# Rising Titer on Repeat Strangles Test



## GypsyCob77 (31 January 2019)

I just bought my horse and the vet did a pre-movement Strangles blood test at the previous yard. The results were 0.4. Vet said this was borderline, could mean a recent infection or that she is a carrier but most likely was the antibodies response from historic exposure. So my horse was approved to be moved to my new yard subject to being quarantined for 14 days when a repeat Strangles test would be performed. We had the repeat Strangles test on Friday and expected the numbers to remain static. I was in shock to be told the results yesterday, my horse had risen to 0.7. So now she is being scoped and guttural washed today. I'm very worried, has anybody experienced a horse with a rising titer like this and has it still been clear when scoped and guttural washed? Many Thanks


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## Shay (2 February 2019)

A rising titre indicates active infection - what did your scope etc show?


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## Red-1 (2 February 2019)

Does that mean that the rest of the yard is on lockdown? What sort of quarantine does the yard have, is it with a separate muck heap etc? 

I do have experience where a horse was sold to a commercial yard with an unknown (to us) suspect strangles history. 

It had been previously tested to be a carrier by a previous purchaser, after several horses of theirs were infected soon after it arrived - whereupon they tested it despite it being symptom free and found it to be positive and returned it to the vendor pronto. 

We bought from said vendor not long after, no declaration of any illness, horse still looking fit and well. When we were told that the horse was a suspect carrier and we re-tested (2 years later) it was clear. None of our horses were infected even though it was quite soon after it returned a suspect carrier test.


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## Ambers Echo (2 February 2019)

You are getting her scoped so you will know soon enough. The blood tests just show the presence of antibodies whereas the guttural pouch is where infection (if there is any) lives so the scope will give you the answer as to whether she is currently unwell, is a carrier or is free of it but just has the antibodies in her blood from previous exposure. Fingers crossed for you.


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## GypsyCob77 (2 February 2019)

Scope was negative. But she was very ill after it, think she had a reaction to the sedative and / or the precautionary penicillin that was administered. She was very lethargic, off her food, at 1st we suspected impaction colic due to the cold weather, but my feeling was the scoping and drugs were responsible. Main thing is she's clear of Strangles, it's been a nightmare, total rollercoaster of emotions and awful being stuck in isolation this long.


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## Ambers Echo (3 February 2019)

Thank goodness!! Hope she picks up soon.


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