On Wednesday (Feb. 17), the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission (APHRC) was informed of a new confirmed case of strangles in a Standardbred on Prince Edward Island.
This case is in a different barn then the stable that has been under quarantine since early November. Testing of other horses in the newly impacted stable at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park is underway, and the stable has been quarantined. No other horses in this barn had shown any clinical signs for Streptococcus equi except for the horse that came up positive on Wednesday.
The originally impacted barn has been following testing and treatment protocols established by the Atlantic Veterinary College. This has resulted in the majority of the horses in the stable being cleared. The remaining horses are undergoing testing and treatment protocols set forth by the attending veterinarians.
Strangles is a highly contagious and serious infection of horses and other equines caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi.
Horsepeople are reminded to remain vigilant and institute appropriate biosecurity measures, and should consult their veterinarians for advice.
For more information concerning strangles, please click this link.
(APHRC)