Abscess-How do you know its drained?

[oscarwild]

Its been a long time since I had a horse with an abscess. And last week I managed to pop one on my mare buy pure accident with a hoof pick. Got it all cleaned but as vet was on yard (and some kind sole used all bandages in first aid kit and not replace them) had to get stuff from vet to wrap it etc. Horse was sound. Next day farrier was out so got him to check it over and mare was 6 tenths lame. Hot poulticed the foot as per instructions and by Sat mare was almost sound so dry poultice was used. We never got much out for the week and now on dry poultice. Mare was sound Monday and think farrier coming to check her tomorrow. Foot is now hard again, but still sore down the side of the frog where the pus was coming out.

How do you know all pus is out and that the poultice can come off?

 

[putasocinit]

So you should have been hot tubbing with epsom salts everyday with a new hot poultice, after 5 days majority of the time the abscess has drained well enough to dry pad for 3 days then reshoe, so on the 5th day of hot poulticing was the pad still showing discharge and on the first day of dry padding was there discharge, can you get discharge afte hot tubbing and squeezing the hoof where the abscess was? I would see what the farrier says tomorrow because if it is still sore he might have to par the track a bit more so you can hot poultice for a few more days.