Okanagan vets warn of 'devastating' bacterial disease outbreak among horses
CBC
Veterinarians in the Okanagan are urging horse lovers across Canada to take precautions as new cases of an infectious disease, called strangles, spread.
There are two farms with confirmed infections of strangles in the Okanagan, and several more suspected cases, said Dr. Gail Jewell, a veterinarian with Heartland Vet Services in Kelowna, B.C. She administered one of the positive tests on a farm near Kelowna.
“It's very, very, very contagious," Jewell said.
“The other wrinkle is that it loves cold weather.”
The Equine Disease Communication Centre (EDCC) also reported that a horse on the Sunshine Coast was infected with strangles on Dec. 3, and noted there may have been four other exposures. The EDCC also reports that there are numerous active infections across Ontario and one in Alberta.
Jewell said the outbreak around Kelowna may be linked to horses that travelled from Alberta, but it is difficult to know the cause as horses can be invisible carriers of the bacteria.
“Sometimes they won't develop symptoms, but they can become what we call 'chronic shedders.'”
Even weeks after seeming to recover from a strangles infection, some horses can still shed the disease and infect other equines, she added.
Horses infected with strangles can develop high fevers and stop eating. The bacteria infects the horse’s lymph nodes and can form abscesses that rupture and spread infectious pus.
In addition to causing illness and painful abscesses, Jewell said the disease can be fatal in at-risk equines.
A clinic that Jewell works with, Connect Veterinary Services, sent an email to its clients in the Okanagan on Jan. 3, notifying them of the outbreak and recommending quarantine and biosecurity protocols to prevent spread.
Jewell said the farms with infections have been told they ought to implement a six-week quarantine. She said other barns around Kelowna are voluntarily implementing a three-week quarantine.
Those who care for horses are being advised to monitor their animals for symptoms such as snotty nose, fever, and swollen throat latch lymph nodes.
"Thankfully, it hasn't been a blazing fire situation," said Dr. Janice Posnikoff, the owner of Okanagan Equine Veterinary Services.
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