Abscesses again!

pistolpete

pistolpete

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My horse is recovering from a hoof abscess. Vet says he can go out at weekend. Spoke to farrier re putting shoe back on and he said don't turn out without protection! Tips and ideas please on protecting a hoof in the field. He should be living out still. I don't have a boot.
 
I would go for a couple of layers of gamgee, then vetwrap, then a thick layer of plastic like a square of a hifi/alfa bag or similar, then lots of duc tape! Depending on how dry your fields are it should do the trick, or at least keep the worst off!
 
As mancha says, I'm also treating them at the mo and it's driving me mad, i have one in each hind leg and spent a fortune on vetwrap and Animalintex .
 
For me it would depend a lot on where and why you have foot abscesses.
If they are clean and isolated then there is a minimal chance of re-infection,
If they are ongoing and still excreting I would not favour putting any shoe on until I know there is no infection present.
As for booting-up you will often find that it is just as easy for bacteria to get, and stay in a boot as they do through any sort of bandage covered in silage tape. Good luck
 
i put animallitex on then vet wrap

then i get duck or elephant tape i put overlapping trips across the hoof and half way up the sides then go front to back overlapping then round the coronet makes a cheap boot donkeys feet up really well no water got in or mud.. though if your fields are really boggy i wouldn't do it.

I left this homemade boot on two days before changing it
 
If there is :
No more puss coming out
The area is clean and dry
The horses tetanus jab is up to date
There is no pressure on the outer wall when breaking over

Then I would leave the shoe off until you are sure that the horse is sound
I always think it is imperative that you have the vets blessing to take any action that could possible be a change in recommended treatment.
For what it is worth I am a great believer in letting the air get at these areas and keeping them as clean as possible.
It is worth remembering that most foot infections are assisted by anaerobic bacteria, that is they love being suffocated so, give them air and they will not survive
 
Are your hooves in good condition, can you consider barefoot diet and limit the exercise to work in hand until you are sure there are no impending issues. If you look on Rockley farm you will see they have tracks which are free of mud, do you have anything similar?
 
Are your hooves in good condition, can you consider barefoot diet and limit the exercise to work in hand until you are sure there are no impending issues. If you look on Rockley farm you will see they have tracks which are free of mud, do you have anything similar?
 
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