# data[].attributes.headline
Order your free thermometer - use the code HotBeforeSnot

# data[].attributes.subject
Order your free thermometer - use the code HotBeforeSnot

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Digital Thermometer branded for Strangles Awareness Week. In support of the campaign, and for a limited time only, available for the discounted price to help you take the Temperature Check Challenge. Click here www.redwings.org.uk/tempchecker to watch how to take a horse’s temperature and to use the…

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.oakhamvethospital.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-team/equine-team/veterinary-surgeons/katie-kelly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Veterinary Surgeon

Katie Kelly BVM BVS MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon

Katie graduated from the University of Nottingham in July 2020. From there she worked in small animal practice in Northern Ireland for 6 months, before joining Oakham Veterinary Hospital as an intern in February 2021. During her internship she developed her skills in diagnostic imaging and anaesthesia.

Katie joined our ambulatory team upon completion of her internship. Having grown up on a thoroughbred stud farm, Katie has a particular interest in stud work and will play an important role as part of the stud team in the summer months. She also has interest in sport horse medicine and neonatal care.

In her spare time Katie keeps active and particularly enjoys hiking and swimming, along with walking her two dogs Rosie and Daisy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Katie graduated from the University of Nottingham in July 2020. From there she worked in small animal practice in Northern Ireland for 6 months, before joining Oakham Veterinary Hospital as an intern in February 2021. During her internship she developed her skills in diagnostic imaging and anaesthesia.Katie joined our ambulatory team upon completion of her internship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Surveillance of Equine Strangles Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Webinar: Equine strangles: Exploring the realities of this common disease

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Webinar: Strangles - how to confidently reduce the risk of this preventable disease

# data[].attributes.headline
Strangles Information Pack downloadable resource

# data[].attributes.subject
Strangles Information Pack downloadable resource

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Equine Veterinary Centre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Because we can make changes before an outbreak happens

Your shopping basket is empty

Why not fill it with some of our lovely products?

Remember, all the profits raised through gift sales help us care for our resident equines.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
strangles horse temperature welfare strangles awareness week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Because we can make changes before an outbreak happens Why not fill it with some of our lovely products? Remember, all the profits raised through gift sales help us care for our resident equines.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Equine Veterinary Centre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Strangles is an extremely contagious illness that affects the horse's upper respiratory tract. It is the most common infectious disease in the UK and worldwide. Strangles is caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi, not a virus.
Strangles outbreaks can involve many or even all horses becoming ill on yards where they live or interact. Any horse can get strangles, whatever their age, breed, health or value.
What's in this strangles guide
What are the symptoms of strangles? ↓

How do horses get strangles? ↓

How is strangles diagnosed? ↓

How is strangles treated? ↓

How serious is strangles? ↓

Can horses be vaccinated against strangles? ↓

How can strangles be prevented? ↓

Make the most of the strangles Hub ↓

Meet our strangles expert ↓

What are the symptoms of strangles?

It can take up to 21 days for a newly infected horse to show signs of illness.

The earliest signs of strangles are usually fever (a resting temperature above 38.5oc) and being off-colour. As the disease progresses it can cause:

Thick nasal discharge

Swollen lymph nodes around the horse's head

Abscesses on lymph nodes

Trouble swallowing and loss of appetite

Difficulty breathing (hence the name 'strangles')

A cough

Dullness and depression associated with fever

Some horses only show mild signs of disease, such as slight nasal discharge or briefly raised temperature and loss of appetite. However, these individuals can still pass infection on, and the next horse may become much sicker.

How do horses get strangles?

Strangles is NOT an airborne disease, though a horse can cough or snort infected material several feet. However, the disease can spread rapidly between horses, especially those that have not been exposed to the disease in the past. Strangles bacteria spread most easily through direct contact between horse, but can also be passed on indirectly via surfaces, equipment, water and people's hands and clothing.

Strangles is especially challenging because some horses become 'strangles carriers' after being infected. This means they still have strangles bacteria hidden in their respiratory system, but are otherwise perfectly healthy. Carriers can shed bacteria intermittently, able to infect other horses without anyone knowing where the disease has come from.

It is vital all horses are checked as they recover from strangles so treatment can be used to help them clear any remaining infection and prevent them becoming carriers.

