Yesterday one of our local vets (a good one) was out for another boarder, and she passed along the info that this year is shaping up to be high risk for Pigeon Fever.
Of course this freaks me out; I have been through enough vet bills with my guy, and I’m getting ready to move into a new barn end of this month.
So. COTH’ers - anybody with thoughts, experience? Please advise!!
I do hear there’s a vaccine out, but I don’t know anything about it since it is relatively new.
My horse got internal pigeon fever. Much worse than external, ended up costing a zillion dollars in antibiotics all with a 50% mortality scaring me the whole time. He’s fine now, but I lost about 6 months of training time because of it. The horses at my barn who have had the external form usually heal just fine, but there were a few who had worse or in unusual places (under the withers) that have created scar tissue and now may not be able to be ridden again.
The vaccine helps horses be immune to the bacteria that causes the swellings/sores so I’d go for it, especially since we’re still not 100% sure how horses get it, so not sure how to prevent it. Just my $0.02.
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34051/pigeon-fever-myths-and-misconceptions
While there might be multiple vectors of transmission, a biting fly that was carrying the organism from contaminated soil, is believed to be the main mode of transmission.
Overzealous fly protection (sheets, boots, and daily spray) correlated to no pigeon fever in my personal experience of observing about 200 horses in the midwest one year. About 20 of the horses were treated for pigeon fever and they were all in the no to moderate fly protection group. But, this was observation, not a controlled study, so surely there were many variables I either couldn’t control or couldn’t account for.
My vet was just telling us the vac has been recalled…too many reactions
I went to a little seminar on Pigeon Fever (and the vaccine) some thoughts:
More info on the PF vaccine
From my vet:
April 2, 2015. Just two weeks into the release, the Pigeon Fever Vaccine released in March by Boehringer-Ingelheim has been pulled from the market. On Thursday, April 2, BI decided to issued a “stop sale”. This is something short of a recall, but stops any further sales of the vaccines to veterinarians.
Prior to release, in tests on over 1900 horses, the vaccine appeared safe with only limited localized reactions and occasional soreness consistent with most vaccines. Once released most horses tolerated the vaccine well. However, there were a least a handful a very serious vaccine reactions. In Sonoma county of group of horses suffered significant colics, several with diarrhea. Other horses in the group and dramatic localized swelling. In a handful of other places similar reactions occurred.
This prompted BI to issue the “stop sale” and pull the vaccine until a better understanding of these reactions can be reached. A “stop sale” is something short of a recall. In the horses I have treated there were no serious reactions.
It is possible that after further review better guidelines will be issued for use of this vaccine or it will be re-released after some modification.
Wow. Thank you everyone. I was planning to ask my vet about the vaccine and my friend was planning to use it also.
:eek:
I just spoke to a representative of BI. They have NOT issued a stop sale. They are looking into some reactions reported in the field that were not experienced in the clinical trials. Your vet’s info is a bit off, not horridly off, but you might let him know as this is a much needed vaccine and I hate to see it inaccurately maligned.
Two local vets attending to our 150+ boarding barn have said that they can no longer purchase the vaccine.
I actually got my vaccine from a vet other than my normal one (who held the seminar on the vaccine) - and my second round of vaccine has been cancelled.
My normal vet released the statement above. Another poster here said that they heard it had been recalled.
But BI says they are still selling? Is your vet administering?
My horse did not have a reaction, and I would rather she receive the vaccine.
Haven’t asked my local vet if she is administering. I was going to wait a year before giving, it’s a (generally) non-lethal disease so I prefer to let things be in use for a while before I give them to my own. BI didn’t say specifically that they are still selling but I didn’t ask that specific question. They said they “have not issued a stop sale”. Their words. They are “investigating reactions not seen in the clinical trial” again, their words. FWIW. Hope they get it sorted.
Did they figure out which fly species is/are the carrier? I lost a mare to internal–we didn’t really know what was wrong with her until the autopsy.
ETA: For the past two years, I’ve been doing night turnout–one of the reasons is because the big horseflies don’t work at night, and the horses do seem less bothered by flies in general–no tail or mane rubbing so far. And so far (I’m almost afraid to mention it lest I tempt the gods), there have been no cases of external pf among my little herd. Our temperatures have already been in the low 90s so there are plenty of flies around.
Its transmitted by flies, the thought is that includes the common house fly.
Its RARE to see a horse fly in my area (maybe I see one or two a year?), and biting flies are practically unheard of - but PF can be rampant.
What a beautiful Appy you have!
Here’s what confuses me: If any species of fly can carry the disease, how do the non-biting fleas transmit it? A vet I used in the past said that while she was at Davis, they would rub the pus from the sore of an infected horse into the nostrils of other horses, but couldn’t cause a horse to horse transmission. I want to say that she also said they put it in cuts on the skin of the horses who were used for testing, but I don’t remember that part exactly.
I did read in one of the treatises on pf, that it occurs primarily on land that has been used for livestock for a long time.
This is my experience. I saw a swelling on my mare’s chest and called by vet who diagnosed it over the phone. He said “leave it along”. If she is uncomfortable give bute. Nothing else. He later said how it would erupt and what to do - not much, just some cleaning when it empties. Hers resolved easily and she never had any real discomfort. I closed the corral where she was when it burst for about a year. No one else ever got it.
Now, this is the horse on which those little biting flies that look like baby house flies go to. They are not house flies - they are biting flies that look like baby house flies. I am convinced those are the carriers of pigeon fever. I have read that, too. I do spray and treat with Freedom to keep them off of her.
Oh, this link from above was my epidemic and when my mare got it.
And my vet says it is now beginning to show up in Florida… (they always had a rare case or two but now more frequently)
It’s generally the flies that feed (blood meals) on the midline of the horse that spread it. Not the big nasty horse fly types.
[QUOTE=Quelah;8096054]
It’s generally the flies that feed (blood meals) on the midline of the horse that spread it. Not the big nasty horse fly types.[/QUOTE]
That’s where her little biting flies that look like baby house flies always go.
One of the best, and cheapest, things you can do to help protect your horse from PF is smear a nice line of SWAT (pink or clear, your choice) down the mid line during the summer. Overall fly control is key, but the midline is really the most important part IME.
Ugh. This post scares me! I’m also in Oregon. Last year there were 2 mares that came down with it at the farm where my mom boards her horse and they found out the day AFTER I moved my old pony into the barn. So stressful but we hadn’t vaccinated because of all the bad reactions, plus my old boy is so sensitive… Like Quelah said… Keeping them clean and practice good manure management are really good things to do.
Yes - vet at the seminar I went to recommended swat on the mid line - and on any tiny little cuts or abrasions your horse may have.
A lot about transmission etc is not really understood.
The ranch I board at has about 150 horses. Plus there are boarding barns within eye sight - and cattle next door.
They were hit with PF in November of 2013 - about 20 horses came down with PF. Neighboring farms had many cases as well.
2014 came and went with no new cases. The ground has been contaminated. New horses have moved in - yet no new cases.
Both years were dry hot drought years (which is thought to play a role in transmission). Flies were as prevalent as ever (we have mister systems - but cattle next door).
It doesn’t make a lot of sense!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
