region are advising horse enthusiasts nationwide to be cautious as cases of a contagious equine disease known as strangles are on the rise. Dr. Gail Jewell from Heartland Vet Services in Kelowna, B.C., confirmed two farms with strangles infections and suspects several more cases, emphasizing the high contagiousness of the disease, particularly thriving in cold weather conditions.
The Equine Disease Communication Centre (EDCC) reported an infected horse on the Sunshine Coast and documented multiple active infections in Ontario and Alberta, possibly linked to horses traveling from Alberta. Jewell highlighted the challenge of identifying carriers, mentioning that horses can carry the bacteria without showing symptoms.
Even after apparent recovery, horses can continue to shed the disease for weeks, posing a risk of infecting others. Strangles can lead to high fevers, loss of appetite, and abscess formation in a horse’s lymph nodes, potentially resulting in fatal consequences for susceptible equines.
Connect Veterinary Services, in response to the outbreak, recommended quarantine measures to prevent further spread. Monitoring horses for symptoms like nasal discharge, fever, and swollen lymph nodes is advised. Vaccines offer partial protection against strangles, but vaccinated horses remain vulnerable to infection and transmission.
Testing for strangles involves nasal pharyngeal swabs, with proper sample collection crucial to accurate diagnosis. Some horse events have been canceled or rescheduled to contain the disease spread. While the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food has not received official reports of strangles cases in the Okanagan, discussions within the equestrian community indicate growing concerns about the situation.