Wisconsin strangles case highlights rescue movement risks

A 15-year-old unvaccinated Quarter Horse mare in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, tested positive for strangles after developing bilateral nasal discharge on March 6, with confirmation on March 23. The mare, used in rescue work, had been exposed to horses with strangles at a previous premises, and the Equine Disease Communication Center report says she came from a local rescue with a long history of transporting equines with strangles and other respiratory diseases. Four horses were reported exposed, and the case is under voluntary quarantine. The Wisconsin report comes alongside another recent Wisconsin strangles alert involving an unvaccinated Appaloosa gelding in Walworth County, confirmed March 25 after earlier mild signs and persistent guttural pouch abscesses, as well as a Michigan case in Marquette County involving a 2-year-old unvaccinated Quarter Horse gelding confirmed March 5. (equinediseasecc.org)

Why it matters: For equine veterinarians and practice teams, the Wisconsin mare’s history underscores a familiar risk point: horse movement through rescue, rehoming, and multi-premises transport can introduce strangles into new facilities, even when signs are initially mild or delayed. AAEP guidance notes that strangles is highly contagious, that vaccination is risk-based rather than core, and that carrier horses, including those with guttural pouch infection, can complicate control efforts. Wisconsin requires suspected reportable animal diseases to be reported to state or federal animal health officials, and EDCC’s role is to distribute verified equine infectious disease information in near real time. (datcp.wi.gov)

What to watch: Watch for any linked Wisconsin alerts, additional exposed horses tied to rescue movement, and whether quarantine, testing, or carrier screening identifies more cases in Jefferson or Walworth counties. (equinediseasecc.org)