Re: Strangles

[Dbeverly4@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/4/01 6:58:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, bandc@teknett.com 
writes:


> I have a younster(3) whom has had strangles at approx. 1 yr. of age...was
> informed he did not need the vaccine as he should be immune..am I wrong in
> accepting this?...Cora


Hi Cora!  From what I understand he should not be vaccinated for Strangles.  
Not that he is immune, but the vaccine can cause a severe reaction in a horse 
who has already had Strangles (I might have this all bass ackwards, so the 
vets can correct me).  

Strangles is so much worse than people want to believe.  The theory that you 
hear now and then about " just let 'em get it 'cause then they'll be immune" 
drives me nuts!  Its a very painful and miserable illness when a horse gets 
it bad and possibly fatal if he gets it really bad (I know you know this, 
just venting).  

I just really wish people would keep their horses home when they KNOW they've 
been exposed to strangles (i.e., living with other horses who have active 
Strangles).  A person can carry the stuff on their shoes or hands and infect 
a healthy horse that way.  Let alone a horse who is pastured with horses who 
have strangles -- you bring a horse like that to a ride and you're tossing 
the virus around to a bunch of OTHER horses (which is probably what happened 
at 20 Mule Team).

Sylvia (one of the few moms who keeps her kids home from school when they 
have a cold).