August 22, 2023 - The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reporting four new cases of strangles, bringing the total number of cases for 2023 to 33.
The first case occurred in a nine-year-old Miniature horse mare from Presque Isle County. On July 26, the mare became ill with fever and nasal discharge. On August 1, the mare was examined by a veterinarian and was confirmed to have the disease.
Two additional cases occurred in yearling Quarter Horse fillies from Saginaw County. On August 8, the fillies became ill and were examined by a veterinarian the following day. They were later confirmed to have strangles.
The last case occurred in a 15-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Lapeer County. On June 15, the mare became ill with nasal discharge, but the horse did not undergo testing until August 4. The mare was confirmed to have strangles. Other horses at the same premises have also displayed signs of strangles earlier this year, three of which were positive for the disease and were previously reported by MDARD.
All of the horses from these four recent cases were not vaccinated against strangles, and all are recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
Previously reported cases:
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 29th case of strangles for 2023.
On July 3, 2023, an 11-year-old Quarter Horse gelding from Lapeer County became ill with fever and nasal discharge. The horse was subsequently tested and confirmed to have the disease. Since the current owner recently purchased the gelding from an out-of-state auction, it is unknown if the horse was vaccinated against strangles. The gelding is alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 28th case of strangles for 2023.
On May 8, 2023, a 15-year-old Quarter Horse from Lapeer County became ill with fever, nasal discharge, and a swollen submandibular lymph node; the animal has since recovered. Since May 2023, due to other confirmed cases of strangles at the premises, the horse was under a voluntary quarantine and under the care of the treating veterinarian. The horse was later tested on July 6, 2023, for potential release of the quarantine and found to be infected with strangles. The horse has not been vaccinated against the disease.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
A warmblood yearling gelding from Leelanau County recently tested positive for strangles, bringing the total number of cases for 2023 to 27.
On July 1, 2023, the yearling became ill with nasal discharge and an abscess. The next day, the horse was examined and later tested and confirmed to have strangles. The yearling is recovering and was previously vaccinated against the disease. Another horse at the property is also experiencing nasal discharge and is being tested for the disease.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 26th case of strangles for 2023.
On June 22, 2023, a two-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding from Shiawassee County became ill with lethargy, coughing, inappetence, and a swelling under its jaw. The gelding was subsequently tested and confirmed to have the disease. While the gelding was unvaccinated against strangles, the horse is alive and recovering. Also, two other horses at the premises are showing signs of the disease, but they have not been tested.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 25th case of strangles for 2023.
On June 17, 2023, a pony mare from Macomb County became ill with discharge from a submandibular lymph node. The pony was subsequently tested and confirmed to have strangles. It is unknown if the pony was previously vaccinated against the disease as the owner had acquired the pony about three weeks prior to the illness. The pony is alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 24th case of strangles for 2023.
On June 6, 2023, a three-year-old paint mare from St. Clair County became ill with nasal discharge and fever. The mare was tested and confirmed to have strangles. While the mare’s vaccination status is unknown, the horse is alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 23rd case of strangles for 2023. On June 6, 2023, an unvaccinated 15-year-old Standardbred cross gelding from Lapeer County became ill with nasal discharge. The gelding was subsequently tested and confirmed to have the disease. Even though the gelding has since developed an abscess, the horse is alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reporting three new cases of strangles for 2023, bringing the total number of cases to 22.
The first case occurred in a six-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Lapeer County. On April 12, 2023, the mare became ill with nasal discharge. The mare was later tested in May and was confirmed to have strangles. The horse was unvaccinated and is alive and recovering. Two other horses at the premises were previously reported by MDARD to have the disease; and another three horses at the property recently had signs of strangles, but they have not undergone testing.
The second case occurred in a four-year-old Quarter horse gelding from Ottawa County. The gelding became ill on May 22, 2023, with nasal discharge, fever, and anorexia. The horse was subsequently confirmed to have the disease and is recovering. It is unknown if the gelding was vaccinated against strangles.
The last case occurred in an unvaccinated four-month-old Quarter Horse colt from Tuscola County. On June 5, 2023, the colt became ill with a swollen throat and strained breathing. The colt was tested and confirmed to have the disease and is alive and recovering. Also, another two horses at the property are showing signs of strangles, but they have not been tested.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reporting two new cases of strangles for 2023, bringing the total number of cases to 19.
The first case occurred in an eight-year-old Standardbred gelding from Monroe County. Within the last month, the horse was noted to have nasal discharge. The gelding was tested and confirmed to have the disease. Since the horse was recently purchased, it is unknown if the horse was vaccinated against strangles.
The second case occurred in an unvaccinated 26-year-old Friesian gelding from Jackson County. The gelding developed a draining abscess under its jaw and was subsequently tested and confirmed to have the disease. Even though the horse developed signs of strangles back on April 24, 2023, the case was recently reported to MDARD.
