Friday, April 11, 2008

I could STRANGLE Strangles...

So Justin had this equine virus/disease thing called Strangles two years ago. When I brought him to his current boarding barn, it had been almost a year since the quarantine was over (not the disease itself, PAST the disease - the end of the 6 month quarantine!) and since I wasn't asked about diseases or whatever, I didn't think to tell her because I figured it wasn't an issue anymore. I was told after 6 months that we could move them and take them places. Plus, several horses had been in and out of there since the Strangles, one to a hunter/jumper trainer in North Carolina, so I figured it was safe and why bring it up?

Anyways, I talked to the vet who came to the barn I work at two days ago, and I told her that when the vet came to where I keep my horse, that he gave all the horses Strangles vaccine - Justin included. She said that he probably should not have the vaccine because he's already had Strangles before. So, I emailed the barn manager/owner where Justin is, and told her to please not have the second part of the vaccine given, seeing as how he's already had Strangles. Well, apparently this was a terrible thing, despite it being two years since he's had it (AND he's already been at this barn for a year) and he's putting the other horses at risk since we don't know if he's a carrier. Luckily, the vet had apparently hurt his arm an HOUR before he came to the barn to vaccinate and couldn't give the Strangles vaccine because it's intranasal (a TERRIBLE vaccine, I never have given it to Justin, but apparently it's required where he is now) so the barn manager emailed me all the specifics of how it could affect the other horses and how we should do a titre test to determine his antibody levels and then a guttural pouch swab test to see if he's a carrier or not. Combined cost: $360 give or take. >.<

Daddy is not happy. He's never happy when we have to spend money on Justin... thankfully though, Mother is more forgiving! I do thank the Lord when I realize how close Justin came to having it, because whether he's a carrier or not (I really don't think he is) the vaccine wouldn't be good for him.

Why do I not think he's a carrier? Apparently, if they're a carrier they have bacteria in their guttural pouch, and during stress/stressful situations they "shed" the bacteria and therefore infecting other horses. Well, it has been TWO years, and Justin's had his fair share of stressful situations. At my previous barn, during the summer I had to pull him out of sight from the herd to ride and he'd prance, snort, whinny and scream for them the entire time -- Stress! We moved him to the barn he's at now with lots of kicks, and then put in a stall for half a day from then on where he had to adjust, kick, etc. I took him to Brittney's house at night one time, and he was pawing and kicking during that ride. Then, he was shipped to South Carolina for the Beach Ride for a SEVEN HOUR trip! Every time we stopped he'd paw and sometimes kick, so that was obviously stressful! And once when I was attempting to give him bute, he reared and was freaking out: aka- STRESS; he also did that a few times when I've tried to do stuff to his eye. So, lots of stressful situations and NO horses have been infected.

*sigh* But I do understand her concern, and she says I don't need to leave/take him somewhere else if we can do these tests (and of course, only if they turn out negative). The problem is, if he IS a carrier, he's one for life. Yay. Wow it sucks! Luckily, Justin's a pretty no-stress horse on a regular basis, seeing as how he's not wound up and sensitive, but he can stress (as I previously wrote). I really don't think he IS a carrier, so I'm allowing myself that thought to make me think positively. Hopefully I can just let him run with Ruby this Summer and then bring him to Mom's quilting friend Anne's house with her horses, she's ten minutes closer than the 25 minute drive to where he's at now though.

Okay, so I just - for the last 30 minutes - have been reading articles about Strangles. Guess I'll go ahead and post this now.

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