Strangles disease reported in Wellington County
WELLINGTON COUNTY – A quarter horse is recovering after testing positive for strangles last month.
It was the first reported case of strangles in the county this year, and the 11th across Ontario, with the majority of cases reported in January and February.
There have been no reported cases of strangles in Ontario since the filly tested positive at a Wellington County training facility on March 19.
The three-year-old had a fever for four days before developing “purulent nasal discharge” and swollen lymph nodes under her jaw, according to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFA).
She tested positive for streptococcus equi (strangles) by PCR.
Strangles is a respiratory disease, also known as equine distemper, that can cause high fevers, inappetence, coughing, thick white nasal discharge and severely swollen lymph nodes in horses’ heads and necks.
It gets its name because the lymph nodes can swell so severely that they are said to “strangle” the horse, restricting breathing.
Strangles has been designated as an “immediately notifiable disease” under the Health Animal Act since February 2023, meaning all veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Ontario must report positive strangles test results to OMAFA.
It spreads through horse-to-horse contact and can be carried on people’s skin and clothing, as well as equipment.
Identifying strangles as early as possible is key to reducing its spread.
Temperatures often rise a day or two before the horse starts shedding the contagions, so isolating a horse as soon as its temperature rises can significantly slow the spread.
The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine recommends “quarantine and screening of all new arrivals, appropriate disinfection and cleaning of potentially contagious equipment, and education of caretakers on proper hygiene to decrease the risk of contracting strangles.”
