Abscess or not? Help please

[Louby]

Firstly Happy New Year
Please be gentle as in all my years of Horse ownership Ive only had 2 abscess's which were straightforward.
Put my horse out sound on Wednesday morning, apparently they were hooling around so I went back early to get her in and she was very lame. Lame enough to IMO warrant the vet. Hes convinced its an abscess, said she had a slight temperature and had a strong digital pulse. It does look hoof related when she walks. The hoof testers didnt get a reaction, he thought maybe the frog area but then took her shoe off and dug out round the nail holes but nothing. So poulticed, antibiotics???? said because of her temperature and an ulcer friendly painkiller as she was diagnosed with ulcers last week

She actually seemed a bit more comfortable yesterday. She had been out for a short while as she is stressing badly left in, last thing she needs with ulcers.
Today shes worse, theres heat but no swelling in her fetlock area, still nothing on the poultice. She is awful without shoes so that wont be helping either. The wierd thing is she seems to walk it off on the soft ground, still lame but not as bad. Im worried sick its a ligament or tendon injury, also we wont be covered on the insurance as she had most of last year off due to that.

Can anyone tell me can an abscess cause heat in the fetlock area and could she walk it off slightly. She is really quite bad when I get her out of the stable but it does ease off a bit as she walks in the field. I cant box rest as she gets herself so upset. My farrier is off til Monday when I plan to ring him IF we make it til Monday without another vet visit. She is an ISH, not your typical laminitic type but I have in the back of my mind stress induced lami too.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Carrottom]

Yes I do find they often look a bit better after a mooch around in the field. I would also check around the heel bulbs for any sensitive area. Can you tub the hoof in Epsom salts as well as poulticing, this can speed up the abcess popping especially if it going to come out at the heel.

 

[Louby]

Yes I do find they often look a bit better after a mooch around in the field. I would also check around the heel bulbs for any sensitive area. Can you tub the hoof in Epsom salts as well as poulticing, this can speed up the abcess popping especially if it going to come out at the heel.

Thank you thank you thank you Im praying it is an abscess, shes never had one before, so fingers crossed. I will get some Epsom Salts and do that. Would you suggest dry poulticing after tomorrow as we would have done 4 days then? I forgot to mention she was shod just over a week ago, Im wondering if maybe somethings been brewing although shes been absolutely fine til Wed afternoon

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Tubbing with Epsom salts in the hottest water your horse can bear before poulticing is the best treatment, ime. I don't like antibiotics for hoof abscess because it reduces the infection but probably won't get rid of it altogether so just delays the inevitable. Box rest doesn't do abscess much good, either, as the horse needs to flex the foot really. It's awkward if your fields are muddy but a good quality strong plastic bag should act as an effective waterproof covering.

 

[Louby]

Tubbing with Epsom salts in the hottest water your horse can bear before poulticing is the best treatment, ime. I don't like antibiotics for hoof abscess because it reduces the infection but probably won't get rid of it altogether so just delays the inevitable. Box rest doesn't do abscess much good, either, as the horse needs to flex the foot really. It's awkward if your fields are muddy but a good quality strong plastic bag should act as an effective waterproof covering.

Thank you so much, I questioned the antibiotics, she has had a history of cellulitis so maybe thats something to do with it? Ive sussed the feed bag for turnout, quite proud it stayed on lol We are quite lucky our fields are still decentish, so not too much mud thankfully. Have you heard of heat in the fetlock too? She has proper twiggy legs so anything is usually obvious on them.

 

[silv]

Tubbing with Epsom salts in the hottest water your horse can bear before poulticing is the best treatment, ime. I don't like antibiotics for hoof abscess because it reduces the infection but probably won't get rid of it altogether so just delays the inevitable. Box rest doesn't do abscess much good, either, as the horse needs to flex the foot really. It's awkward if your fields are muddy but a good quality strong plastic bag should act as an effective waterproof covering.

This

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If the abscess is near the coronet band, the horse might get heat in the fetlock, ime. But, yes, if she is prone to cellulitis I would have accepted antibiotics, too.

 

[Louby]

Thank you all so much, Im worried sick that shes pulled something, really dont think I coud get through that again, so fingers crossed New Year, brings out a stinky poultice lol. I realise they can look like theyve broken something with abscesses, so will stick with it til Monday and tub with Epsom Salts too and have a chat with my Blacksmith hopefully on Monday. I was cringing when the vet was digging away at her hoof, secretly thinking thats a whole 3 mths off growth youve cut away shes typical TB feet, shod every 6/7 weeks and if we get hoof cuttings, its like a party lol!!!

