Abscess?

lcharles

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I hunted my horse on Wednesday but yesterday morning he was very reluctant to walk. He was clearly uncomfortable on his front left leg so I called the vet out as I was concerned he could of done a tendon as he wouldnt walk and his leg was quivering everytime he put his foot down, although he was ok after hunting. The vet came at 10am and said she couldn't feel any heat or swelling in his leg and hoof tested his hoof, he reacted on the inside soul so she had a dig around and a bit of blood came through and she stopped. He was clearly uncomfortable with this. She poulticed his foot and when i went back to see him last night he was walking around better but still not 100% so I changed his poultice with was clean apart from the bit of blood and it smelt like a sweaty foot!

This morning, he was the same as last night but I haven't taken his poultice off yet, i will change it tonight - obviously hoping for pus!!

Does this sound like a typical abscess? Had horses 22 years and never had an abscess before!! x
 
It does sound like a abcess if he is improving after digging hoof out then it is , it can take a few days for horse to go 100% sound again ,just keep poulticing it adding Epsom salts if you can
 
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Well thats the other thing i wondered. We galloped over a field which had a few large stones in it - only noticed because he spooked at a large breezeblock sized one inbedded in the ground and leapt over it! We also jumped over a 4ft deep ditch which had been dug out for a drainage pipe and the rubble was left to the one side - but he sort of landed on the rubble bit, which included bricks!

How long can it take for a bruise to appear and then go - or for an abscess to go? Would the abscess not have to burst before he was better? So as he's better, but not 100%, does that mean its burst?

Also, if he bruised it on Wednesday, although he was lame yesterday, would it be normal for the bruise not to show straight away - if at all?

Sorry for mass questions!!
 
Similar thing happened to my mare, we rode through a river which had a lot of rubble under the water. She trod on something, think it was a brick, was lame for a stride or 2 then ok for rest of ride, but next day was very lame. Turned out to be a deep bruise which progressed to an abscess over a week or so, then drained and healed with no further problems. Took nearly 3 weeks to come completely sound though, so quite drawn out.
 
Ah ok, so could have a while to wait then! x I'm pleased that he's alot better than he was yesterday morning. Horrible finding him hobbling about, barely wanting to move!

I left him for ten minutes to stand in salt water last night which he was happy about, seemed to help a bit so keep fingers crossed it is an abscess or bruise!

Dont want a tendon or ligament injury!! Down side to hunting!! x
 
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