Do we really get pigeon fever in the UK?

HollyWoozle

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Hello! Vet is coming today and I know I should be patient, but you know how your mind starts trying to diagnose things sometimes! Do we really get 'pigeon fever' here in the UK? I can't really find a definitive answer on Google really.

It's a long story altogether but shetland pony has been 'off' for several days and now has presented with a sizeable swelling to the chest, which feels to me like an abscess, which is accompanied by a large graze on lower neck/shoulder and a small one the other side. He is very itchy and I believe has caused the grazes trying to rub. I guess it could be a bit or allergic reaction but he was definitely slow/stiff/not him usually self for several days before. It has been very hot and dry by our standards too.

I know the vet will shed more light on it but I was just curious about pigeon fever as a possibility and really couldn't find much info about it in the UK.

Thank you.
 

Redders

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If you look up Caseous Lymphadenitis (add horse and U.K. to the search for relevAnge) you may get more info. It certainly occurs in sheep and goats commonly enough in the U.K. and does affect horses
 

Redders

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It wouldn’t be my first thought in a horse but if the symptoms fit then I would consider it. Best bet is have your vet take a look and see what they make of it, could easily enough be a fly but if FB reaction or just a regular abscess (it’s the specific bacteria which makes it CLA/Pigeon fever)
 

HollyWoozle

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Thank you. Vet came yesterday and wasn't really sure... she thought probably an allergic reaction to a bite or sting, but said multiple times how "weird" it was and took photos. Having said that, the chest swelling has definitely gone down today compared to yesterday (although some has appeared behind the leg which wasn't there before, it's moving) which I guess makes the allergy theory more likely and that it isn't an infection of some sort. He is also not really itchy at all today whereas yesterday he was madly so.

Heart, respiratory and temperature all good yesterday and waiting on blood test results today. He is still definitely lame off fore and is resting that leg at times, but the swelling is on chest more that side and now little bit behind that leg, so that could explain it. I still find it strange he wasn't right on that leg and was off-colour in the days before but perhaps we have two separate issues!
 

ohmissbrittany

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Another thing worth considering is... could he have been kicked? Horses can tend to get "gravitational abcesses" where a trauma from elsewhere has swelling, but it accumulates on lower/midline regions in the body. If he doesn't have heart rate or high body temp, but he is a bit lame.... I'd be less inclined to think infection at this point and more like he's taken a knock.
 

HollyWoozle

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Thanks @ohmissbrittany. It is possible in theory, although I am not sure if that would explain the mad itching? The swelling has now almost totally disappeared, although there is a small amount remaining now behind his front leg. It was first noticed on Wednesday morning. He didn't seem itchy yesterday morning (but was insanely so on Wednesday when the swelling was at its worst) but then yesterday afternoon he was out in a separate paddock and rubbed his chest raw on a fence rail, despite the swelling having gone right down. He WAS out with others on Monday afternoon when he presented as being very lame but had already been stiff and a bit off for a few days prior, during which time he was separate.

Today he seems much improved but I found a fly rug for him to wear today to try and stop him rubbing! I think it will all sort itself out and we will never know to be honest... there are not obvious signs of trauma or wounds, except the two huge grazes he has now done to himself. He was comfortable enough to have hooves trimmed this morning fortunately. I agree now that an infection seems unlikely and it must been either an allergy or a kick which presented in an odd way.
 
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