Abcess/bruised sole help please

[Holly Hocks]

I posted on here last week about my horse having a suspected abcess. He had gone critically lame overnight - severely lame on turning and in trot - fine in straight lines in walk. Anyway, farrier came, vet came - both thought abcess. Farrier kept coming out and eventually found a soft spot on the sole, but didn't want to go any further as there was no black spot and he was concerned that it could actually be blood. Anyway, to cut it short, horse became more sound and huge bruise came down to sole, so farrier came out and put shoe back on yesterday as he wanted the sole off the floor. However my question is - could this cause heat in the pastern and fetlock as well? Today, the hoof is red hot, although I think this could be due to him being shod yesterday and the bruise on the sole, and the fetlock and pastern area are warm - fetlock and pastern were actually warm for about 2 weeks before the lameness showed - he is not sensitive and will flex them quite happily.....any ideas? Is it worth an x-ray yet or can bruises really be this severe? Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

When my mare had a bruised sole not so long ago, her hoof and pastern were pretty warm.
If your horse will, I would stand in a bucket of salt water, its an excellent cleanser. I have regularly given my girl salt water foot baths over the years, it worked for red rum (see below), might be worth a try

http://www.equi-therapy.net/equi-therapy/veterinary/hydrotherapy-horses.shtml

 

[Holly Hocks]

Thanks Moggy. He was standing twice a day in salt water until the farrier put the shoe back on yesterday. Maybe that's what's brought the bruise down so quickly.....maybe I should carry on doing it...

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Maybe that's what's brought the bruise down so quickly.....maybe I should carry on doing it...

Quite possibly, its a strong healer, I would carry on doing it

 

[Cynorian]

Try a Equine spa, amazing for this

 

[Petalpoos]

My mare has had a few abscesses and I recognise them early now as her hoof gets hot plus her pastern and fetlock gets hot, the end of the tendon sheath at the fetlock swells and the digital pulse (at the back of her fetlock) is faster and more pronounced on the bad foot. TBH, if you still have all these symptoms I think it may be time to get the farrier and/or vet out again If something is still festering in the hoof you could end up with the pus coming out of the coronet and you may still be able to stop that if you catch it early.