Companion Animals

Strangles in Horses: 2025 Welfare and Management Update

Current best practice for managing Streptococcus equi infection to protect horse welfare.

Key Facts

Strangles causes lymph node abscessation and upper respiratory compromise
Bastard strangles — internal abscessation — is a serious life-threatening complication
Carrier horses shed bacteria intermittently without clinical signs
Endoscopic guttural pouch examination identifies carriers effectively

Welfare Considerations

Strangles causes significant welfare compromise — fever, dysphagia from lymph node enlargement, and in bastard strangles cases, progressive systemic disease. Welfare-focused outbreak management isolates clinically affected horses promptly, identifies carriers through guttural pouch endoscopy, and implements appropriate antibiotic therapy for complicated cases. Return to shared facilities requires testing — welfare obligations extend to neighbouring horses.

What You Can Do

Isolate any horse with fever, swollen lymph nodes, or nasal discharge immediately
Identify carriers through guttural pouch endoscopy before returning horses to shared facilities
Vaccinate horses against strangles — particularly in high-exposure environments like livery yards