How is strangles diagnosed?

Vets can use different tests to diagnose strangles, depending on the circumstances. They will usually start with a visual examination to look for external signs of the disease and check the horse's temperature. They can then take samples to be sent for testing to help confirm or rule out strangles infection:

Swabs - can collect samples of discharge from a horse's nostrils or a burst abscess and are usually the best option for early stages of infection. Specialist swabs can also sample material from the top of a horse's nasal passages where bacteria are likely to be present in an infected horse. Swabbing is less reliable than endoscopy, and repeat tests are often needed to increase confidence in a negative result.

Guttural pouch endoscopy - is the gold standard test for strangles in horses that have established infection or are in the recovery phase of disease. An endoscope is used to enter both the horse's guttural pouch, which are air sacs at the top of each nasal passage. Strangles loves guttural pouches as this is where bacteria can survive longer than the illness it causes. Checking and taking samples from the guttural pouches should be routine for any horse that is known or suspected to have had strangles so infection can be found and cleared before it spreads.

Blood samples - will not carry the disease itself but can contain strangles antibodies that the horse's immune system produces as a response to infection or in a horse that has become a strangles carrier. It can take up to two weeks for antibodies to be detected in a blood sample, so this test is less likely to be used for horses in the early stages of disease. Not every horse with strangles antibodies will be infected so further testing is usually needed to determine if the blood result is caused by live bacteria or not.

How is strangles treated?

Strangles cannot be 'cured' once a horse is infected, but it is vital that patients receive veterinary input early as medication is needed to help relieve the severity of symptoms and assess any issues that require targeted treatment, such as laboured breathing or difficulty eating or drinking.

Good nursing care is equally important to keep the horse quiet and comfortable through their illness and ensure all their welfare needs are being met. Abscesses can be encouraged to burst through application of regular warm poultices and providing soaked feed and forage can make it easier for the horse to eat, as well as increasing water intake.

How serious is strangles?

Many horses will be very ill while they are infected but start to feel better after 2-3 weeks. However, strangles is sadly fatal in up to 10% of cases. Complications also develop in up to 20% of cases, such as retaining solidified pus in their guttural pouches, having prolonged infection that lasts for months rather than weeks, or developing 'bastard strangles' where infection spreads beyond the horse's respiratory system and can affect` major organs within the body.

Strangles also has a serious wider impact. Strict quarantine measures are needed to help prevent the spread of disease between horses and yards. Businesses such as riding schools or trekking centres can suffer serious loss of income, and owners cannot take their horses off-site. Here are some useful guidance documents to support isolation and quarantine measures:

Outbreaks are often expensive, exhausting and emotional to deal with, and strangles is a potentially fatal disease for infected horses, so prevention is always better than cure. Here is a small self-care support document that you can use during a strangles outbreak:

Can horses be vaccinated against strangles?

Strangles vaccines are available and can help reduce the chance of a horse becoming infected or reduce the severity of symptoms they experience. Vaccination should not be seen as a replacement for other biosecurity measures, they will work best alongside other steps that also help protect horses from the spread of disease.

Vets are the best source of advice on current vaccination products and which options may be most suitable for individual horses or circumstances. Your vet can also guide you on how make the most of good biosecurity habits that can make a real difference to reducing strangles risk.

How can strangles be prevented?

There are lots of good biosecurity practices, often simple, practical steps, that will help to protect horses from the threat of strangles. Visiting our Strangles Hub today is a great place to start!

More and more horse owners and yard managers are taking steps to reduce their strangles risk. Some of the most effective ways of making good biosecurity a normal part of their horse include:

Screening new horses to a yard by keeping them in quarantine for 2-3 weeks. This means a newly infected horse who is in the process of becoming ill is less likely to spread disease to others. Horses can also be monitored for signs of ill health such as a high temperature or nasal discharge. Ideally, horses can also be tested so if they are recovering from strangles, or a strangles carrier, they can also be identified and treated, if necessary, before being safely integrated into life on their new yard.

Travelling safely by cleaning and disinfecting shared vehicles between trips and being cautious about travelling horses from different yards together. If using a professional transporter, ask about their biosecurity procedures and think carefully about journeys with multiple horses from different yards.

