My horses have Strangles

[Tootsie4U]

My Quarter Horse is doing very very poorly. If he isnt better by tomorrow, they will take him to the clinic. He hasnt eaten in days, isnt pooing and wont drink (or cant drink). As of this afternoon, the swelling is going down his neck toward his chest. The vet was out before me today so I dont know if this is a threat of bastard strangles or not :(

Im a complete mess.

Bonfire has it too. His entire lower jaw is swollen. But, he's not running a fever or exhibiting any other symptoms. Yet.

Many hugs and prayers needed...

:(

[Yann]

Oh my god :( Fingers crossed for you all, not nice at all :(

[nutkin]

(((((Huge hugs)))))).I'm really sorry to hear your horses have strangles.I hope you manage to contain it quickly and with no lasting damage.Fingers crossed your QH doesn't have bastard strangles as that really is bad news.I really hope it all turns out ok for you Tootsie4u.Please keep us updated.

[lisae]

Hugs to you and I will keep your guys in my thoughts! Keep us updated.

[Mehitabel]

poor boys. while fella isn't eating though, remember he can't poo once he is empty - so concentrate on the front end.

when the poncey warmblood had it, i had to hand feed him for about 2 weeks as he couldn't eat on his own. all good vibes for them.

[sheryl]

Really sorry to hear your horses aren't well :(

If its any consolation, I had a horse with strangles once, and although she lost a lot of weight, very quickly, she did make a completely full recovery.

Hope they are well soon x

[NoviceNic]

Oh no......May someone look down on your horses and keep them safe. HUGSxxxxxx

[Bobbin]

A yard very close to ours had it and have just recently had the all clear.

They are a big yard and most of the horses got it and they only lost one and that was way after the outbreak, he just never recovered properly I believe.

So it doesnt mean the worst. Keep your chin up. I am sure they will get through this.

Hugs hun xx

[Montana]

Oh Tootsie I'm so sorry to hear this - sending healing ((((vibes)))) across the pond to Fella and Bonfire. Hugs to all of you x

[cvb]

hugs and prayers - and fingers crossed and thumbs held and anything else we can do for you :(

[Maddison's girl]

oh gosh thats horrible, sending healing vibes. I hope they get better soon.

Amanda xxx

[keep the faith]

oh i hope fella and bonfire are ok. Big hugs to all of you and keep us updated. :( :( : <<<<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>>>

[Rips]

Fingers crossed for you too :(

[laura jeanne]

I'm so sorry! Prayers coming your way. You have had a lot of things to contend with this year - I will be thinking of you and the horses.

[Shadowlark]

*HUGS* I am so sorry you are going thru this... it's scarry stuff I know but actually losing a horse to Strangles is rare. Keep your chin up they will come thru this in one piece.

[Gracie]

Oh Tootsie, I am so sorry.
Thinking of you and your horses at this time!
Jingling the Curb chain!

[Dina]

Thats awful,I'm so sorry :( *hugs* I hope they both get better soon.

[Showjumper]

*hugs* Poor ponies :( I hope they start to recover soon! :)

[Scarlett 001]

How stressful and trying for you - and the poor horses must feel pretty awful. :( But I am sure they will pull out of it in due course - try to keep positive. I know it is hard.

[chev]

Oh, God, Tootsie... Lots of prayers for them both here. :( Fingers crossed that it's not bastard strangles and things are better for you soon.

[Hayz]

Sorry to hear that, Fingers crossed for a full recovery :)

[horseygirl123]

Hoping they make a full recovery
******keeping fingers crossed for you ******

[*Grey Gelding*]

My yard caught strangles at the start of 07-we are now all clear and every single horse recovered well :)
i hope this brings hope 4u and that your horses recover the same way!
Fingers crossed!!
xxx

[Wally]

Wishing you all the very best, Chin up, it is a nasty disease.

[flashy33]

fingers x for you i ve been thru it with 2 of mine both made a full recovery hope the same for you

[martini55]

Oh I am really sorry to hear that, how awful :( I have my fingers crossed for you

[Tootsie4U]

You all are a great bunch. I thank you - I do feel better after all the well wishes.

I had high hopes after I left them last night. Fella, the QH, responded well to his intial doses of Banamine the vet gave yesterday . He really perked up and even ate two small mashes for me last night. The swelling in his neck went down quite a bit too. But unfortunately this morning he is as bad as he was. Im waiting on a call back from the vet to discuss the options.

Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts.

[Montana]

Hey - if it responded once, it will do again:). Just keep doing everything you can to fight this horrible thing - you'll get there ((hugs))

[Bronya]

Echinacea works well to boost the horse's immune system - I gave it to mine when she had strangles and it did seem to help. Also, he may need enough bute to soothe the pain in his throat before he'll eat. My girl wouldn't drink at all when she had strangles, but would eat sloppy sugar beet and dry hay. If I added apple juice to the sugar beet it made it go faster, and soaked conditioning cubes went down well too.

Do you have the food raised a little? Often horses with strangles can't stretch down to the floor as it hurts to stretch their necks. My girl had her feed on two bales of straw and only then would she eat it. Grated carrot is something else that might make feed more palatable.

Hope he starts to recover soon.

[Tootsie4U]

:(

Talked to the vet tonight. In the discussion, Bastard Strangles came up and she said it may be a possibility we will need to explore. Right now, he's so bad off she's suggesting I try the antibiotics even with the implied risks.

Also, unfortunately, he can no longer recieve the banamine - which was the only thing helping him marginally - because he has an allergic reaction to it. Bute did not help earlier on so I dont know what else can be done for him besides the penicillin.

I dont know what to do. If I give him the penicillin it could hurt him in the long run. If I dont do anything, it might kill him.

He did not have a single poop today.

Everyone at the barn is starting to give me *that look* - like they know Im in for some deep trouble - and Fella will pay the price.

Bonfire's lump is about to burst - thats the only good news I have to report on today.

Keep those thoughts and prayers coming. I dont think we're over the bridge yet.


ETA - Just went researching what else the vet said we need to watch out for with Fella. Lordy, take a look at this! http://merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/immid13.htm

[Gracie]

I believe in Miracles!!!!
we have to stay positive for GOOD things to happen.
Keeping you and the ponies in my prayers tonight!

[cvb]

Tootsie

Your horses have been at their "new" yard a while now - but I didn't think they had been anywhere ? I appreciate you need to survive it first, but where on earth did it come from ? Are they testing the other horses ?

We had an outbreak locally that went on for a while - turned on they had a few horses there that were not showing symptoms but were carriers. Its a livery yard so they do get horses coming and going. Because they weren't initially treating the ones without symptoms, they kept getting new cases.

It was far enough away - but it is a yard my mother goes onto sometimes - and she was appalled at some of the (lack of) infection control (dipping boots on the way in but not out ?!). (But we didn't get infected.)

[Tootsie4U]

Hi cvb,

Its a long story but there was a new mare brought in about two months ago. SWe suspect she is a carrier because she wasnt sick and she had a full vacc record upon her arrival. Initially, what went around was very much like the flu and most of the inital horses recovered without ever getting the swollen lymph glands. Because the vet dismissed it as merely the flu, the sick horses weren't quarantined and were left to run about and infect the entire farm.

Right now, almost all the horses at the farm (a total of 70) have strangles in some form or other. It is so widespread and its such a full and busy barn that they really aren't practicing much control. The horses could and did touch noses across the fence so it just spread like wild fire.

Bonfire 'popped' last night. Just a tiny little absess right now, but at least he's over the hump.

Went over at breakfast and lunch today and Fella seems in better spirits. His temp was down a little and he ate his small meals. He also drank finally but he is still under the weather. I'll have to wait to see what he's like tonight before I get happy about it.

[Montana]

I can't believe how virulent this horrible disease is - it went through the ranch my sister manages 3 years ago despite best efforts to stop it spreading, all 50 ish horses were affected to one degree or another.

Pleased to hear the boys are starting to hopefully feel much better - am keeping my fingers firmly crossed for you all (((hugs across the pond)))

[cvb]

Tootsie, words fail me but my heart goes out to you. I hope both your boys have turned the corner.

[breuddwyd]

Hi, I am so sorry to hear that your horses have strangles, bastard strangles is well named. I bought a pony for my son, kept him away from my other horses for 6 weeks but he contaminated them. One of my horses had the puss and much (arab mare) the others all had the other, they all recovered even the 34yr old shetland. Keep trying to get them to drink. I wish you the very best of luck. Sharon

[Est]

I've somehow missed this until now. Tootsie I'm so sorry to hear what you and your boys are going through :( I know you are doing everything you can for them. Keeping all of you in my thoughts X