Ridecamp: RE: [RC] REACTION TO VACCINE?

> Those are the classic symptoms of strangles - copious mucous, coughing,
> elevated temp, swelling behind/under the jawbone, depressed, don't want
> to move.  There has been talk of individual horses carrying the virus in
> their systems for years, waiting for a trigger event...something that
> compromises their immune system in a way that allows the virus to become
> active.  It may be that one of the vaccines was the trigger for an older
> horse like yours. Even though strangles is highly contagious, your other
> horses may not get it, so that's not proof.  They have to do a culture.

First off, strangles is NOT a virus--it is caused by a streptococcus
bacteria.  Second, no, horses do NOT harbor this bug for years, except
perhaps in that fraction of a percent who wall off internal abcesses. 
However, it CAN live in the environment for years.  Third, the vaccine is
a live bacteria, but is sufficiently altered that it is not actually
strangles--but it CAN cause a transcient sore throat, swelling, etc.

Heidi



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