Horse Strangles: Welfare During a Contagious Respiratory Disease

Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial infection causing painful lymph node abscesses in horses, requiring careful welfare management and biosecurity protocols.

Key Facts

Strangles caused by Streptococcus equi is one of the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses worldwide
The condition causes fever, nasal discharge, and painful lymph node abscesses that can compress the airway causing breathing difficulty
Complications including bastard strangles with internal abscess formation and purpura hemorrhagica cause serious welfare harms in some cases
Carrier horses that shed bacteria without clinical signs are a major source of ongoing transmission within and between yards
Vaccination and biosecurity quarantine protocols significantly reduce strangles outbreak frequency and severity when properly implemented

Welfare Considerations

Horses with strangles experience significant pain from swollen lymph node abscesses, difficulty swallowing, and respiratory compromise if abscesses compress the airway. Appropriate analgesia and veterinary management significantly reduce suffering during disease episodes. Isolation of affected horses and quarantine of new arrivals are essential welfare and biosecurity measures. The development of carrier states means that regular testing of horses before mixing at competitions or livery yards prevents outbreak chains that cause wide-scale welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Implement quarantine protocols for new horse arrivals before introducing them to established yards
Test horses for Streptococcus equi carrier status before mixing at competitions or new facilities
Provide appropriate analgesia and veterinary care for horses with strangles to reduce suffering duration
Discuss vaccination programs against strangles with equine veterinarians for yards at higher outbreak risk