Abscess help - has it burst!?

[Jericho]

Hi our pony went lslightly lame last weekend and then on Friday very lame and vet came and diagnosed an abscess. There was heat around coronet band and some swelling around fetlock. Vet took shie off, dug around sole and white line a bit and there was an obvious area of pain although she couldn't find the abscess or dig too deep as said hoof was very hard. She said to hot wet poultice the hoof for five days and give bute for 5 days and the abscess will track out. After 24hrs of wearing the poultice, hoof was bit of a soggy mess, there was some smelly black pus where frog is, probably thrush, and a tiny bit where abscess was suspected and a part of the hoof wall cracked off in that area too. Have replaced poulitce again 3 times over the weekend but I was expecting lots more black pus or even something out of the coronet band but nothing... .?? do you think the cracked hoof was where the abscess came out?

Pony seems sound and much happier but I suspect largely due to bute. I turned her out on dry grass yesterday and she pulled the poultice off after a few hours - the foot was very clean and dry with no signs of pus when I brought her in other than black discolouration near nail holes/cracked bit of hoof which has been there from start.. Pony didn't react when I squeezed the area of suspected abscess with hoof testers.

Now the vet has said if the abscess hadnt burst by today to call them and they will come out and try and find it more... I have called my farrier also but no answer from him yet.

Does it sound like abscess was just a small one and has come out or do you think it's still there and just being hidden by bute?

Sorry for questions - in 25 years of having horses I have never had to treat an abscess before!

 

[flintfootfilly]

If the pony seems sound now, it sounds as though the abscess has burst out.

Personally I would just keep an eye on the pony and only start poulticing again if you notice the pony start to become lame on that foot again.

I'm not a fan of trying to dig out an abscess, not least because you risk leaving a hole which is then more suceptible to infection. But also, abscesses usually burst out by themselves when they have built to enough pressure, so if you dig them out beforehand you risk not getting all the gunk out because it's not coming out under pressure, if that makes sense. That's the school of thought I subscribe to anyway.

A "well behaved" abscess starts slowly, might notice the pony not quite right, then another day goes by and they definitely look a bit off, then another day and noticably lame, maybe another day and they look very lame. Next day it's burst out and pony is back to normal.

Some abscesses don't behave well, though, and may linger on for much longer. That's when it's tricky to know whether it really is an abscess or not.

I think yours sounds more like a well-behaved abscess, but I could be wrong!

I'd suggest just keep an eye on pony. Avoid poulticing unless he becomes lame again, but keep poulticing to a minimum cos you end up with a soggy yucky foot. I always think turnout is good for an abscess because I'd think it would be more likely to burst out if pony is moving around a bit.

Hope it's been and gone.

Sarah

 

[Pinkvboots]

It sounds like its gone sometimes not very much stuff does come out, iodine and surgical spirit is good for hardening a soggy foot after poulticing, just try to keep it clean for a while and keep an eye on it.

 

[Micky]

Sometimes it is only a tiny bit that comes out, we naturally expect a whopping great blobby mess! When mine had an abscess, it was a black jelly like gunk that came out. My vet didn't recommend bute but turn out in small paddock, as movement (after poultice is on) is better for getting the abscess to come out..up to you but I would stop the bute and see how she is, turn out into paddock

 

[Embo]

Only a few days? That's very lucky!! Allow me to share my story, my horse developed an abscess in June - and it took until mid-July to burst! Very 'badly behaved'!!

Was riding one day and he didn't feel quite right - instructor agreed he looked a little off. Coming up a bit short in trot on off-hind. He had been spotted having a hooly in the field earlier that day so we thought he had given himself a twinge. Gave him a few days off, but still not coming right. Fine in walk but a little off behind, nothing too bad so gave him another week off. Didn't think much of it. Seemed to be getting better in the daily trot-up.

Over the next 2 weeks after this he got progressively worse and was very lame behind, so first thought was abscess. Had farrier out who looked, could find no sign of abscess. No heat, no soreness on the foot that we could find... so we all assumed it was his back/pelvis as was also lacking flexion in the hock. Back man was around, so asked him to look. He said pain was coming from pelvis area, so gave treatment. Next day he was looking better, striding out and looking good in walk but still lame in trot. Back man said to try to work him through it.

Another few days, still no change so call the vet. Vet says box rest for a week, if no change then call them again. Back man was around again for another horse, so ask him to have another look. Back man lifts his leg to test flexion and lo and behold!! Hands covered in black goo!!

I had only checked his feet that morning. I checked every single day he was lame with absolutely no sign of a poxy abscess!!

But sure enough, we trotted him up and he was sound as a pound. Poulticed over next few days to get everything out of it and kept him in until farrier could come and put back shoes on.

So as annoying and dreadful as abscesses are, you're lucky yours only lasted a week lol. But usually, once it bursts or is dug out, they are almost immediately sound again so sounds like yours has gone. You will know for sure once bute wears off, but as you've had black goo I would say it's all done and dusted.