Dictionary:
stran·gles (străng'gəlz) 
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[From Middle English strangle, strangulation, from stranglen, to strangle. See strangle.]
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| Sci-Tech Encyclopedia: Strangles |
A highly contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract of horses and other members of the family Equidae, characterized by inflammation of the pharynx and abscess formation in lymph nodes. This disease occurs in horses of all ages throughout the world. The causative agent is Streptococcus equi, a clonal pathogen apparently derived from an ancestral strain of S. zooepidemicus. It is an obligate parasite of horses, donkeys, and mules. See also Streptococcus.
Strangles is most common and most severe in young horses, and is very prevalent on breeding farms. The causative agent has been reported to survive for 7 weeks in pus but dies in a week or two on pasture. Transmission is either direct by nose or mouth contact or aerosol, or indirect by flies, drinking buckets, pasture, and feed. The disease is highly contagious under conditions of crowding, exposure to severe climatic conditions such as rain and cold, and prolonged transportation. Carrier animals, although of rare occurrence, are critical in maintenance of the streptococcus and in initiation of outbreaks.
The mean incubation period is about 10 days, with a range of 3–14 days. The animal becomes quieter, has fever of 39–40.5°C (102–105°F), nasal discharge, loss of appetite, and swelling of one or more lymph nodes of the mouth. Pressure of a lymph node on the airway may cause respiratory difficulty. Abscesses in affected lymph nodes rupture in 7–14 days, and rapid clinical improvement and recovery then ensues. Recovery is associated with formation of protective antibodies in the nasopharynx and in the serum. See also Antibody.
Streptococcus equi is easily demonstrated in smears of pus from abscesses and in culture of pus or nasal swabs on colistin–nalidixic acid blood agar. Acutely affected animals also show elevated white blood cell counts and elevated fibrinogen.
Commercially available vaccines are injected in a schedule of two or three primary inoculations followed by annual boosters. However, the clinical attack rate may be reduced by only 50%, a level of protection much lower than that following the naturally occurring disease. See also Immunity.
Procaine penicillin G is the antibiotic of choice and quickly brings about reduction of fever and lymph node enlargement. See also Biologicals.
| Veterinary Dictionary: strangles |
An acute disease of horses caused by infection with Streptococcus equi subsp. equi, and characterized by fever, purulent rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, abscessation of the draining lymph nodes and cough.
| WordNet: strangles |
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
an acute bacterial disease of horses characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes
Synonym: equine distemper
| Wikipedia: Strangles |
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (March 2008) |
Strangles (also equine distemper) is a contagious, upper respiratory tract infection of horses and other equines caused by a bacterium, Streptococcus equi var equi. Strangles is enzootic in domesticated horses worldwide.
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The disease is spread when the nasal discharge or material from the draining abscess contaminates pastures, barns, feed troughs, etc.
Equines of any age may contract the disease, although younger and elderly equines are more susceptible. Young equines may lack immunity because they have not had prior exposure. Elderly equines may have a weaker immune system.
Clinical signs include fever, heavy nasal discharge, and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and throatlatch. Affected animals may also stop eating and have a dull affect.
Mortality may be up to 1 in 10 horses affected with strangles, especially bastard strangles. For cases without complications, mortality is usually lower. The disease is very contagious and morbidity is high. Precautions to limit the spread of the illness are necessary and those affected are normally isolated. An isolation period of 6 weeks is usually necessary to ensure that the disease is not still incubating before ending the isolation.
As with many streptococcal infections, penicillin or penicillin-derivative antibiotics are the most effective treatments. However, some authorities are of the opinion that use of antibiotics are contra-indicated once abscesses have begun to form, as they pre-dispose to lymphatic spread of the infection (so-called bastard strangles) which has a much higher mortality rate.
After an abscess has burst, it is very important to keep the wound clean. A diluted povidone-iodine solution has been used with good results to disinfect the open hole, flushing the inside with a syringe tipped with a teat cannula, followed by gentle scrubbing to keep the surrounding area clean.
Possible complications include the horse becoming a chronic carrier of the disease, asphyxia due to enlarged lymph nodes compressing the larynx or windpipe, bastard strangles (spreading to other areas of the body), pneumonia, guttural pouches filled with pus, abscesses, purpura hemorrhagica, and heart disease. The average length for the course of this disease is 23 days.
Both intramuscular and intranasal vaccines are available. Isolation of new horses for 4 to 6 weeks, immediate isolation of infected horses, and disinfection of stalls, water buckets, feed troughs, and other equipment will help prevent the spread of strangles. As with any contagious disease, handwashing is a simple and effective tool.
 Two-year-old pony with week-old strangles. He's completely wild and therefore hard to treat. |
 Note the swelling goes all the way down to his mouth. |
In Chapter I (The Gift) of John Steinbeck's novella The Red Pony the pony Gabilan contracts strangles after being left out in the rain.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Strangles". Read more |
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