Strangles

[Kelli Hjelmeland <kelli@mb.sympatico.ca>]

I have seen a horse die from Strangles - not pretty. Of course, by the
time she died, the strangles was long gone, but the complications
arising from it made her literally starve to death (or close to - she
was humanely euthanized before that happened).

This mare showed up at my place needing clean air to breath, after
contracting strangles in a popular, busy boarding stable. After the vet
cleared her as far as contamination was concerned, I agreed to take her
in. She was a rack, and try as we might we couldn't get a substantial
amount of food into her. All the slop we fed just got wadded up and
coughed out because her throat was completely wrecked. Another vet
finally came and endoscoped her, and suggested euthanasia.

Poor thing, she was trying so hard to eat right til the end. Very sad.

I think I will be taking the chance (although not much of a chance as
Doc Heidi says) and using the intranasal vaccine on my horses. I haven't
vaccinated before now due to the side effects.

Kelli
Manitoba