Theres a horse on the yard that is showing signs that might be strangles, but it has not been proven by the vet. Do we have to shut down the yard?
The mere mention of the word strangles can cause a lot of bad feeling and worry on a yard. Strangles can be unpleasant and painful for the horse, difficult for the vet to treat, and a management nightmare for yard owners. Once one horse has been diagnosed with this infectious disease, all other horses in contact are at risk. Ideally the affected horse should be isolated and the stable yard should be closed to prevent spread. Within reason, until you are given the all clear, it is best to start taking precautions. Delay in preventing further spread of the disease results in more horses being exposed and a more serious and longer lasting problem. Isolate horses that are showing signs and those that have been in direct contact. If it turns out to be strangles this will significantly reduce spread through the yard. It is also worth considering cancelling excursions from the yard to avoid spreading the disease to other horses that may take it back to their yards, just as you would appreciat
