strangles symptoms

[alwaysfallingof]

Ok...I'm probably being very paranoid here, but Max has had biggish-looking glands at the side of his neck for a while now.
He doesn't seem down, he has no nasal discharge, and other than this everything seems normal. However, there's a big alarm bell in my head going "STRANGLES...STRANGLES...STRANGLES..." is this at all likely?
Please say no :(

[Tootsie4U]

Is it the glands behind the cheek and below the eye? Sometimes these glands will swell in response to simple allergies. Has he been heaving/coughing?

Strangles will usually be more under the jaw, in the space where the tongue lies. This is where the absess usually bursts.

Keep an eye on him, watch his temperature and the first sign of an absess, call the vet!

[nutkin]

If the swelling is under the neck it could be a thyroid problem. It would be worth getting your vet to have a look.

[Bay Mare]

If you're at all worried call the vet. If you have any reason at all to suspect that it's strangles you should isolate him straight away. There are other things that it could be, though, so it's still worth checking it out.

Strangles generally shows up as a high temperature (up to 40-41 degrees Centigrade) and a nasal discharge. The horse can appear depressed and will stop eating. The nasal discharge will be clear at first but will become thick with pus in it (this means that the abscesses have ruptured in the nasal passages).

There is often pain on swallowing and swelling in the throat area. The swelling is caused by abscesses and at their worst the abscesses can crush the windpipe causing breathing problems (which is why it was called strangles).

All the best and I hope that it's good news.

[Miriam]

Don't automatically jump to the conclusions of strangles. We had a lsight scare when one of the yard ponies got swollen glands. Turned out to nothing.

[SarahC]

Agree it could well be a thyroid problem. My last boy had an enlarged thryoid on one side, although it is actually more common for them to be on both sides. It was completely harmless and didn't cause any problems whatsoever. The thyroid lump tends to be on the underside of the neck, against the cheek.

Get the vet out in any case to put your mind at ease and to dispell any fears about strangles.

S

[alwaysfallingof]

Thanks guys :)
Is it the glands behind the cheek and below the eye? Sometimes these glands will swell in response to simple allergies. Has he been heaving/coughing?
Yes, those ones. I guess he could be allergic to something, goodness knows what he's been eating in the field.
Actually, did someone on here mention that they could get swollen glands from a mild reaction to spring grass??
Edit - yes, he's been coughing, but he's got slight COPD so I hadn't thought anything of it.

Strangles generally shows up as a high temperature (up to 40-41 degrees Centigrade) and a nasal discharge. The horse can appear depressed and will stop eating. The nasal discharge will be clear at first but will become thick with pus in it (this means that the abscesses have ruptured in the nasal passages).
He doesn't have any of those symptoms, thank goodness! :)

Thanks for all the help, next time the vet's up I'll ask him to have a little look, just to check. :)

[eventerbabe]

on your laminitis thread you said he'd pigged out on grass. this can cause enlarged glands but if worried get the vet.

[alwaysfallingof]

Thanks EB :) I thought I'd read that somewhere...hopefully now he's muzzled then they should go down. If not, then start panicing!

[No_Angel]

My little pony had strangles ( or the virus that very similar) but when we noticed their was a problem she started getting clear discharge from her nose (tehy were out 24/7) and it quickly turned yellow and started smelling. The glands were't to be seen until the yellow discharge had been a few days, we called the vet immediatly when we saw this yellow stuff and she started treating her, then the absecess started to form under her jaw. They were huge and she still has a thickened neck. The other 2 horses who were exposed also have a slightly thickened neck but they didn't get absecess.

[alwaysfallingof]

Thanks, No Angel. I'm going to keep a very careful eye on him. Glad you're pony's recovering fine.

[No_Angel]

No problem. She had it a few years ago after the riding school near us put some ponies they bought from a market in the field next to ours. :rolleyes:
Unforunaltly I also had just bought a horse from the same market but she showed no symptoms, I think she was immune.
I hope he doesn't have strangles tho, as it is a horrible thing to witness.