Pigeon Fever Reported in Southern Alberta, Canada

Veterinarians have recently diagnosed more than 10 horses residing in southern Alberta with pigeon fever.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

Veterinarians have recently diagnosed more than 10 horses residing in southern Alberta, Canada, with pigeon fever (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection), according to a health alert from Equine Canada. 

Traditionally diagnosed in horses residing in the western United States, pigeon fever—also known as dryland distemper—incidence has increased considerably in other regions, including the Midwest, over the past decade.

Researchers believe the soil-dwelling C. pseudotuberculosis gains access to horses’ bodies through abrasions or wounds on the skin or mucous membranes, and studies have shown that many insects—including the horn fly, the house fly, and the stable fly—can transmit the disease.

Pigeon fever often produces mild fever and pectoral abscesses that give an appearance similar to a pigeon’s protruding breast. Less commonly, the condition can produce deep abscesses in a horse’s lungs, kidneys, or liver, or the disease can manifest as an infection of the limbs, termed ulcerative lymphangitis

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

How much time do you usually spend grooming your horse?
439 votes · 439 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!