Abscess

[Bradsmum]

Bradley lives at home and was sound and comfortable this morning, all good. I went out shopping and returned home at 15.00 and noticed he was in the field with one leg raised and looking miserable. Caught him up and brought him up to the field shelter where I could take a look and clean it up a bit. No cuts or trauma so I’m assuming it’s an abscess. Have poulticed it and fenced off an area around the field shelter so that he can move around but not too far. He doesn’t like being in so lives out 24/7, when I took him into the field shelter he started to sweat up so I hope I’ve done the right thing in allowing him to move about a bit tonight. I’m just going to check on him to ensure he’s not still sweating and then fingers crossed that this abscess surfaces and he’s more comfortable tomorrow.

 

[Peglo]

Hope it is just a small abscess. If the field is in good condition I usually leave mine out. I think it must be more comfortable having plenty of room to turn etc rather than trying to manoeuvre in a stable.

 

[Bradsmum]

Thank you. I went out and he’s grazing in the area I’ve given him so happier than being restricted. It’s not the first abscess he’s had since we’ve been here in Wales. The field he was in has got very wet, I had hoped it would last to the end of the month before moving him to the next field. Wish now I’d moved him sooner.

 

[Bradsmum]

Bummer, was just going to bed when we heard noises coming from the field shelter. Went out to investigate and Bradley, surprisingly, was in the shelter and was biting the tops of the kick boards and there were bits all on the floor. Got him out and have now closed the shelter off. One piece of board on the floor still had a screw in it, thank goodness he hadn’t stood on that . I can only think this is pain/stress related so hoping this abscess surfaces soon. Poor boy.

 

[Peglo]

Thank goodness he was ok. They sure do know how to worry you. for abscess to break through soon

 

[Bradsmum]

Went out early this morning and no better yet. Gave him his breakfast and left him in peace. Just about to go out and change poultice and see if there are any changes and will phone vet to get it draining if needed. They sure do test us and not a good start to the winter months ahead.

 

[Bradsmum]

Good news it’s erupted, so clean ‘hot’ poultice applied and he’s already able to weight bear just a little. Feel like I’ve been a bit of a wus with this abscess for some reason. Previously I’ve just dealt with them and it’s done but this time poor Bradley seemed to be in more pain and that’s just never nice to see. Hopefully he’s now on the mend and will be out in a new field within the week. Meanwhile I have the kick boards to mend and will be applying some cribox as a deterrent!

 

[Peglo]

That’s good to hear. Hope for a speedy easy recover for him now!

 

[Bradsmum]

Thank you.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Usually the pressure relieves a bit once its erupted! So finger crossed only a couple more days and he will be all good

 

[SEL]

My Appy was literally on 3 legs in the dark one Xmas morning. I remember thinking this is either an abscess or about to be my worst ever Xmas.

She was vile for 3 days until it erupted out of her heel so must have been in a lot of pain.

Relieved you have pus!

 

[Bradsmum]

Well it’s not good news - somehow I just knew it wasn’t just an abscess. Had to call the vet out Sat morning as Brad’s leg had swelled up and by the time she arrived, he had a fat knee also. He was given a couple of injections - antibiotics and pain relief and is now on Bute and an AB to add to his feed. He’s not looking sorry for himself but although the cold hosing has brought the swelling down, he still has a fat knee though not as bad as it was. He’s still out 24/7 but in a smaller area and is nowhere near as lame as he was but worrying that he might have an infection in there .

 

[Peglo]

Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Do they think it’s connected to the abscess? I hope he’s more comfy soon

 

[Bradsmum]

No idea really. I found a very minor cut (more of a scratch) on his fetlock when I was cold hosing him but it wasn’t new and had scabbed over and was as good as healed but whether that let something in who knows. He’s on meds til Friday when vet will revisit if it’s not gone down but she has intimated that I will need to be prepared to make some decisions if it is an infection .

 

[Peglo]

Sorry to hear that. Fingers crossed for him

 

[HufflyPuffly]

No idea really. I found a very minor cut (more of a scratch) on his fetlock when I was cold hosing him but it wasn’t new and had scabbed over and was as good as healed but whether that let something in who knows. He’s on meds til Friday when vet will revisit if it’s not gone down but she has intimated that I will need to be prepared to make some decisions if it is an infection .

Could there be a foreign body in the cut? Topaz had a tiny very insignificant mark to her cornet band a couple of years back, ended up on three legs and signs of infection. In the end they removed a 2 inch piece of wood out of the wound (we still don't know how she did it!).

She then got a hawthorn to the knee a month or so later that swelled impressively (I saw the thorn in the morning and removed it otherwise I'd have been none the wiser!), she responded very well to the antibiotics and was right as rain afterwards.

Just thought I'd share as it might be unrelated to the abscess? Everything crossed he responds well! Topaz was 19 when she had her summer of vet bills and even came through the GA fine, but gosh she added a few grey hairs to us all!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Good news on the abcess.

Could he have cellulitis? He may have cut himself when he kicked the shelter. It only takes a very small cut and for the weather to bee be damp and mild and a small cut that you may have not even seen can blow up in to cellulitis.

 

[Bradsmum]

Yes we are treating it as cellulitis and thankfully the leg swelling has gone right down but we are left with this fat knee. Vet doesn’t think related to abscess. He didn’t actually kick the shelter, he bit the tops of the kick boards and took great big chunk out of one board. I have all the bits he took off but it crossed my mind he might have a splinter in mouth/gullet but as he’s eating fine and there’s no swelling in mouth or gullet thankfully that looks unlikely. Thanks for the suggestions all, just hoping he keeps responding to the meds. Each day I keep thinking it’s just a little bit better and he’s only on his 3rd day and we’ve got 6 days worth so I’ve got everything crossed for him.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

If the swelling has already come down a lot that sounds positive! Fingers crossed for him!