Live in a Fever, Raging inside of Me, part 4

WARNING- GROSS PHOTOS AHEAD!

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

Live in a Fever, Raging inside of Me, part 3

Yalla! looks no better- no worse with her pigeon fever. She still has a good appetite and is walking better than the first couple of days with more neck flexibility.She has a large, hard pocket on the lower part of her neck and a flabby pocket between her forelegs. The button won't depress. It may have drained a little on the underside because there is some matted material in her hair. It could also be from laying down in the muddy paddock. We had a couple of inches of snow yesterday morning and a heavy frost this morning. The horses enjoy rolling in the muck, much to my displeasure. Sorry, no pictures. My camera is kaputs.

Scout also seems to have a touch of it. He has a six inch long edema on the underside of his belly. He had that last year too (or was it the year before??) and I took him to the vet. She put him on low grade antibiotics and it took about three weeks for it to clear up. I believe I'll keep to my holding pattern for now as far as calling the vet. I have tons of work and personal business in town so this is a really bad time for me to be staying at home, nursing a horse. 

I have heard that horses don't get it more than once. Not in my household. This would be Scout's second episode and Annie has had it twice too, big pockets both times, in past years, not consecutive years either. I've also read that this is the wrong time of year for it. Well, in my last three episodes, it occured in October, after the first frosts. Go figure, the flies have dwindled but the bacteria remains.

I really do appreciate everyone's comments on this ailment. It is a rather controversial topic and anybody's personal experiences are helpful for me to decidewhat course of action to follow. If I don't follow any particular advice, it's probably because I'm usually a "wait and see" type of person. I know many Native people who rarely treat their animals with medications and believe it is in the hands of the Great Spirit to be cured. So let's all fold our hands together and say a healing prayer...


Live in a Fever, Raging Inside of Me: song: Fascination, artist: David Bowie, album: Young Americans

Live in a Fever, Raging Inside of Me, part 2

Yesterday morning I called the vet's office and spoke to the receptionist. Not much help. She said I'd need to bring Yalla! in or have a vet come out to my place for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Then I called another vet who I actually spoke with. Of course, without seeing her, it IS hard for a vet to discuss an ailment but I wanted to discover what his general course of action is when treating Pigeon Fever. With Annie, we called the vet right away, who either lanced the abcess right then or came back in a few days. I can't really remember. However, he did put her on antibiotics and I remember that he had to come back numerous times to drain and lance new pockets. Annie had multiple holes of draining nastiness for at least a couple of weeks each time. Well, that vet has since retired so I now had my choice of either the large and small animal practice with multiple vets or the solo mobile equine vet who I was able to talk to.

We discussed several options, antibiotics right away or wait, painkillers, when to lance, etc. He thought the best time to lance it was when it had developed a soft area. The first days, the swollen areas are extremely hard to the touch. We agreed that I would keep watch a few days and then call him when I thought the time was right.

This morning, I went out to feed and inspect her chest and the swelling seems to have spread, thinning out. She is still having lots of trouble walking and moving her neck up but it doesn't really seem to be worse. I took a couple of photos with my obnoxious camera. Fifty tries before it takes the photo! And, of course, the morning sun is at the worst possible angle on a dark horse. Oh well, maybe you can see it.

I dug around in my refrigerator and came up with some bute from a few years ago. The medicine was expired in March but I figured it still had some potency. She felt good enough to turn away from me and the tube of medicine but I knew she was hurting because she can hardly walk. I dosed her a little higher thaan prescribed and then worried that I might have overdosed her. She seemed fine, however. 

