WELLINGTON COUNTY – Four horses in Wellington County are infected with a highly contagious bacterial disease, according to the Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN).
OAHN's website says four horses were confirmed this month to have streptococcus equi, also known as strangles.
Strangles is a bacterial disease affecting horses, mules, donkeys and other equids. Typically horses with strangles have a swelling of the lymph nodes under and around the throat which can be severe enough to strangle the horse and affect its breathing.
The first case was confirmed on Sept. 6 at an unspecified Wellington County farm in a 15-year-old female horse who developed a fever and swelling in the throat region.
The next cases saw three horses from a Wellington County boarding facility "showing classic signs of strangles" confirmed on Sept. 11. Two other horses were exposed and the OAHN site says the facility manager has voluntarily stopped movement of horses on and off the property and working with a veterinarian on instituting biosecurity protocols.
