The Ohio State Racing Commission confirmed May 11 a case of strangulation in Thistledown.
Overnight of the track said three stables are under quarantine and no horses are allowed in or out of the premises until further notice.
OSRC Deputy Director Tanya Boulmetis, in an email on Wednesday, said “affected barns remain under quarantine.” She added, “Horses are not allowed in or out at the moment. We are waiting for the results of the horses that had their blood drawn yesterday. We understand that we should get those results by the end of the day. this afternoon.”
As the situation progresses, OSRC will announce updates as needed.
According to the University of California-Davis Dark Horse Health Center, strangulation is a highly contagious bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus Equi. It leads to swelling of the horse’s lymph nodes and the presence of abscesses on the head and neck. Other symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, and runny nose.
The severity of the disease varies but young horses often exhibit more severe symptoms than older horses. Horses can become infected by inhaling or ingesting the bacteria as well as by touching contaminated items or equipment. Strangles take three to eight days to brew.
There is disagreement among veterinarians about whether antibiotics should be used for treatment.
Full recovery takes three to six weeks, and UC Davis about 70-75% of infected horses develop immunity to the disease that lasts at least five years.