Both horses are alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 17th case of strangles for 2023.
On May 18, 2023, a four-year-old Belgian mare from Branch County became ill with nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes, and difficulties swallowing. The mare was unvaccinated against strangles and was later confirmed to have the disease. The horse is alive and recovering. Also, several other horses at the farm are reportedly ill with similar signs, but they have not been tested.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting four additional cases of strangles for 2023, bringing the total number to 16.
Two of the cases occurred in Quarter Horses from a premises in Lapeer County. The first horse became ill on April 15, 2023, and developed nasal discharge, inappetence, and swollen lymph nodes. On April 20, 2023, the second horse developed nasal discharge. Both horses were tested and confirmed to have strangles. They were not vaccinated against the disease. Three additional horses at the farm are also showing signs of strangles, but they have not been tested.
Another case of strangles involved a 10-year-old Appaloosa gelding from Ingham County. In mid-April, the horse became ill with nasal discharge and difficulties swallowing. The horse was unvaccinated against strangles.
The last case occurred in a three-year-old Thoroughbred gelding from Oakland County. On April 28, 2023, the horse became ill with a fever and a cough. It is unknown if the horse was vaccinated against strangles, and an additional 14 horses at the premises are showing signs of strangles. These animals have not been tested.
All of the horses involved in these confirmed cases are alive and recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 12th case of strangles for 2023. A 14-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Allegan County had a recent history of enlarged lymph nodes. The horse was tested for strangles and confirmed to have the disease. It is unknown when the horse became ill or if the horse was vaccinated against strangles.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the 11th case of strangles for 2023. On March 25, 2023, a 14-year-old pony mare from St. Clair County became ill with nasal discharge and enlarged lymph nodes, which eventually ruptured. The pony was tested and confirmed to have strangles. Since the mare was recently acquired, it is unknown if the pony was previously vaccinated against the disease; however, the mare is recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting two additional cases of strangles, bringing the total number of cases for 2023 to 10. The new cases occurred at a Bay County property that recently had five other cases of the disease, the first of which was reported in November 2022. With the latest cases, the two horses are alive and are currently not showing signs of strangles.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting two new cases of strangles, bringing the total number of cases for 2023 to eight.
The first case occurred in an 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Shiawassee County. On February 11, the mare became ill with fever and nasal discharge and was later confirmed to have the disease. The mare was unvaccinated against strangles but is recovering.
The second case occurred in a five-year-old Thoroughbred gelding from Macomb County. On December 20, 2022, the gelding became ill with a fever and nasal discharge. The horse was later sampled on February 6, 2023, and confirmed to have strangles. While it is unknown if the gelding was vaccinated against the disease, the horse is recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the sixth case of strangles for 2023. The case occurred in a yearling colt from Bay County. The colt was unvaccinated against strangles and was not showing signs of the disease at the time of testing. However, the colt was showing signs of strangles in December 2022, but the animal was not tested at that time. The property had four other confirmed cases of strangles in December 2022.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the fifth case of strangles for 2023. On January 13, 2023, a 22-year-old Arabian Cross mare from Van Buren County developed nasal discharge and later developed a facial abscess. The mare was subsequently tested and confirmed to have strangles. While the mare was unvaccinated against the disease, the horse is recovering. Also, four other animals at the property are ill with strangles-like signs.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the fourth case of strangles for 2023. On February 1, 2023, a nine-year-old Quarter Horse mare from St. Joseph County became lethargic and developed swollen lymph nodes. On February 3, the mare was examined and had samples collected for testing by a licensed veterinarian. The mare was later confirmed to be infected with strangles. The horse was unvaccinated against the disease and is recovering.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the third case of strangles for 2023. On January 30, 2023, a 17-year-old Quarter Horse gelding from Shiawassee County developed a nasal discharge and was later tested and found to have strangles. The gelding was unvaccinated against the disease and is recovering. Two other horses at the property are also showing signs of strangles, but they have not been tested for the disease.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the second case of strangles for 2023. On November 25, 2022, a 22-year-old Arabian gelding from Ottawa County became ill with nasal discharge and a ruptured abscess. On January 20, 2023, the gelding was examined by a veterinarian and subsequently tested positive for the disease. The gelding was unvaccinated against strangles and is recovering. Two other horses at the property have recently exhibited signs of strangles, but they were not tested for the disease.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting the first case of strangles for 2023. On January 3, a 20-year-old pony gelding from Livingston County was examined and tested for strangles after developing a nasal discharge and fever. The pony was positive for the disease and is recovering. On December 28, 2022, the pony was acquired by the current owner from another location in Michigan, and the animal’s prior vaccination history is unknown.
For more information on strangles and other diseases, including cases in Michigan, please visit the Equine Disease Communication Center.