abscess help please!!!!

marley and danni

marley and danni

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Hi,

My horse got an abscess few weeks back because he pulled a shoe and the clip went between the whiteline and his wall and made and indentation. After a weeks of drawing the infection out he wasn’t lame any more so farrier shod him all round (he was due) and has been fine for about 2 weeks, until now.

Hes suddenly gone lame in the same leg (back right) and again its only on a circle to the right or when trotting on hard ground. Hes fine on the left trotting on a circle and walking.

The farrier advised me to poultice his foot which I did the very 1st night he came in like that. But I tried to re poultice last night and I got a kick in the leg which is killing! He never kicks at me. So I go in to try and clean his hoof again and he kicks the bucket against the wall. I try lift his leg up kicks out again. So I gave up as I didn’t want a another kick or to make him worse.

Theres a farrier coming to the yard to day for another horse I think hes going to have a quick look at his hoof see if theres an abscess I have missed or if it’s the same one where the shoe clips are.

I have text my farrier letting him know and asked him if he prefers to come out and check it out but I have had no response.

Have any of you guys had an experience like this before, can I draw the abscess out while the shoe is still on? I cant poultice it and I cant put his foot in a buacket what else can I do other than have someone pull the shoe?


Thanks guys 
 
You need the shoe off to poultice effectively. An abcess will be found by firstly identifying if there is a strong digital pulse and then the farrier or vet may use hoof testers to help locate it. You can look for the pulse yourself by feeling around the fetlock joint. A strong pulse can indicate congestion in the foot as in abcess or laminitis. If there is another farrier who could have a quick look then go ahead but really your own farrier should respond as he has a duty to relieve pain etc, maybe give him another try? My OH is a farrier and he says people often make the mistake of applying a small square of poultice but best to cover the whole sole and heel area. Good luck and I hope you don't get kicked again. Abcesses can be really painful.
 
thanks for the reply. yeah the shoe is still on my farriers not come out. i will try him again in an hour or so as he may be busy.

the other farriers comming at 2.30 so if i havnt heard anything before then ill get him to have a quick look and give me some advice untill i can get hold of my farrier.

i felt around his fetlock and i cant feel heat or a pulse?
 
Exactly same happened to my sons mare 3 wk ago, farrier took shoe off, vet came and she had stronger pulse on lame foot, it was warmer too. Farrier parred sole a little bit and found the hole, I poultices every 12 hour till it was not showing any more puss, then did dry ones and used a hoof boot to allow turnout, after 10 days got shoe back on and so far so good . It's first time I've ever had this, and it was also due to quarter clip going into the sole when mare slammed foot down. Patience and it should come ok. I got antibiotics just to be double sure in want away. Hope that helps.
 
hey guys had the farrier oit and hes not got an abscess... good news.... bad news.... is that the farrier thinks its on his tendon or hock as he flexion tested him his mums a vet... and he trotted off lame.... so seeing as this appeared since i stabled him for the afternoon on monday im gonnanturn him out over the weekend with bandages on to support his legs tjen see how he is monday morning if absolutly no improvment the vey is comming out x
 
I'll be honest, I would box rest with Danolin till the vet comes, it can't do any harm to keep in for two days, and might do harm putting him out if it is a tendon.
I I would take off the shoe and poultice from fetlock to sole, if possible, otherwise poultice with shoe on. Either way examine the poultice for any pus, which may be leaking through a small hole.
It is a classic abscess symptom to be intermittently lame, but I think it is not impossible that there are two things happening at once.
I had one this year which took weeks to clear, it was leaking out of frog, then vet made a hole in sole, not much pus, he was box rested to make sure it did not get dirty, but in the end I had to turn him out and take a risk, the hole had nearly closed over, but still a bit of pus.
As there is such doubt it may be best to ring vet now and ask for advice, most practices have cover over weekend.
 
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hi thanks for all the replys i ended up calling the vet and he couldnt get up in his stable... vet came out this afternnoon took shoe of after lookig at him and confirmed its one massive abcsess iv seen it covers half his hoof..... vet recommened poulitce and keep him in and shoe is not to go back on untill hes completly comfortable....and to make it worse his nails went through the abcsess poor thing x
 
Glad it looks as though your vet has found the problem. ThinknI'd be changing my farrier if he couldn't find an abscess!
 
It may be worth thinking about letting him out and moving as it might help it blow or obsorb within the body.. You could looking at soaky up to above the coronet band with watered down good quality apple cider vinegar or Epsom salts to help draw it out. May come out the coronet band and then you won't have an open wound on the bottom of the foot. If you could get him to soak in a heavy duty bag/soaking boot or something, that could help.

Could have Epsom salt or clay mix in the poultice.

There's a homeopathy remedy that can help with abscessed wounds. You can prob find it just by googling hepar something

With some larger absesses you may find that after its blown and cleared and fixed up parts of the sole or frog will shed.

Not nice when you see your horse in pain. I really hope it clears soon for you.

Best wishes
Hannah
 
hi thanks again for he infor ill start soaking hugher up... i tookthe poultice off this morning to re poultice and theres nothing in it itnwas clean as i put it on but hes still in pain u less its just bruised x
 
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