abcess

[ceva]

My horse had been intermittently lame for over a week, took shoe off couldn't find anything, vet thought strain or twist or bad bruising, after box rest and still not right vet called in again and we found an abscess in the bulb of the heel, I have been poulticing for 1 week now and still getting some stuff on poultice, horse is completely sound now, but when do I change from hot poultice to cold poultice and then eventually leave it off for nature to take its course, what's the best thing to put on when left with no dressings on, and how long before I would have shoe put back on. Don't want to be too hasty and then end up back to square one.
It looks like a stone or thorn that caused the damage.

 

[be positive]

I would wet poultice until nothing is coming out although sometimes it is just the poultice creating what appears to be pus, then dry for a day or two before putting the shoe back on, by then she should need no dressings but a twice daily check and spray to dry it out further if required.