 

[kidsandponies]

TB had horrible, deep routed abscesses last year which initially caused heat in the fetlock which then travelled and his whole leg filled. Farrier found a sensitive spot and parred away as much as he dared and advised to hot poultice (as hot as he could bare) twice a day to try and bring it to a head. It went on for days and days with no response. Eventually on yet another emergency visit as I was convinced there was something more sinister going on it burst out of his heel whilst the farrier had his leg held up between his. The pressure of him holding it up finally made it burst. We think there was two pockets and basically the pus had been travelling between the two before eventually tracking to the heel.
Keeping them out and moving helps if possible. Good luck, fingers crossed for a stinking poultice in the morning ?

 

[Muddywellies]

Be patient and persist with alternating wet and dry poultices (if it is an abscess). I've had to keep at it for 6 weeks before they some out. They are such a pain in the proverbial!

 

[Louby]

Thank you all, no stinky poultice this morning but her stable smelt yuk, like stinky pus, I will investigate further later as shes wants out after her Gastrogard and then having to wait for breakfast but she did seem slightly more comfortable and her fetlock not as warm. The hard ground hasnt helped today as rutted at the gate, she'd be ouch without a shoe anyway, so if it is an abscess I imagine its a lot worse.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Thank you all so much, Im worried sick that shes pulled something, really dont think I coud get through that again, so fingers crossed New Year, brings out a stinky poultice lol. I realise they can look like theyve broken something with abscesses, so will stick with it til Monday and tub with Epsom Salts too and have a chat with my Blacksmith hopefully on Monday. I was cringing when the vet was digging away at her hoof, secretly thinking thats a whole 3 mths off growth youve cut away shes typical TB feet, shod every 6/7 weeks and if we get hoof cuttings, its like a party lol!!!

I used to have a Clydesdale who needed sedation to have her feet trimmed. On one famous occasion, I had the vet and farrier on the yard at the same time, with vet (who arrived first) trying to find a hind hoof abscess, He had no success whatsoever, then farrier arrived and found one in each hind hoof with no problem at all. Don't give up hope until the farrier has been.

 

[Louby]

I used to have a Clydesdale who needed sedation to have her feet trimmed. On one famous occasion, I had the vet and farrier on the yard at the same time, with vet (who arrived first) trying to find a hind hoof abscess, He had no success whatsoever, then farrier arrived and found one in each hind hoof with no problem at all. Don't give up hope until the farrier has been.

Thank you. Vet reckoned she'd have her shoe back on early next week so Ive messaged and forewarned my farrier lol. I very much doubt it will be going back on yet but hoping he will be in the area to come and have a look at her on Monday. I wouldnt be worrying if I hadnt known she'd been legging it about that day but it definitely seems to be hoof related, just the way shes putting it down so fingers crossed. Thanks again.

 

[Louby]

Just an update and another question lol
No pus on the poultice but tubbed with Epsom salts so got to have a proper look as it was totally clean. Where the vet has dug out along the nail line looks bruised, as in reddish colour. Do you think this could be the result of the vet digging or could it possibly be bruising thats prior to that and maybe the cause of her lameness? She was shod a week prior to the abscess and he did part nail and remove a couple again, couldnt be sure which front though tbh. I do think she seems slightly more comfortable considering shes no shoe and the ground is frozen and uneven, still gimpy turning and still a bit of heat in her fetlock.

 

[brighteyes]

She hasn't struck into herself has she? Mine did something with very similar sounding 'evidence' and symptoms. Took a week but everything returned to normal. Farrier couldn't find anything but the limping, pulse and heat in the hoof and lower (fore)leg were spectacular.

 

[oldie48]

Difficult to know but one of my horses's came in lame and I was sure it was an abscess as there was no heat anywhere in the leg. Farrier said he'd come first thing in the morning, when I went out early next morning horse had really bad cellulitis. I never found any sign of a cut or graze but vet said that was not uncommon. If your horse has a history of cellulitis (mine hadn't) giving antibiotics might have prevented a nasty recurrence. TBH you might never know and she seems to be going in the right direction.

 

[Carrottom]

If she was shod a week before it is possible that the lameness could be due to nail bind. After removal of the shoe it can take a few days to heal. I would continue as you are until the farrier comes, as you are seeing improvement. The farrier is the best person to ask about the discolouration of the sole, I think anyone on here would just be guessing.

 

[hollyandivy123]

i hate to bring up the L word, but was there a hard frost before you turned out? due to the antifreeze i.e. increase in sugar laminitic prone horses can show a flare up in the winter and you mentioned there was a strong pulse and there is bruising?

 

[Orangehorse]

The abscess could be coming out at the top near the coronet band. This happened to mine in the summer. Took ages, 2 vet visits, lame horse, antibiotics, hot tub Epsom salts nothing much happening. Was out all the time to keep moving. It started to burst out at the top, very unhappy horse, then the farrier came and cut a wedge out of the bottom of his hoof and lots and lots of gunk came out.

