What is Strangles?

Strangles is an infection caused by the bacteria Streptococcus equi ssp. equi. It is highly contagious disease seen in horses, donkeys and mules. Although young horses are typically affected, any age group can become sick. Typically the horse develops a fever (high temperature, >38.3*C) and swollen lymph nodes which abscess and rupture. The purulent material (creamy yellow discharge) in strangles abscesses and from the nose contains very high numbers of the bacteria. The infection spreads by direct horse-to-horse contact or by humans, tack, drinking troughs, fences and from the environment contaminated with the infectious discharge. Vaccination is recommended to either prevent the disease or at least reduce its severity and duration.