Abscess in foot - heat in fetlock

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Butterbean

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My horse has yet another abscess in his foot - another bad one, high up and vet said may burst out of coronary band as well as via the sole. Nearly a week on and he seems to have heat in his fetlock and just above as well - what would this indicate (other than another out of hours vet visit)? i.e. can infection from a foot abscess migrate to the fetlock?? He can put weight on the foot and seems fairly perky.
 
Poor Brooklyn its about time his luck changed for the better sending him hug from me x J
 
The heat in the fetlock could be due to either increased blood flow to the sore foot (obviously the blood flow would pass through the fetlock), or to the infection tracking up the leg rather than bursting through either the sole or coronary band.
If he's lame, and getting worse, I'd call the vet out to open the abscess (although farriers are better at this, really) and to give antibiotics, if necessary.
Hope he's ok
S
grin.gif
 
The lameness issue is complicated as he has a tear in the DDFT just above the fetlock as well. So he's lame on that leg anyway. I can see another vet visit coming on; I just didn't know whether infection could track up like that or whether, as you say, it was due to increased blood flow. Thanks for your help.

Cellie - thanks, if only we could both have a break from all this!
 
The inflamation in the foot disturbs the circulation of lymph which relies on movement to return back up the leg. This is why the area above can swell.

I'd be inclined to have the farrier try to drain the abscess. They take the path of least resistance which is why they may pop out the coronary band if there is no where for it to drain below. If it is close to the band then poulticing the coronary may help it to open it faster. An Xray can show exactly where the abscess is but unfortunately not always.
 
If the infection is travelling up the lamini it's looking for a way out, digging at the bottom is probably pointless at this stage as the infection has moved on and you will be left with a nice hole for the next one to form in.

I find if you poultice the coronet band it softens the skin enough for the abcess to break out, it may take a couple of goes but it does work. I would ask you farrier what you can do to prevent them in the future there are a number of products on the market and he would know if they work!

As mine are all barefoot sometimes they do get problems, I find that liquid citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) a natural anti biotic is very good in clearing them up without the need for digging. I put 15-20 drops in their feed 2x daily until its cleared up.
 
If you google it and read through a few you'll find the cheapest, that's what I do. Am just about to order some in pill form to ward off pig flu for me! I have used it for a tooth abcess and I rarely get colds anymore, if anyone sneezes I take a pill! The liquid is horrible and bitter but the horses don't mind it at all, so its liquid for them pills for me!
 
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