Strangles is a malady that has afflicted horses for hundreds of years. In fact, it was first described in a veterinary publication back in 1614. During the ensuing years, many horses have suffered from strangles. Most have recovered, but some have not. Along the way, the troublesome disease has cost the horse industry millions of dollars.

In those years, strangles has faced a formidable opponent in the form of scientific research. During the early going, very little progress was made, but more recently, thanks in part to the efforts of British scientists, some rather dramatic findings have opened the door to avoiding the malady.

One scientist, John Prescott, MA, VetMB, PhD, a professor in the Pathobiology Department at the University of Guelph in Ontario, takes it a step further. He believes that we can eradicate strangles if the horse industry organizes itself for the effort.

What the British scientists at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket have learned through research conducted during the past several years is that horses which have recovered from the disease can be carriers, even though they appear outwardly healthy. What this means is that they can inadvertently infect healthy populations just by showing up in their midst