>>>1- DO NOT GIVE THE VACCINE - the Internists
there refuse to give the vaccine unless an owner demands them to do so
>>>2- A horse which has had Strangles in the
past OR has been vaccinated can get the secondary, often fatal, complication
called Purpura.
This is something that concerned me. If you guys get as interested in this
as I was and read every website out there you'll see lots of confusing stuff.
Such as reading that strangles does best in cool damp conditions (it was cool
and rainy at Hahira) and then they said hot dry weather kills it, then today she
said, "this cold snap will help, it can't survive the cold".
I only saw Pupura mentioned once, but have run across several individuals
who experienced it. Their horse's legs swelled until the skin split after a
horse that had a high degree of resistance already was immunized. They suggested
on that site that a horse be tested for antibodie levels first...as if any
body *ever* does that! So..here I have 7 who spent two weeks in the field with 2
sick horses and didn't catch a thing. Should I innoculate him? Probably not.
I see many vets contradicting the most recently updated sites...maybe doing
what they learned years ago and not having changed their opinions? Such as
treating it with antibiotics...oh wait, most said they used to do that but
don't, it's more likely to become bastard strangles if you do, just let it run
its course; then one said most recent studies show it really doesn't make that
more likely. :-P
Neighbor whose horses didn't get sick though I feed them every day said he
was totally unconcerned. They used to live at a stables where a guy brought in
horses from the sale all the time and there was almost always at least one horse
there with it. Little note...there was once an endurance ride held at that place
"The High Adventure Ride" and nobody I ever heard of got sick.
As for the quarantine. The state website said the horsemen asked for it so
they could attempt to track the disease. However, my horse was well on his way
to fine before I ever had a vet out and I could easily have saved that bill. The
official treatment is "let it run its course" so how many actually take any
precautions?
In 21 years of going to rides, no vacinations, and going to little horse
shows, etc. this is my first case. Guess I've been lucky. I don't think you can
go through life dipping your feet in bleach every time they touch the ground.
Helpful things I did read:
The horse's temperature will go up 2 days before any other symptoms. The
horse is not contagious until the other symptoms start so if you have a horse
with a temp, seperate them immediately.
If a horse gets exposed but is away from the source now, it may help to
give antibiotics immediately, before any symptoms. However, if they are going to
be re-exposed (if they're at a barn where it's present) don't do that because
they're just as succeptable when they come off them.
From my experience, the worst thing to dread about the whole disease is
trying to keep it from spreading. In our case it wasn't that horrible to have
happen to you...just the after effects of quarantine and testing make it so
dreaded. If you just have the attitude that they are going to get exposed
regardless so whatever... you may do just as well as those who are obsessive
about avoiding it.
Outbreaks tend to happen periodically. Sounds like weather may play a part.
It may have been just as present in other years but it wasn't damp enough, who
knows.
I believe I read you should not vaccinate if the horse is already exposed.
It's too late to help.
They claim resistance from having had it only lasts 7 years or so, so even
a horse that has had the disease can get it again eventually thus you should
vaccinate. This conflicts with the purpura threat in my mind.
It's a pain in the butt to try to figure out the right thing to do.
