Getting a Stranglehold on Strangles
Find out more about Strangles at SRUC’s free online event on Thursday 21st of April.
The event aims to highlight the dangers of Strangles, a highly contagious and potentially lethal equine disease, and Strangles expert, Nic de Brauwere, will talk about the disease.
It will also aim to promote the third national Strangles Awareness Week (SAW), which runs from 2- 8 May.
Around 600 cases of Strangles are reported in the UK every year, with symptoms ranging from laboured breathing, difficulty eating and depression, to a high fever, thick nasal discharge and painful abscesses. In severe cases, strangles can cause death.
During SAW, horse owners are being asked to do the ‘Temperature Check Challenge’. This will involve daily recording of their horse’s resting temperature in a free online checker, allowing the owner to familiarise themselves with their horse’s normal temperature range. Knowledge of a horse’s ‘normal’ temperature could prevent an outbreak as a high temperature is an early warning sign that a horse may have been infected with strangles and could be infectious to others.
SRUC has joined leading equine welfare charities, vets, researchers, and other higher education institutions from around the world in the third national campaign to raise awareness of the disease.
Alison Braddock, Marketing and Business Development Manager at SRUC, said: “SRUC staff and students are delighted to be participating in SAW 2022. We have been supporting the SAW initiative since it began in 2019 and SRUC Veterinary services, which runs the Premium Assured Strangles Scheme, will be linking up with academic colleagues to promote a better understanding of strangles prevention to students, clients and stakeholders.” Click here to register for the SRUC Strangles event.
