Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Phlegmon

The disease in brief

Phlegmon is a bacterial infection of the subcutaneous tissue, characterized by a diffusion without clear limit, which opposes it to the abscess which has a shell; an untreated phlegmon can cause abscesses. Phlegmon causes an edema of the subcutaneous tissue on sometimes large areas: The origin is a bacterial penetration in the skin thanks to an accidental bite; certain herbs could cause the problem.

Many bacteria can cause phlegmon.

Clinic & diagnosis

Phlegmon is suspected by observing both:

– The skin is swollen and otherwise remains normal, on the head and neck, or elsewhere; this edema is a flat, soft or more or less tense-hard area on palpation.

-Heat or pain on palpation of the diseased area, or localized adenomegaly, or fever.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

 – Acute urticaria-DR30

 -Besnoitiose -DR16

– Cutaneous leukemia-N294 

Confirm a suspicion?

Confirmation is done by puncture. Prepare the area to be punctured as for a surgical procedure. A 16g needle will be able to immediately confirm the presence of blood, serosity or pus; aspiration by a syringe may be useful in addition: Place the punctured liquid in a sterile bottle and send it to the bacteriologist who will perform an isolation and antibiogram. Remove the needle and squeeze the punctured area.

Prognosis and treatment

Antibiotic treatment defined according to the laboratory response should be implemented for 1 to 2 weeks.

The prognosis is reserved until the first signs of the infection receding.

Prevention

Monitor livestock buildings to detect and eliminate causes of injury.

References

-Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 49