Strangles

[1] As a result, the lymph nodes swell, compressing the pharynx, larynx, and trachea, and can cause airway obstruction leading to death, hence the name strangles.

[3] A horse with strangles typically develops abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, causing coughing fits and difficulty swallowing.

[2] Possible complications include the horse becoming a chronic carrier of the disease, asphyxia due to enlarged lymph nodes compressing the larynx or windpipe, bastard strangles (spreading to other areas of the body), pneumonia, guttural pouch filled with pus, abscesses, purpura haemorrhagica, and heart disease.

The disease is spread by an infected horse when nasal discharge or pus from the draining lymph nodes contaminate pastures, feed troughs, brushes, bedding, tack, etc.

A diluted povidone-iodine solution has been used with good results to disinfect the open hole, flushing the inside with a syringe-tipped catheter or with a teat cannula, followed by gentle scrubbing to keep the surrounding area clean.