So I got this horse, right? Named Biscuit. Real sweet mare but last week she started acting weird – barely eating, nose dripping yellow gunk, and her neck looked swollen like she’d swallowed a softball. Freaked me out big time.
The Panic Stage
Ran straight to my vet buddy Dave after seeing Biscuit’s fever hit 104°F. He took one look at those lumps under her jaw and went “Yep, that’s strangles.” My stomach dropped ’cause I heard this disease kills horses. Dave noticed me sweating bullets and said “Hold up – let’s check actual numbers before you faint.”
Digging Up Facts
Spent all night Googling like crazy between checking on Biscuit. Found out from university studies:
- Over 90% of horses survive with proper care
- Deaths usually happen only when owners wait too long to treat
- Young foals & old horses are most at risk (Biscuit’s 8 – thank God)
Relief washed over me when I saw those stats. Called Dave back at 2AM yelling “SHE’S GONNA MAKE IT RIGHT?!” He just groaned “Go to sleep, you lunatic.”
My Prevention Bootcamp
Once Biscuit started recovering after antibiotics, I turned into a germ-fighting maniac:
- Isolated her pasture with temporary fencing
- Bleached every bucket & brush daily (my hands are still peeling)
- Made visitors dip shoes in vinegar water before entering barn
- Stopped sharing equipment with neighbor’s horses cold turkey
Funny thing – my wife caught me bleaching the doorknobs and asked if I needed therapy.
Where We’re At Now
Biscuit’s been clear for three weeks! Still checking her temp twice daily like a paranoid nurse. Key takeaways burned into my brain:
- Strangles won’t kill most horses if caught early
- Ignoring symptoms = fast track to disaster
- Quarantine new horses for 30 days minimum (no exceptions now!)
Still smell like bleach constantly, but seeing Biscuit nuzzle me this morning? Worth every damn minute.
