Barrington Hills Park District Riding Center has received notice of a case of horse strangles and is asking visitors to take the following precautions:

• Keep your distance from other horses.
• Avoid using stalls whenver possible.

Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the upper airway in horses that causes fever, nasal discharge and abscesses near swollen lymph nodes. Horses that struggle to breathe may need antibiotics or hospital care.

The University of Minnesota Extension recommends isolating sick horses, refraining from sharing equipment between healthy and sick horses, and changing your clothes and washing your hands before working with healthy horses. 

Vaccines can help lessen the severity of strangles symptoms but cannot completely prevent the disease.

Detailed information pertaining to Strangles, including signs of illness, treatment, and prevention can be found by following the link Strangles in Horses.