Over the weekend, Yalla!s chest swelled even bigger and she began to walk stiff again. She liked having me massage her neck and chest pockets- probably to relieve the pressure- but otherwise, she was lethargic and moody. I could tell she was still running a low temperature too.
I knew that soon I would need to call the vet out to lance it and begin antibiotics but I didn't want to start her too early on the antibiotics. I gave her bute a couple of mornings, several days ago, but was advised that this may prolong the infection so I stopped giving it to her. She seemed to have no problem eating, and I didn't want to call the vet out too soon. These pictures were taken Sunday morning when I borrowed my daughter's camera. Having no camera is driving me absolutely crazy.
This morning, when I went out to feed the horses, Yalla!s Pigeon Breast "pocket" had burst open and was beginning to drip fluids. I decided it was time to call the vet in order to lance it and clean it out better.
The dripping looks like sap from a tree, thick and amber colored.
I called the vet and he said he'd come by around 10:30. I went in to work for an hour or so (it's a half hour drive each way) and arrived back at the house before he showed up. He looked at her chest and worried that the pockets weren't fully developed. He gave her a sedative because he said this Pigeon Fever is very painful for the horse and most horses resent having the pockets even touched. Then he lanced the pocket, digging around, and I was surprised/disappointed that it dripped more blood than pus because that would mean he's not getting all the infection out. Notice that the fluid is brighter in color than normal blood, because it is mixed with the infectious material.
He dug around inside and again commented that it seemed to be entwined in channels. The pockets can channel up in all different ways so unless the right part is opened up, it just keeps growing and spreading into new pockets. I asked him about the flabby one at the bottom right hand corner and he said that no, that one didn't seem to be a pocket. It was more like where fluids are just settling from gravity.
I was disappointed that he just left them to drip rather than purging them with a saline solution like the other vet I've used in the two previous times with Annie. I was actually getting nausious as I watched the blood and stuff ooze out of her chest. I can't stand the sight of blood. AT. ALL.
As Yalla stood, swaying in her drug induced daze, she left nasty puddles all over the ground. The vet suggested disinfecting the area with clorox. I did sprinkle some on the various puddles of blood/pus that were forming but I think I'll need to do a very thorough cleaning when she is done with this. Unfortunately, it may be several more days, or even weeks until she is recovered. He gave me some antibiotics to feed her (once a day) and prescribed more bute for her until she is recovered.
Poor Yalla! She is such a mess right now and in so much pain too, I'm sure. I'm praying that I won't need the vet to come back out again but I half expect that I will.
This PF is for the birds!
Oh yeah!
Happy Halloween!!!
Live in a Fever, Raging inside of Me: song: Fascination, artist: David Bowie, album: Young Americans
13 comments:
So sorry to hear about Yalla! I've never heard of Pigeon Fever, sure sounds nasty. Hope things clear up soon.
It looks awful .WOuld it help to poultice it?
Ooh yuk! So much blood. I thought it would be mostly pus, like the videos show. Poor Yalla! I've not been up to the barn since last Tuesday. Seems a lot has changed since then.
~Lisa
Just keep in mind it is not all blood and its relieving some of her pain!!! I so dread my horse getting this desease. Now that they are opening hopefully she is on the mend!
I feel for you girl!!
Oh poor baby! I hope she starts on the mend now.
I don't do blood and gore very well either. I can deal with an emergency, but to have to watch someone else work on something like that almost makes me pass out.
Some of the natural immune boosters I have looked at are; SeaBuck (has a very good reputation), Su-per Anti-Oxidant (by Gateway), Bio-Quench (by Uckele - who has a couple of other products I would like to try) and Prime Defense (by Prime Performance Nutrition). All of these can be found in Valley Vet with full descriptions. Hope that helps.
This must be so hard for you - how awful to know your loved horse is hurting. Hopefully this will all clear up....soon!
I just left my barn and it looks like Lily has it. I'm calling the vet tomorrow. We've never had anything like this in our area before. Poor Yalla!! I hope she's feeling better.
Oh my gosh, poor girl! Sending healing thoughts your way. (I have to google pigeon fever now too)
Oh my, what a mess. Pigeon Fever is not very common in Nebraska. Our horses will get strangles which is similar but not the same. My friend who moved out to California this past year had her horse come down with Pigeon Fever several months after arriving. It took her months it seemed to get him cleared up. Interestingly, her other gelding - also a Nebraska horse - did not get it.
Sounds like you are on top of it. Hang in there. Poor Yalla! Poor Val!
Poor baby!!!! That's awful. I wish the vet had cleaned it out too, but since it was mostly blood maybe it wouldn't have done anything anyway. The act of blood flowing is cleansing in itself. I hope she heals up quickly. She must be so miserable.
Poor Yella! Oh, I hope she gets better soon, how awful for both of you!
Poor baby. I've never heard of Pigeon Fever either. I think my maternal instincts must kick in when my horses are injured. Although I'm squeamish, it doesn't bother me when I'm busy caring for them.
Just checking in, hope everything is okay, not like you to be away so long.
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