Pedigree Query

what effect does it have on a foals future racing ability if any ? and what is the incubation peroid for strangles? does it have any effect on a mares pregnancy at say 1-3 weeks ?

reenci,

Strangles is a problem common to horses. You should always vaccinate your mares 30 days prior to foaling. It is just normal good health practice.

Isolating the horse from other horses is essential to keep this highly contagious disease from spreading. As far as in foal mares it can create some problems due to antibiotics that are used creating some immune problems in the foals. We just went through this with a neighbor that his horses came down with strangles. My mares have all been vaccinated, but the vet thought we should give a booster a little sooner than the 30 days prior to foaling.

Strangles can do a lot of damage to a horse's airway. After the horse has recovered from strangles, get him scoped.

Mares who have been vaccinated can still get strangles, but not as severely.

As far as incubation period, I don't know. As soon as one comes down with it, the rest will surely follow, especially if they are turned out together. The farm I worked at came down with strangles after a mare visited Coolmore Ireland. She infected the entire yard and it went through all the mares and foals in the yard. They were moved to another yard and the yearlings across the road came down with it shortly after.

Most of those yearlings went to the sales and had to be scoped to check for damage. They all passed, but we were worried a certain extremely valuable filly wasn't going to.