Being infection-aware at events and enjoy getting out and about with your horse with some simple safeguards:
- Avoid direct contact between your horse and other horses or owners from different yards.
- Shared water tanks are especially high risk so it's always good to take your own water.
- Let your horse nibble a haynet when not being ridden, rather than grazing.
- If you're staying overnight, check whether onsite stabling is cleaned and disinfected between horses and be prepared to give it a once over if not.

Avoid sharing facilities and equipment with other owners if you don't know their horse's strangles status, or disinfect items between uses. Strangles doesn't usually survive for long in the environment, but lurks for longest in cool, damp conditions. It has been shown to live for over three weeks in water at the bottom of a bucket and in the tread of a boot sole for more than two weeks.

Prevent horses becoming strangles carriers by getting them checked by a vet as they recover from the disease. Around one in ten horses on average will become a strangles carrier after being infected, meaning they appear to be perfectly healthy but still have bacteria living in their respiratory system. A carrier may shed bacteria intermittently that can infect other horses and trigger fresh outbreaks. Vets can check and treat carriers effectively, enabling them to completely clear the bacteria and go on to lead normal, healthy lives.

Make the most of the strangles Hub!

Redwings launched the Stamp Out Strangles campaign to help owners, yard managers and equestrian professionals stay a step ahead of the disease. By exploring the Hub you will find out more about:

Additional clinical information about strangles and how to manage or prevent it:

Meet our strangles expert!

Vet Nic de Brauwere has worked at Redwings since 1991 and is now the charity's Head of Welfare and Behaviour.

Nic has decades of experience in diagnosing and treating strangles in newly rescued horses coming into Redwings' care. This includes developing and overseeing the charity's quarantine and screening processes and ensuring all new arrivals are completely clear of disease before being integrated into the sanctuary's resident herds.

Nic regularly shares his knowledge of strangles and effective biosecurity with practicing vets, yard managers, horse owners and equestrian students to help people better understand the disease and have increased confidence in their ability to prevent or manage an outbreak. He presented at the international Havemeyer Foundation Workshop in 2019 and was one of a panel of experts who developed the current best practice guidelines on strangles diagnosis and management, published in 2021 - UK Vet Equine 2021_Strangles Roundtable PDF (4.7 MB).

Nic de Brauwere MRCVS
Head of Welfare & Behaviour
Redwings Horse Sanctuary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is Strangles? Strangles is an extremely contagious illness that affects the horse's upper respiratory tract. It is the most common infectious disease in the UK and worldwide. Strangles is caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi, not a virus. Strangles outbreaks can involve many or even all horses becoming ill on yards where they live or interact.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to take your horse's temperature safely for the first time

# data[].attributes.subject
How to take your horse's temperature safely for the first time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to take your horses temperature safely for the first time with Piggy March

# data[].attributes.headline
What is the healthy temperature range for a healthy horse? 

# data[].attributes.subject
What is the healthy temperature range for a healthy horse? 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Equine Veterinary Centre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the temperature range for a healthy horse?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The latest research, and why it's so important to know your horse's normal.

# data[].attributes.headline
Abigail Turnbull - managing an outbreak at an event venue 

# data[].attributes.subject
Abigail Turnbull - managing an outbreak at an event venue 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Equine Veterinary Centre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Andrew and Abigail Turnbull (pictured above presenting their Strangles story at the National Equine Forum), alongside their two children Lydia and Henry, purchased Richmond Equestrian Centre (REC) in June 2018, after having a background in farming and running their own haulage firm.

REC hosts two British Eventing Horse Trials a year, as well as British Showjumping and many diﬀerent unaﬃliated events. Tens of thousands of people visit REC annually and it is now a ﬁrm favourite equestrian venue in the North-East. There are three separate onsite livery yards, with capacity for around 30 horses and a separate yard for overnight or isolation stays.

In their ﬁrst year at the centre, Andrew and Abigail spent a lot of time cleaning the livery yards, updating the stables, improving the paddocks and resurfacing the whole of the premises. Alongside this mammoth task they were busy organising the British Eventing Horse Trials in September 2018 and planning ahead for the May 2019 horse trials.

Both of these events were hugely successful and had fantastic feedback. The Turnbulls were looking forward to the year ahead.

