💉 Vet Guide: Strangles Vaccination for Your Horse | 2025 Nasal vs. Oral Dosing, Carrier Risks & Contagion Control 🐴

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Strangles is one of the most contagious—and frustrating—equine diseases we see in practice. Caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi, it spreads rapidly through barns, show grounds, and stables, causing high fevers, abscesses, and even long-term carrier states in horses. 🧪🐎

In this 2025 guide, I’ll explain the pros and cons of vaccination—including **nasal vs. oral delivery**, how long immunity lasts, and why you should talk to your vet before administering it. 🧠📋

🦠 What Is Strangles?

Strangles is an upper respiratory disease that causes:

• 🔥 Fever and nasal discharge
• 🦷 Swelling and abscesses in lymph nodes—especially under the jaw and around the throat
• 🧬 Internal abscesses in rare, severe cases (bastard strangles)

While most horses recover, the infection is highly contagious and requires **quarantine and biosecurity protocols**. 🛑

Key Facts:

• 🔄 Spread via direct contact, water buckets, hands, grooming tools
• 🧪 Carrier horses may shed bacteria **for months or even years**
• 📈 Most common in **younger horses** or large barn settings

🧪 Why Vaccination Matters

Vaccinating for strangles can help reduce the severity of symptoms and slow disease spread. However, it doesn’t guarantee full protection—**and there are risks** if given at the wrong time. ⚖️

💉 The Vaccine:

• 🐴 It’s a **live modified bacterial vaccine**
• 🌬️ Administered via the **intranasal route**—not a needle
• 🧪 Stimulates **local mucosal immunity** in the nasal passages

The intranasal route makes sense because that’s how the bacteria enters the horse’s body in natural infection. ✅

👃 Nasal vs. Oral Administration: What Works Best?

Some horses strongly resist the intranasal pipette. In response, some veterinarians have tried administering the vaccine **orally**, even though that method hadn’t been studied—until recently. 📊

New Research from Kansas State University:

• 📋 Horses were vaccinated via **nasal spray** and **oral administration**
• 🧪 Both groups **developed an immune response**
• 📈 Nasal vaccination produced a **stronger immune response overall**

Conclusion? **Oral dosing works—but nasal delivery is still the gold standard** for the best protection. 🧠

⚠️ Important Vaccine Precautions

Because this is a **live bacterial vaccine**, it’s not suitable for all horses. If a horse has been recently exposed to strangles or has high antibody levels, vaccinating may **trigger a severe reaction**. ❌

Vaccine Reactions Can Include:

• 🔥 Swelling at lymph nodes
• 😵 Fever or lethargy
• 🧬 Rare cases of internal abscess formation

This is why vaccination decisions should be **made with your veterinarian**, especially during an outbreak or for previously infected horses. 🩺

📋 Should Every Horse Be Vaccinated?

Ideal Candidates:

• 🐴 Young horses under 5 years old
• 🚛 Horses frequently traveling to shows or clinics
• 🏘️ Horses boarded at barns with high turnover

Use Caution With:

• 🐴 Horses with recent strangles infection or exposure
• 🧪 Horses that have had vaccine reactions before
• 📉 Horses in isolated or closed herds with low risk

Risk-based vaccination is often the best approach. 💡

📲 Use Ask A Vet to Make a Strangles Plan

The Ask A Vet app is perfect for navigating strangles prevention, testing, and vaccination strategy:

• 📋 Ask about nasal vs. oral vaccine strategies
• 📱 Discuss timing and safety for your herd
• 🧠 Get outbreak management tips for your facility
• 📆 Track vaccination records and booster schedules

Stay one step ahead of outbreaks. 🐴📲

✅ Strangles Vaccine Tips for 2025

• 💉 The intranasal strangles vaccine is **safe and effective** when used correctly
• 📈 Oral dosing works, but **nasal provides stronger immunity**
• ⚠️ Avoid vaccinating horses recently exposed or showing symptoms
• 🧠 Vaccine reactions are rare but can be serious—ask your vet first
• 📱 Use Ask A Vet to plan vaccine protocols and manage risk

📲 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Strangles is more than a nuisance—it’s a disruptive and contagious disease that can leave lasting effects on your horse and your stable. But with smart vaccination, timely quarantine, and good management, you can prevent outbreaks and protect your herd. 🧠💙

Download the Ask A Vet app for strangles vaccine advice, outbreak support, and herd health planning in 2025. 🐎📱