Besitzer Ermutigt Andere, über Würge Bei Pferden Zu Sprechen

Während die nationale Strangles Awareness Week 2021 (3.-9. Mai) zu Ende geht, hofft eine Besitzerin, die ihre Miniatur-Shetland fast durch Strangles verloren hätte, mehr auf die Krankheit aufmerksam zu machen und andere zu ermutigen, sich zu äußern.

Sandy Trimmer aus Falkirk, die die Unicorn Experience leitet, die Fotosessions für Kinder mit Ponys anbietet, um das Selbstvertrauen zu stärken, kaufte im Oktober 2020 den damals fünf Monate alten Teddy und wurde am Tag nach seiner Ankunft krank.

Sandy, die Teddy mit Pumpkin, einem ihrer anderen Ponys, bei sich zu Hause hielt, sagte, er liege viel und legte seinen Kopf in ihren Schoß.

„Er war entwurmt und mit Mikrochips versehen worden, bevor er am Tag zuvor seinen Züchter verließ, und zuerst dachte ich, er hätte vielleicht einen wunden Bauch, aber mir wurde klar, dass er Schwierigkeiten hatte, aufzustehen und zu gehen, also habe ich den Tierarzt geholt“, sagte sie H&H.

"Seine Temperatur war über der Skala und er knirschte von Seite zu Seite und sabberte."

Teddy wurde mit Würgen diagnostiziert und erhielt Schmerzmittel.

„Unter seiner Kehle war geschwollen und der Tierarzt riet, dreimal täglich heiße Handtücher um seinen Hals zu legen“, sagte sie.

„Etwa drei bis vier Tage später entwickelte er eine tischtennisballgroße Schwellung an seinem Hals. Der Tierarzt kam zurück und sagte, sein Immunsystem habe zu kämpfen und die Stelle seines Mikrochips sei infiziert. Sie hat ihm den Hals aufgeschnitten, um den Eiter abzulassen, und sein Mikrochip kam heraus.“

Teddys gesundheitliche Probleme setzten sich fort und er entwickelte eine Schwellung unter seinem Auge.

“his eye was filling with pus, and i noticed a lump on his head between his eye and his ear. i was told by the vet to massage it and eventually pus came out from the abscess under his eye so it was tracking down,” said sandy.

“the abscesses under his throat had burst and he had no skin left on the area. they looked disgusting, it was awful but throughout everything he somehow managed to keep on eating.”

sandy said eventually the abscesses healed. in february both ponies were scoped for strangles and received the all-clear.

“we had to wait a while for teddy to grow to be scoped as he was so little, the vet said he was the smallest they had ever scoped,” she said.

“it was such a relief for him to be given the all-clear; three times we thought we were going to lose him and so many times i was on the phone to the vets in tears. at the time i was concentrating on getting him through it but when i look back i see how tiny he was. three different vets at clyde vet group treated him throughout the time he was ill, they were absolutely amazing.”

sandy, whose other ponies never came into contact with teddy and were kept at a different location, said she spoke openly to “everyone” about teddy having strangles and hopes to raise awareness of the disease.

“i didn’t want friends who have horses coming to visit and i made sure if i had to go to the feed shop i did this first thing before dealing with teddy. i was constantly using disinfectant,” she said.

“people still don’t know enough about strangles and are scared to speak out. i’ve been on yards in the past where it’s been advised not to tell people about strangles as people think they will be blamed, but you have to be open about it and i wish people wouldn’t hide it.”

strangles awareness week is a collaborative effort between the british horse society, intervacc, keeping britain’s horses healthy, redwings horse sanctuary, scotland’s rural college’s premium assured strangles scheme (pass), surveillance of equine strangles (ses), the (dick) royal school of veterinary studies and world horse welfare. the annual initiative aims to provide horse owners, yard managers, vets and equine professionals with a platform to share their own stories and promote support for those affected by the disease.

this year’s campaign features a series of podcasts with people from across the equestrian industry sharing their experiences of the disease. there is also free resources and support available for those who may be tackling outbreaks.