Abscess poulticing - check my method please.

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showqa

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My horse had an abscess excised on Friday and I immediately hot poulticed (animalintex) for three days. The poultice was coming clear, so I put on a cold poultice, but he pulled this off in the field (he was in a boot too), and so potentially the hole may have become contaminated So I soaked his foot in hibiscrub for 15 mins, and then put on a cold poultice. Today the foot feels hot again - what would you do now? Return to hot poulticing? Thanks all.
 
The same thing happened to my horse a year ago. I hot poulticed again and got the farrier to come and have a look, he had to reopen the hole to let the pus out. Hope your horse gets better soon.
 
Try using an irrigation syringe with warm water and epsom salts to flush out the hole, this will clear any muck that got in when he was out. Then restart poultice and daily tubbing in warm water and epsom salts.
 
After irrigation, you mean hot poultice again or is cold poultice sufficient as technically it's erupted? Thanks a lot.
 
Has horse got a digital pulse? If yes would suggest infection still present causing congestion. If yes I would hot poultice as well as the other advice. Better to box rest at this stage if possible too.
 
yes back to hot poultice with (farrier suggestion) a fairly thick sugary solution on the poultice (if using nappies rather than the animalintex) to draw the infection (if there is one present) out.

I found the boots are easily pulled off so i placed a strong carrier bag over the boot and then duct taped it up, no so easy to get off (both you and the horse) xx
 
Thanks all.

Heat seems to have subsided again today and the pulse is normal. Hopefully back on the mend again. Can't box rest him - he would go berserk and injure himself in another way. How long would you normally expect it to take for the hole to actually cover again?
 
Presumably he has the shoe off? If so what I do is cut a piece of carpet to the size of his hoof and then vet wrap and duct tape this ontop of the poultice. It works really well and protects the hoof from breaking up too!
 
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