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Strangles Reported at New York RacetrackBy Kentucky Equine Research Staff · April 2, 2012
More than a dozen horses have been diagnosed with strangles, a highly contagious bacterial infection, at Saratoga Raceway in Saratoga Springs, New York. No cases from other stables or tracks have been tied to this outbreak.
Strangles is not generally considered to be life-threatening, though it causes a setback in training for affected horses. The disease is passed between horses by contact with nasal secretions from an infected animal. The secretions can be carried on buckets, tack, grooming tools, clothing, or a handler’s hands.
The New York State Racing and Wagering Board has restricted travel of horses in an effort to control the spread of the disease. Several stables and racetracks are prohibiting or limiting the shipment of horses in or out until the outbreak has run its course. Racing has been cancelled at Saratoga until April 11, and missed racing dates are to be made up later in the year. Anyone planning to move horses to or from a track is urged to check with the track’s management personnel before making shipping arrangement.
