Abscess

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hoarse

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Wonder if anyone can offer advice on abscesses please?

Horse lives out 24/7 and came in very lame 3 weeks ago. Called the vet who advised it was probably an abscess, he made a small drainage hole in sole and told me to keep him in and poultice. Did this for 4 days but nothing was coming out on poultice and horse no longer lame so put him back out in the field. A few days later he was lame again, farrier had a look this time and said that drainage hole vet had made had closed up and abscess was coming out of another hole which farrier made bigger and said it was a very deep double abscess! I've been poulticing twice a day with animal lintex soaked in salty water for the past week but apart from the occasional dot of black on the poultice nothing seems to be coming out. Having had no previous experience of abscesses i'm not sure what to expect but thought I would notice more grotty stuff draining out? Any advice very welcome :)
 
I had a similar thing recently, lame pony. Hole dug, poulticed foot etc. Not a lot came out then pony came sound. Few days later she was lame again. Hot tubbed, farrier back out to test again. Re-poulticed for a few days and hot tubbed. Eventually it turned out to be grit that had worked its way up the hoof wall.

I'd try hot tubbing in epsom salts and get your farrier back out to have a look if I were you. Sounds like you've done the right things by having vet and farrier to attend already. Sometimes these things take a while to burst/come out.
 
Is he lame at the moment? Might be worth switching to a dry poultice now or even nothing. My own vet warns against overpoulticing, he reckons you can create a false positive situation. If he's sound I'd remove, but keep a close eye.
 
Thank you for your kind responses. Another blob of black this morning on poultice. He's putting weight on it now but not sure if he is still lame as haven't had him out of the stable all week as everywhere is knee deep in mud and i'm worried about getting it dirty :( Farrier is back from his New Year break on Saturday so reckon it might be an idea to give him a call.
 
My boy had an abscess last month, he was lame but we thought it was for other reasons and when he appeared sound again thought nothing of it, until my farrier came out and all this clear liquid came out. I poulticed for about 5 days and when nothing was coming out, my farrier put his shoe back on. We're also on 24hr turnout (first time ever this year) and we have a lot of mud, luckily we do have a hard standing but it wasn't ideal. ;-s its been a month now and he's fine farrier back out next week.

I was expecting loads of gunky horrible stuff to come out, which kind of threw me. in the end I went on advice of my farrier
 
Yes countacanta, I think the trouble is not quite knowing what to expect. Will take the advice of the farrier as a first port of call :)
 
If it is an abscess it is better if they keep moving really. I turned our pony out in a smaller field with it all taped up. Would also second the dry poulticing, it's not good for the foot to become too soggy. After 2/3 days I do a dry poultice or just a dressing depending on lamesness.

I do poultice covered by breast pad, half a vetwrap then silage tape. Other ideas to protect it are nappies, feed bags or if you have one a poultice boot.

Hope problem resolves soon.
 
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