 

[Louby]

She hasn't struck into herself has she? Mine did something with bery similar sounding 'evidence' and symptoms. Took a week but everything returned to normal. Farrier couldn't find anything but the limping, pulse and heat in the hoof and lower (fore)leg were spectacular.

She was booted snd theres no cuts or swelling but she could have as apparently they were being complete idiots galloping about.

 

[HobleytheTB]

A horse at my yard had quite a deep haematoma in the hoof. Initially thought to be an abscess as it was quite a sudden lameness. Took a lot of digging around before a load of blood came gushing out!! Could be a possibility if there was shenanigans in the field?

 

[Louby]

i hate to bring up the L word, but was there a hard frost before you turned out? due to the antifreeze i.e. increase in sugar laminitic prone horses can show a flare up in the winter and you mentioned there was a strong pulse and there is bruising?

I dont think it was frosty that day and she isnt a laminitic prone horse but I did worry about possible stress induced Lami as she has been very stressy lately in the stable. Shes being treated for ulcers atm so Im trying to keep her stress as low as possible, its hard when they are that way inclined, I asked the vet and he didnt think that, said more abscess but it is in the back of my mind

 

[Louby]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I really appreciate it.

 

[MissMay]

Mine had a abscess one time that swelled up the tendon (took years off me, convinced she was out of action) Nobody could find anything vet or farrier.
kept soaking and cold hosing
eventually after several days it burst out the cornet band..

She has also previously burst out the heel bulb so not generic abscess. As you can tell she I became quite proficient at abscesses

 

[Louby]

Mine had a abscess one time that swelled up the tendon (took years off me, convinced she was out of action) Nobody could find anything vet or farrier.
kept soaking and cold hosing
eventually after several days it burst out the cornet band..

She has also previously burst out the heel bulb so not generic abscess. As you can tell she I became quite proficient at abscesses

Thank you, they are such a worry! Im praying its either an abscess or bruising. Shes a proper Princess and despite being a stress head at times is being a model patient lol. Think shes enjoying the extra attention

 

[brighteyes]

Sometimes they CAN do stuff that renders them temporarily hopping lame and it doesn't have to be a career ending or even vet attending event.

 

[Louby]

Sometimes they CAN do stuff that renders them temporarily hopping lame and it doesn't have to be a career ending or even vet attending event.

Thank you, I think we've had such bad luck and so much time off through injury that my brains conditioned to fear the worst lol!!

 

[atropa]

I really feel for you, I'm in the same boat.
Horse looked slightly off on left rein lunging on 31st then came in hopping lame yesterday. No swelling or real heat so poultice today and getting some gunk around the frog and shoe but always find it so hard to tell if pus or just dirt I didn't manage to clean away. She also seemed at some points better after walking for a bit then worse after standing still, but I'm also suspicious of laminitis as she is suspected EMS, or pulling something in frozen field, so don't want to let her move too much.

 

[Louby]

I really feel for you, I'm in the same boat.
Horse looked slightly off on left rein lunging on 31st then came in hopping lame yesterday. No swelling or real heat so poultice today and getting some gunk around the frog and shoe but always find it so hard to tell if pus or just dirt I didn't manage to clean away. She also seemed at some points better after walking for a bit then worse after standing still, but I'm also suspicious of laminitis as she is suspected EMS, or pulling something in frozen field, so don't want to let her move too much.

Really hope your girl is on the mend soon.
Ive had no gunk, but areas that Ive thought pleeeease let that be gunk but I also think its more likely dirt. Im looking a bit odd sniffing it too lol, boy do horses hooves smell!! She seems much better today, Im wondering if she has bruised it, just with the redness along the nail line, mind you that may have been due to the vet digging it out there. Still poulticing but dry now, I dont want her hoof to end up soggy, plus the nappy etc will be some protection and cushioning as she would hobble anyway without her shoes. Her hoof was hot but that could be down to be being covered 24/7 and her fetlock is still warm.
Happy New Year to us eh lol, fingers crossed they are better soon

 

[Flicker]

I had a horse years ago who overreached and split the back of his hoof, creating a lovely environment for bacteria to dig in. He was lame for weeks until it grew out. When he came in, I honestly thought he’d broken his leg he was that sore. Edited to add: there was never any pus though,just disgusting smelling black gunge that I washed out with hydrogen peroxide (in between dry heaving).

The redness is interesting - with bruising, my vet has always recommended a hot kaolin poultice at the site of the bruise to disperse it. I can’t visualise where you say the redness is with your girlie, but is it in an area of the hoof you could try that?

Really hope you get some stinky pus soon xx