Pigeon Fever Treatment in Horses

A week and a half after I lanced my horse's pigeon fever abcess in his chest and packed it with a homemade solution, this is what it looks like. I explain how to make the mixture which I used to pack the abcess and keep flies out of it and prevent my other horse from getting pigeon fever.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Pigeon fever
• Horse
• horses
• abcess
• treatment
• equine
• dryland distemper
• ulcerative lymphangitis
• bursting abcess
• absess
• abscess in horse
• vet care
• how to treat pigeon fever
• how to pack an abcess
• preventing pigeon fever
• prevent pigeon fever
• gross horse wound
• wound care
• wound care in horses
• nasty
• gross
• hole in chest of horse

[DeadSeaGirl]

The goal is to have the clorine crystals and iodine destroy the bacteria in the puss as it is draining, therefore if flies land on the wound or remaining puss draining, the bacteria will be killed and they can't spread it easily to your other livestock. Remember the puss is highly contagious, so you want to make sure when you pack the abscess that you use something to destroy or sterilize the bacteria in the puss.

[DeadSeaGirl]

You cannot prevent pigeon fever with a vaccine, however proper preventative measures can reduce the spread to other livestock. Proper fly control, fly spraying your horses, and proper manure disposal can reduce the spread. In addition, proper wound care will significantly the spread, as the puss that is drained from the abscess is highly contagious! It is important to disinfect all areas the puss may have touch, such as a stall floor, your shoes, and tools.

[DeadSeaGirl]

Yes, I had worked closely with my vet to develop a treatment that would destroy the bacteria and infection (puss) inside the wound- keeping it clean and open so it can still drain. The last thing you want this to do it close up before all the puss has drained out. Then you will just have to re-lance it.

[ReflectEveryone]

Good job. It's good to learn how to treat your own horses.

[windmillstables1]

Was this treatment vet approved?

[ktgodwin100]

You "can't" prevent your other horse from catching pigeon fever - it is believed by experts to be caused by flies and no matter how much pest control is done, fly poop can and is in the corral or pasture dirt. It is also believed that if an animal has a compromised immune system, that animal is more prone to pigeon fever.