The effecacy of testing

I'm naming the blog this because the results are back on the tests. I know I said he had strangles, but that's what the vet told me after the blood test; the blood work came back that night, high WBC and all that indicative of infection, large swollen glands indicated strangles as the infection (that's equine distemper, BTW). The swab, however, came back negative for Staph. equi, the organism actually responsible for strangles. Go figure. In fact the swab came back negative for growth, which is pretty unusual, as there's aways tons of flora groing in your nose and throat passages. So does he have a virus? Or just some bacterial infection that doesn't grow on general growth plates? I don't know. The vet will be out this afternoon, so I'll find out then, I hope!

Happily, the abscesses have burst (I can't tell you how nasty that was) and he's feeling better, for sure. For whatever reason, he really doesn't mind having his temp taken, as in, really doesn't mind at all, and in fact may find it a mildly pleasant experience. He will probably go on antibiotics now, as he has these holes in his head. (Ok, they're under his jaw, but it's still his head, technically!) And I'm hoping he'll be ok to get outta his space and back with the herd in a few. I'm guessing it may well be a few weeks for him to be able to mingle, Fiona, one of Amanda's horses, seems to be getting ill as well. Total bummer.