Strangles

• It is also called as Equine distemper.

 Etiology

• It is caused by bacteria Streptococcus equi

• It is a a gram positive coccus
 Susceptibility

Horses, donkeys and mules are the species

affected. Horses are more susceptible than
donkeys and mules.
 Transmission
• Nasal discharge of the infected animals are
the most important source of disease
transmission.
• Organism usually get entry through ingestion
of contaminated materials.
• Disease may be transmitted through
copulation or to foal through milk.
 Clinical signs
• High rise of temperature
• Depression
• Reluctance to move, eat or drink
• Purulent nasal discharge
• Coughing and difficulty in swallowing
• Swelling and abscess formation in lymph nodes.
• Later on abscess rupture releasing a pus
• Infection of gutural pouch
 Diagnosis
• Symptoms of upper tract infection with
purulent nasal discharge and enlargement of
the lymph nodes of the throat regions are
diagnostic of strangles.
• Detection of bacteria in culture of nasal swabs
and discharges from abscess can be done to
demonstrate bacteria.
• There is increase in the number of neutrophils
in the blood.
 Treatment
• Since the organism is gram positive , penicillin
@ 22,000 IU/kg b. wt. IM every 12 hours is the
drug of choice.
• Drug like tetracycline @10mg per kg b.wt may
also be tried.
• Anti-inflammatory drug for pain/fever
• Drain the abscess and wash with antiseptic
solution.
 Prevention/ control
• The infected animal should be kept in
isolation.
• Contaminated premises should be disinfected.
Bedding should be burnt.
• Quarantine of the animal before adding into
healthy stock.
• Vaccinating the horse against strangles is the
best way to prevent the disease.
 Glanders

Synonyms ;
Farcy

It is a highly contagious usually chronic in nature

characterized by formation of nodules or ulcer in
upper air ways, lungs and cutaneous tissue.
It is a zoonotic disease.
 Etiology
• It is caused by Pseudomonas mallei /
Burkholderia mallei.
• It is a gram negative bacillus.

Susceptibility: Horses, mules and donkeys are the

species usually affected. Man is susceptible and
the infection is usually fatal.
 Transmission
• Transmitted directly or indirectly secretion or
excretion of infected animals.
• Transmission mostly occurs by the ingestion of
food and water contaminated by nasal
discharge or sputum.

• Transmission by inhalation and from skin

lesions is possible but rare.
 Clinical signs
• High fever, reduced appetite and laboured
breathing with a cough.
• Occular and nasal discharges
• There is formation of nodules in the mucosa of
upper respiratory tract.
• There is formation of nodules in lungs.
• There is formation of nodules and ulcers in the
skin and On healing, the ulcers are replaced by
star shaped scar.
• Enlargement of lymph nodes.
 Diagnosis
• Clinical signs are diagnostic of the disease.
• Isolation and identification of organism from
the pus.
• Mallein test: 0.1 ml mallein is injected intra-
dermally into lower eyelid with tuberculin
syringe. The test is read at about 48 hours. A
positive case shows marked edema of the
eyelid causing severe purulent conjunctivitis.
 Treatment
• Treatment cannot remove the disease
completely, animals remains carrier
throughout the life.
• Affected animals should be destroyed and
disposed off safely
• However treatment with sulphadiazine,
gentamycin , ceftazidine can be tried.
 Control / prevention
• To control and eradication of glanders, every
animals with clinical signs should be destroyed.
• In dead bodies should be burnt
• Mannure, bedding and feed residue should be
burnt or buried.
• The premises should be disinfected.
• Feeding utensils and water trough should be
properly disinfected.
• All the incontacted, suspected,and imported
animals must be isolated , properly tested and
all positive reactors must be slaughtered.