March 2023
Strangles (also known as distemper) is a highly contagious disease that affects horses as well as donkeys and mules.
What is equine strangles?
Strangles (also known as distemper) is a highly contagious disease that affects horses as well as donkeys and mules. It can be spread through horse-to- horse transmission, shared tack or waterers, human activity and other factors. Symptoms of this bacterial upper respiratory tract infection are a loss of appetite, thick yellow nasal discharge, a cough and swollen lymph nodes around the jaw.
Treatment includes pain management with antibiotic drugs and monitoring to ensure that the affected horse is drinking and eating. Vaccinating is a preventive measure, but during an outbreak, it’s important to be aware of adverse reactions in exposed horses.
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