Abscess?

R

rowy

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2010
Messages
2,548
Location
leicestershire
Visit site
My 19 year old tb mare was very slightly lame for the last week only on a left rein circle and it would be bad for a few strides and then better etc.
Then on Thursday it suddenly got really bad and she wouldnt put any weight on the limb.
Vet came the same day and had a look and found the pain to be localised to the right side of the hoof when hoof testers were used. She tried digging the white line out a bit to look for an abscess but didnt find anything and told us just to polutice it and keep her in 24/7 for a week and then get back to her if its no better.
Yesturday and today she has been heaps better on it but still a bit lame- just the odd step like shes stepped on it wrong or something.
Took the poultice off today and took some pictures:
068.jpg

069.jpg


She said its probably just a bruise or a abscess but just in case to keep her in in case its lami but unlikely to be so because of localisation of the pain and the fact its only in one foot and no lami stance.
 
is there a pulse?
Have had a horse show the above symptoms before and it eased off by itself without poulticing, but he was in for a week on hard standing whilst other horse was being tubbed and poulticed for absess!
Have you been tubbing? may be worth a shot.
 
Yea she said there was a higher pulse in this foot than the other.
If tubbing is putting the foot in warm water then yes I have :)
Also, the vet said to change it every 48hours but says on the animalintex every 12hours?
 
You need epsom salts in the hot water as that is what draws the infection out. Also needs to be 20/30 min in the hot water if at all possible - not easy i know!

The more often you change the poultice the cleaner the area is, also means more heat and salt to the area - its more crucial once the abscess has broken to keep the area clean and dry :)
 
ditto the epsom salts in the hot water. My horse got wise to the tubbing very quickly and only allowed it for a couple of days but then it did actually burst and was jus poulticing from then on anyway.
 
Ok, if it is an abscess, what would it look like?
I know the picture isnt very clear but basically where she first dug it out, she noticed that the hoof wall was starting to come away from the white line (there was a tiny crack a cm or so long visible.) Today, when I took it off, the crack was no longer visible and the area was a very deep browny red.
Lol we tubbed for about 10 mins before she spooked at something stupid ( a rug moving) and spilt it everywhere *rolls eyes*.
 
It could be lami. My mare only had it in one of her hooves. Turns out she had cushings. Your horse is getting to that ae where cushings is very common.
 
You can't usually see the abcess because it is inside the foot. Farriers are usually a bit better than vets at tracking abcesses - simply because they work with feet every day. Perhaps your farrier could have a look?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top