Abscess Help

HollyWoozle

HollyWoozle

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www.farandride.com
Hi all,

Am looking for some advice regarding my mare as I'm not great with these things. Mare is turned out 24/7 usually (with access to open stables which we just use as field shelters). Field is v. muddy in parts, but top end is dry and they can always get out of the mud.

Belle was really lame on her off hind on Sunday afternoon. Not keen to bear weight at all, resting hoof on toe when standing, slight swelling and heat around pastern. Came inside and spoke to vet who thought most likely hoof abscess, said to box rest and hot poultice. By this time Belle had walked (albeit very lame!) to the top of the field with the others. She has never been stabled in the 3 years we've had her and I don't know if ever before (but probably).

Have been hot poulticing and had her on box rest since Sunday as advised, alternating ponies in stable next door for company. First poultice from Sunday eve to Monday morning seemed to have a small amount of pus and that horrid smell, but really not much. Mare definitely feeling more comfortable with foot firmly on the ground, happy to move around stable on it. Since then she has remained the same, seeming fine with her hoof down and not at all distressed, but hardly anything seems to be draining away. Her legs have started to fill from being stood around and she is getting a bit miserable.

What do you think would be best? I was thinking just to see how the poultice that comes off this evening is and then maybe to dry poultice overnight and see what happens. I would like to get her turned out ASAP. Will the fluid in her legs be a problem if in for a few more days? It is noticeable but doesn't seem too drastic.

I am of course happy to have vet/farrier as necessary but it seems silly when she seems quite happy in herself now. I just don't want to turn her out in the mud (a poultice will never stay on when she's turned out) if hoof will get infected again.

She's a sensitive mare and has behaved so well, I don't want her to be stood there for endless days if possible.

Many thanks in advance.
 
Feel your pain, have been in same situation. Horse has been in stable for two weeks now. Turned put for 20mins today as frosty and dry and no wet mud. I am thinking of getting an eqwelli or similar to turn out in, he will only get about an hour anyway.

Other option is to fill hole with poultice and duck tape it on.
 
Try the Nettex sprays, you spray it into the abscess to kill the infection, found it very useful to speed up getting them out. If there is a hole then I dry poultice with iodine soaked cotton wool in the hole and if it has been well dug then either keratex hoof putty or play doh to plug for a bit then bring in, tub with salt and rewrap, gives them a bit of time out. Duc taping a thick plastic back over foot that goes up to knee can help, bandage it to the leg.
 
I always turnout when they get an abcess, hifi bags are the best to duct tape around the foot just make sure its doubled up over the foot and toe stays on all day in the mud.
 
My new girl had a abcess in each front hoof both came u within a week of having her. She is 2 1/2 and had never been stabled, and completely freaked out when she was put in one so we had no choice but to keep her out.
Brought a pair of old mac g2's and was having to soak her hooves in epsom salts daily and applying clean poultices. These boots are AMAZING in my opinion and well worth the money, her abcesses were so deep the vet was concerned that her pedal bone may drop in one of her hooves but she is well on the way to recovery now..all thanks to these boots :) All this happened a month ago and she is still in them and will continue to wear them until the soles of her feet have fully repaired
 
Movement makes it come out faster.

Does polticing actually work given the hoof is a pretty solid structure and the absecces takes the path of least resistance?
 
maccachic said:
Movement makes it come out faster.

Does polticing actually work given the hoof is a pretty solid structure and the absecces takes the path of least resistance?
Click to expand...

If the farrier digs it out then it is released on the sole. But I would imagine if not dug out the it will travel towards softer tissue?
 
If there is an opening then I dry poultice with iodine saturated pure cotton made of fleece coat in the opening and if it has been well dug then either keratex hoof putty or perform doh to connect for a bit then generate, tub with sodium and rewrap, gives them a bit of your energy and energy out.

Personal Training in Pasadena
 
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Sorry for the slow reply and thanks for the ideas everyone. There was no visible hole for the abscess and not much drained out at all, though definitely a little bit. In the end I kept her in until Thursday (so she was in from Sunday afternoon to Thursday morning) and then just turned her out with no poultice. There was nothing showing in the poultices for the last 36 hours or so and she seems fine since she's been out. Fingers crossed that's it and no more infection appears!

Great idea about the hifi bags or similar though to keep her hoof dry whilst turned out in the mud... will definitely use that idea if the situation arises again!

I'd rather have the hard, frozen ground and cold days than this mild weather and endless mud.
 
I'm in the same situation atm. I'd rather turn out, but it's so wet that he'd trash the ground :(. Having said that, he went out for a good gallop today, and is looking sounder this evening for it. The bag I put on his foot came off though. Poultice stayed on, but mud got inside & into abscess hole :mad:.
 
Hot tub in epsom salts, then hot poultice, then wrap up cover with duct tape, turn out movement helps shift the abscess, do this every day for 5 days, do not wet poultice for more than 5 days, then dry poultice and put iodine in the hole for 3 days, then should be fine if all the pus has come out. If pus still there then could be a higher up abscess which may require antibiotics and a visit from the vet.
 
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