LAUSR

While horse owners are keen that strangles should be more of a priority for the equestrian industry, many harbour misconceptions about the disease that affect how they approach its control. A survey carried out by the equine charity Redwings found a good understanding of the disease among horse owners, with 92.5 per cent correctly identifying fever, and 96 per cent identifying nasal discharge as clinical signs of strangles. however, more than one-third of owners thought strangles was ‘an airborne disease like flu’, rather than knowing that it was spread through direct contact with an infected animal or material. The survey, conducted as part of the charity’s ‘Stamp out strangles’ campaign, found half the respondents either partly or completely agreed ‘it was not possible’ to eradicate strangles in the UK, and only 13 per cent of owners who kept their horses on a livery yard had had their horse screened for strangles on arrival. More than 16 per cent of owners believed that it was not possible to prevent strangles and that it was ‘just something that happens’. ‘it is not only strangles that we need to stamp out,’ said Andie Vilela, Redwings’ education and campaigns manager, ‘but the attitudes and perceptions towards the disease that prevent or undermine motivation for horse owners to act.’ Developed in collaboration with liverpool university, the survey attracted nearly 5000 responses; 2002 respondents completed its 60 questions in full.