Abscess or something else? Really worried :(

melbournesunrise

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My gelding is giving me worry, and I want to know what the good people of the forums think - got the vet coming (most likely on Wednesday afternoon :confused:)

Two weeks ago, was riding round to the school for a lesson and he suddenly started hobbling and, according to instructor, "walking like he has stringhalt." Right hind hoof was picked out, walked and trotted on and seemed perfectly sound. Carried on for the lesson without any sign of lameness.

Two days later, hacked him out without trouble. As we returned, he seemed to be resting the right hind. He wanted to stay in and eat anyway, so I left him in the stable for the rest of the day. When I returned in the afternoon, he was still resting the right hind and was obviously uncomfortable, not wanting to weight bear and fidgeting around.

Vet came out the following day, when things seemed to have settled, but he was still dragging the leg a bit, as you could see the toes dragging along the floor. No sign of swelling or heat any where in the leg, and no response to hoof testers. Vet suggested bute for a week to see if he came sound, before investigating further.

At the end of last week (as per my post at that time), we checked him out and found him to be sound (-looking). He was no longer dragging the toe, and had been happily trotting around the restricted turnout paddock he'd been allowed into. Hacked him, but even though I was alert for any signs, he was completely himself and normal. Hadn't had bute for almost 72 hours at this point. Went back into the field with the rest of the boys, and calmly wandered away from me as if he'd been out there as usual all along.

Went up tonight after work to feed, and he was walking oddly and resting the leg again. When I pushed him, he was really reluctant to weight bear when standing still. Brought in him from the field, put him in the stable. Seems fine in himself, just like the other week.

I'm really worried in case it's something really bad. As ever, this couldn't have happened at a more inconvenient time, which adds to the worry... the vet couldn't see any signs of anything wrong last time, and I'm sort of preparing myself for him not finding anything tomorrow or Wednesday, whenever he manages to get out to me.

Do you think this could be just an awkward abscess? How would you be approaching this situation?
 

AmyMay

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Does sound like a brewing abscess. I’d give your farrier a buzz and ask him to have a little look.
 

melbournesunrise

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He's due to be reshod on Thursday anyway, as it happens - farrier probably won't get to us before then... either way, it makes sense to get him to have a look.

It just seems to be taking a really long time to actually come through. I've never had one do this before.
 

AmyMay

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They can take an age. I’d be tempted to treat as an abscess until your farrier can get to you (although I’d phone to see if he could get to you earlier). But be observant of any other signs such as swelling or heat in the meantime.
 

melbournesunrise

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In fairness, I have only just been told that (before I owned him) he had an abscess or two that even the farrier couldn't find. But I've owned him for nearly two years, and in that time he's not had an abscess (well, he had an abscess caused by a puncture to the hoof sole, but it was minor and presented nothing like this).
 

hopscotch bandit

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He's due to be reshod on Thursday anyway, as it happens - farrier probably won't get to us before then... either way, it makes sense to get him to have a look.

It just seems to be taking a really long time to actually come through. I've never had one do this before.
My horse took a week. Hacked out on the Sunday absolutely fine, dreadfully lame an hour or so later when pulling out of the stable for the physio. Couldn't believe it!! Physio appointment cancelled until we could find a cause and treat. Gradually got better throughout the week, and the physio who had given her a physio session on the Thursday said I could ride on the Sunday, got in from field again and hopping lame.

Rang vets that day as very slightly concerned it may have been laminitis although it didn't present as that, vet said on phone doubted very much so waited until the next day and the vet came out and found an abscess. I never thought about my horse having an abscess as she improved during the week so was assuming it was coffin joint as this had been treated years before. I had always thought abscesses got worse when first signs of lameness appeared. As I'd got the vet coming out later that day I put a post on this section asking the good folk on here if they wanted to hazard a guess as I had the vet coming out later that day and they nearly all said abscess and they were proved right! Right learning curve I can tell you!! :) Always happy to be proved wrong especially if its better news than what I was originally thinking.
 

melbournesunrise

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My horse took a week.

I'm really hoping this is what happens - he got worse overnight, and has continued to be hopping lame all day. Still no heat, although it looks like the fetlock might be a bit swollen (or I could be imagining it...) Weirdly, though, he was happy to rest the other back leg while weight bearing on the lame one this evening, but was still hobbling on it when walking. I'm utterly baffled. Thankfully the vet and the farrier are both coming, so that's something!
 

AdorableAlice

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Abscesses really can rumble on and on. I have a big young horse who presented with a near hind swollen pastern/fetlock and cannon 5 weeks ago. Not particularly lame and no heat in the foot. On examination an abscess burst on the bulb of his heel. Poulticed but leg remained filled. Nothing found in sole or hoof wall. Antibiotics and further poulticing followed by dry dressing on heel. All good and horse is ridden again for a week.

On Saturday morning he is very uncomfortable and hopping if turned around himself, resting foot continually. No heat, no swelling. By evening a small patch of heat could be felt on the inside of the sole, opposite side to the previous heel bulb issue. Poulticed the hot patch for 24 hours and on removal of poultice we had soft spot that gave way to pressure and pus appeared. Poulticed again, horse now fed up and nearly kicked my head off yesterday. Today he is comfortable again and the dressing was clean this evening.

No idea if something went in the heel bulb and couldn't break through the sole, or maybe something went in the sole and broke at the heel but was never fully cleared up. Either way the horse is cranky, my back knackered, I am sick of making poultice boots and have run out of vetwrap and nappies. Happy days !
 

melbournesunrise

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So it would appear that it this week's lameness is actually unrelated to the previous incident! As my YO said, "He can never just have one thing wrong!" So true...

Vet examined swelling that had appeared yesterday, and found evidence of trauma to the fetlock area. He suspects a kick in the field from something unshod. We x-rayed to check if anything was broken, but thankfully not. Box rest for a week with 10 minute walks, and hopefully he'll be sound again soon.

Of course, now he's bored and a bit grumpy... and knowing my luck, having been cleared of having an abscess this week, he'll probably have one next week!
 
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