However, on 13th August 2019 the bombshell hit. One of their livery horses had tested positive for Strangles. This was just two and a half weeks before their September 2019 British Eventing Horse Trials where there were 850 horses entered to compete, and a huge waiting list. They couldn't believe it, especially as the horse in question had been on box rest for six months.

To ensure they could get the word about their situation out as widely and quickly as possible, and to pre-empt any rumours or misinformation spreading, the Turnbulls took to social media posting the following:

"IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Please be aware that we have a conﬁrmed case of Strangles bacterial infection at Richmond Equestrian Centre aﬀecting one horse.

The horse is in isolation and we are working with the vets to ensure appropriate steps are in place to minimise risks to the wider equine population. This includes reducing horse movement, cancelling commercial bookings and events and ensuring everyone is aware.

We feel it is important to be precautionary, considering our standing within the equine industry, and to minimise risks as much as possible. These actions are likely to be in place until 3rd September 2019."

They wanted to inform as many people as possible about their situation, the fact that the centre was on 'lockdown' and how they were dealing with the outbreak. Their post reached nearly 40,000 people.

At the beginning, all the livery clients were allowed to use their own vets to treat their own horses and there were three diﬀerent veterinary practices working with them to clear the Strangles from the centre. However, as they all had diﬀerent approaches to treating the disease it became a little confusing how to move forward.

Andrew and Abigail realised that someone needed to coordinate the effort to ensure that there was a uniﬁed approach to dealing with the outbreak. They liaised with all the diﬀerent practices and then, in consultation with their own vets, decided how to manage the outbreak going forward.

Blood tests were taken the day after the initial outbreak. All positive horses were moved into the 'Red Yard', inconclusive horses into the 'Amber Yard' and negative horses into the 'Green Yard'. Every 'Red Yard' horse was given a guttural pouch procedure, not only to ﬁnd out if the horses were carriers, but also so the vets were able to directly apply antibiotics onto the aﬀected area, to hopefully ensure the horse recovered as quickly as possible. Most horses needed one or two of these procedures before they were clear, however one of the horses needed nine.

Abigail said: "We passed everything we learnt about Strangles onto our livery clients and began to take and record all the horses' temperatures at least twice daily. Although there were other symptoms (swollen lymph nodes, loss of appetite and probably most commonly the snotty nose) a rising temperature was our ﬁrst warning sign! We made a chart to record all the information and it soon became apparent which horses looked to be coming down with the infection.

"A small number of people commented to us that yards that had Strangles never acted this way. They seemed to be implying we were "amateurs" for overreacting and that it would take months to be clear of it.

"Disappointingly, many so-called professionals also told us that we shouldn't have said anything about the Strangles and kept quiet. These comments seemed absurd, unprofessional and not the way that we wanted to conduct our business. Although we were relatively new to running an equestrian business, we wanted to handle the situation responsibly and professionally. In fact, the negative comments became our motivation to eradicate Strangles our way and to reopen Richmond Equestrian Centre as soon as possible."

Throughout the outbreak, Andrew and Abigail made it their policy to remain open and honest. They always kept their livery clients and the public aware of all of the facts. They posted regular updates to social media and to the livery client Whatsapp group.

The competition centre remained closed with the livery clients on 'lockdown' for seven and a half weeks. Unfortunately, REC's insurance policy didn't cover them for Strangles, and neither did the British Eventing insurance policy. Some livery clients whose horses had contracted Strangles were insured, some were not. It was a very costly situation for all involved, and everyone lost out.

Speaking on the impact of the outbreak on the liveries who were stabled there, Abigail added: "Managing the situation was diﬃcult. No one likes to feel controlled or told what to do or how to do things, but we knew we had to be strict. Livery clients were told to come to the centre, tend to their horse, then leave immediately. They couldn't stop to chat to others, and were forbidden to go into other yards to ensure there was no cross contamination. It was a very difficult time."

Five out of the 30 horses in the livery yard were infected with Strangles, but thanks to Abigail and Andrew's efforts, and the cooperation of their livery clients following the rules and strict biosecurity, the infection was contained to those five.