Now, what to do next? I've been reading everything I can about this and everybody says something different as far as treatment. My conclusions are:

• Antibiotics given too early can prolong the illness and possibly cause additional swellings?
• Some advise lancing. Vet said it's better for him to lance and clean out abcesses than to let them burst on their own.
• Lancing spills lots of contaminated fluids and is absolutely gross. Trust me on this or google videos for pigeon fever in horses. There are some outstanding videos of pus spurting from the horse's chests if you are into that sort of thing. 
• Contact with contaminated fluids could cause additional infections in other horses, alpacas, and possibly even humans?
• If the infections internalize, it can be life threatening, otherwise, just a PITA affliction.
• No treatment and the horse recovers okay? Some say "yes".
• Pain killers administered only if horse is in excessive pain. Otherwise, may prolong affliction?

Okay, so now, my course of action. I am tempted to see what would happen if I don't have it lanced. Nobody else has come down with it, so far, and they've all obiously been exposed. I hate to spread more contaminants around. Also, I worry that cutting them open can lead to worse infections, yeah, right!! And then there's the time and money factor. I have been working long hours with no end in sight so time off from work is difficult to get. And money, there is none. lol. I've had a lot of extra expenses lately and still more to come. But this is Yalla!, my baby, although I don't really think it makes a difference who it is. Last year, I took Scout to the vet with an edema on his underbelly. The vet prescribed a slow acting antibiotic and sent us home. He recovered just fine with no slicing and draining. Matter of fact, it was around this time of year. Coinidence? Or did he have a bout of it? I wonder? And talking to Lisa, Baby Doll had a mysterious swelling that eventually went away on it's own. Maybe, we are just too quick with medicine sometimes and the body will heal itself all on it's own?

Maybe I'll decide what to do in the morning...

Live in a Fever, Raging inside of Me

I went out to visit the horses this afternoon. I've been concerned that Yalla! seems to be spending a lot of time in the barn. She usually roams around looking for things to see and do.

When I approached her, I saw why. She has Corynebacteria Pseudo tuberculosis, or pigeon fever, dryland strangles, or pigeon breast, as it is also commonly called. (Click on the previous two links for more information). She has a huge swelling in her lower chest area, one higher up, towards her neck, and possibly one on the left side of her neck. She is lethargic and finds walking very uncomfortable. Annie, her mother, has come down with this at least two times over the years. Both times, her swellings were lanced and drained, numerous times, to release the pus that forms the swellings. It is supposed to be a highly infectious ailment but only Annie has had it. It is nearly impossible to quarantine Yalla!, especially since flies are purported to be the carriers. This ailment is more prevalent in the dry southwest  region and always seems to occur (in my barn, anyway) during October.

This is the topping on the cake for me. I had a brake job done on both the front and rear axles on the Hyundai last week to the sweet tune of almost $600. I had the plumber out two weekends ago for $500, repairing a leaky water heater faucet and an outdoor faucet. (I still have a leak in the barn and must keep the water turned off unless I am using it.) Last month, I had tires put on the Hyundai and the month before that the Subaru needed tires and a front brake job. And now...Yalla!

I thought about calling the vet but after doing research and thinking about Annie's episodes, I decided to wait until morning. Oh yeah, when I went to start my truck, it wouldn't. For three weeks now, I have been trying to get my oldest son out here to look at it (he's a whiz at fixing cars) and he's just too busy. I've called friends and mechanics but I couldn't get anyone to take a look at it. It starts, just won't turn over. My daughter's boyfriend finally came over and took a look and we decided that it might be the fuel filter or pump, after trying to hit the restart button. Who knew there was one? Anyway, we've been to Auto Zone twice now and I've got my fingers crossed it will work. I really need to get it running so that I can

1. Take Yalla! to the vet in the morning to find out what to do for her.
2. Go get some wood
3. Go get some hay
4. Take stuff to the dump

The vet will probably lance the abcesses (if they're ready) and give antibiotics. I believe it will run it's course if left untreated too, however, there is a risk of internal abcesses and peritonitis from ruptured abcesses getting infected. What should I do?

Pigeon fever is like a PITA ailment but it can also be life threatening, in rare circumstances. Does anyone else have any more information for me?


Live in a Fever, Raging inside of Me - song: Fascination, artist: David Bowie, album: Young Americans