OK, I'm perplexed. The colt does not seem to heading in the right direction, as far as my understanding of how the disease is supposed to progress. His appetite is good, the volume of snot is decreasing, and we have no neck swellings, nor do we have depression and fever. You'd think this would be good news, but my understanding was that if the disease did not cause externally draining abcesses, then that meant that they were likely draining INTERNALLY, which is a very bad thing. I feel no swellings at all in the jaw and neck area, tho I am not experienced in locating such things. Overall, Lio just seems to be getting better and better, and I fear that this means something bad down the road. A friend mentioned illnesses that can mimic strangles. What do you know about this? I should say that my vet is the one who diagnosed this, not me. He diagnosed just by doing a physical, not a culture or blood test.

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), January 19, 2002

Answers

Shannon, If Lio looks and acts better, then he probably is better. Maybe his immune system got the better of the strangles. If he was off feed, I would be concerned, but if not..I truly think he is mending. You are keeping right on top of things Shannon, and I for one really commend you for that!

-- Sher in se Iowa (riverdobbers@webtv.net), January 19, 2002.

You might want to keep an extra good eye on him. If strangles go internal they can develop into "bastard strangles". Bastard strangles can be dormant in the horse for a very long time. I recently got a call from a lady with an older mare with all the right symptoms. This mare had not been off the farm or had any exposure to other animals in years and was vaccinated! Sure 'nuff vet diagnosed bastard strangles! The pockets will reappear worse than before...usually reappear in the armpit, groin, and other lymph node areas. Can also effect internal organs or have pus pockets in weird places. I saw one mare with one high on her hip, very hard to get it to drain properly if they come up somewhere like that. You may want to ask your vet about lancing the pockets if they won't drain on their own. Or, you might have just gotten lucky and your colt is taking care of it his own way! BTW, I'm sure you know this, but this is a very contagious disease and once it's on your place it will usually pop up from time to time.

-- ellie (elnorams@aol.com), January 19, 2002.

I agree with Sher. If he is getting better, he probably is getting better. A vet can make an eyeball miscalculation just like the rest of us. Snotty nose is also a sign of severe stress..... sale barn, traveling, a new home... sounds a bit stressful to me! BTW, I am speaking from experience here. I worked for a university horse barn and it was notorious for the strangles. Out of hundreds of cases, we only had one old mare with the bastard type. I think a bit of optimism won't hurt in this case.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 19, 2002.

Lio could have had shipping fever, or it's like. There is a strangles mimic going around, or at least it was last summer in Upstate NY. The symptoms would mimic strangles completely--but no abcesses. If he's feeling better, with no throatlatch swelling, then I wouldn't worry about it.

You're lucky, dealing with the abcesses is gross.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 19, 2002.

Oh, it is so gross.

Keep us updated. What a cutie.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 19, 2002.

Shannon, yes, there is a blood test for strangles, if you are really concerned, have it done. He might of just had shipping fever, the symptoms are very similar to early strangles, in the absence of blood testing especially! He definitly sounds like he is recovering way too quickly for it to have been strangles, which drags on and on for weeks at a time.

Shipping fever has an almost 100% contagion rate from some auctions, Shipshe especially, it is very contagious, much like the common cold in humans!

Sure glad to hear he is coming right along in his recovery, some horses develop viral pneumonia after a bad case of shipping fever and end up having to be put down as no antibiotics can help them recover from it, just supportive care, and when they won't eat, they don't get better!

Glad he is eating well, that always helps!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 24, 2002.