Abigail said: "The Redwings Strangles animation showing how Redwings managed their Strangles outbreak in 2015 was invaluable. It was very easy for people to understand, explaining the seriousness of Strangles, the importance of good biosecurity and that, although it would take time, we could beat it.

"Coupled with the Redwings Strangles information packs we received as part of the Stamp Out Strangles Pledge, we found no better resource to educate all of our customers. It helped people understand why we were doing what we were, and what we hoped to achieve."

Andrew and Abigail have now tightened up their disease control. All new livery horses have to undergo a clear strangles blood test or guttural pouch procedure before being accepted at Richmond Equestrian Centre. The horse then spends two weeks in the isolation yard upon arrival. When livery clients take horses oﬀsite to another site, they must demonstrate excellent biosecurity.

They also ensure that external service providers - vets, farriers, physiotherapists, dentists, nutritionists etc - a demonstrate good biosecurity too. Andrew and Abigail have worked with Redwings to help devise the Stamp Out Strangles Pledge for Vets and Equine Professionals.

Abigail added: "Predominantly, it is important to us that we speak out about Strangles because a horse can't. In the equine world, horse welfare is paramount, and the horse should always come ﬁrst. We feel that, as the owners of Richmond Equestrian Centre, we have a duty of care to the horses, our livery clients and customers.

"Overall, we have gained a lot of respect for being open and honest about our outbreak. Clients and customers have said they trust us more for being responsible and others have commented that they admired the way we handled things properly.

"Being completely free from Strangles in less than eight weeks, with only five horses contracting the disease, also boosted our reputation and showed that our approach was the correct one. This also saw us receive lots of positive feedback on our social media, and everyone was very supportive and kind about how we had handled our outbreak.

"We hope that we have managed to reduce the stigma surrounding Strangles. We certainly learned an awful lot about it, tightened our rules and heightened our biosecurity and we will forever support Redwings Horse Sanctuary in their campaign to Stamp Out Strangles.

"We will never know who, what, why or how Strangles came to stay, but we like to think that we got more out of it than it got out of us and that we turned a negative situation into a positive outcome."

For more information visit our Strangles hub, with all the practical information you need.

Click here to pledge to Stamp Out Strangles or to become a Strangles Awareness Week Ambassador

Watch Abigail and Andrew speak about their outbreak experience here:

Or, listen to the Strangles Awareness Week podcast:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strangles outbreak discovered days before horse trials with 850 entries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Andrew and Abigail Turnbull (pictured above presenting their Strangles story at the National Equine Forum), alongside their two children Lydia and Henry, purchased Richmond Equestrian Centre (REC) in June 2018, after having a background in farming and running their own haulage firm.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kate Coyle - the High Moor outbreak story

# data[].attributes.subject
Kate Coyle - the High Moor outbreak story

# data[].attributes.headline
How does a horse become a Strangles carrier?

# data[].attributes.subject
How does a horse become a Strangles carrier?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How does a horse become a strangles carrier?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Redwings Horse Sanctuary strangles outbreak

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find a faculty member or clinician at Penn Vet.

# data[].attributes.headline
High Moor Farm Livery - their outbreak story

# data[].attributes.subject
High Moor Farm Livery - their outbreak story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
High Moor Livery's Strangles Outbreak Story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Göran Åkerström Veterinary Director goran.akerstrom@fei.org Stéphanie Favre Veterinary Reports & Meetings Administrator stephanie.favre@fei.org Gonçalo Paixão Manager, Veterinary Department goncalo.paixao@fei.org Dominique Rochat Equine Anti-Doping & Controlled Medication Programme Administrator dominique.rochat@fei.org Georgina Rowse Veterinary Programmes Administrator georgina.rowse@fei.org Anne Saez Veterinarians & Education Programmes Administrator anne.saez@fei.org Caterina Termine, MRCVS Senior Veterinary Advisor caterina.t

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
“It isn’t just us going somewhere else where we might catch something, it might be brought to us.”

# data[].attributes.headline
"Doing regular temperature checks has given me peace of mind" Jane and Kenn #SpeakOutOnStrangles

# data[].attributes.subject
"Doing regular temperature checks has given me peace of mind" Jane and Kenn #SpeakOutOnStrangles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
“Since I’ve been doing regular temperature checks, it’s really given me peace of mind.”