Abscesses...with no apparent pus

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Mavetheravehorsey

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Hi,
I'm wondering if any of you have had any similar experiences... In oct my 3 yo went hopping lame off hind, swollen leg. Vet was called who diagnosed abscess and began treatment as such, he was poulticed and we seemed to get a Blow hole over the soft and enlarged bulb of heel over the next few days, and swelling cleared in the leg, however we never got any pus that we saw, as I was worried the abscess hadn't drained vet revisited but was happy with progress and advised beginning to dry up with dry poulticing.

Last week same thing this time in near hind which again seems to be coming out above his heel, but again no pus that we have seen so again same worry has the abscess gone?! Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Really appreciate your help finding these abscesses so stressful for my poor boy :-(
 
My mare had an abscess recently and there appeared to be only very very little draining away. The first poultices had perhaps a tiny amount but it was hard to tell and further poultices came away clear, though poulticing had immediately made her more comfortable. After a few days of poulticing she was back out in the field and we've had no problems since.

On my farrier's next visit he found the abscess and it was quite large. I thought it very weird that more didn't drain away from it.
 
It can't drain, it's uphill to get to the hole on the heel from the infection under the frog or sole.

The answer to one which blows on the heel is not to poultice at all, but to pump the hole full of hydrogen peroxide at a 3% dilution, squirting it in as hard as you can.

It's not the poulticing which has made the horse comfortable, it's that the hole is open and all the pressure has been removed.
 
Hi thanks for your responses.
Cptrayes- that's interesting and makes sense when you think about it! So would you poultice until the heel opens so then can use the hydrogen peroxide? His heel seems to have closed up again so would you recommend any poulticing? When you treat with the hydrogen peroxide would you expect to see any pus out after? How long do you do the treatment for and do you thn just let it dry out before turnout again? Sorry for the million of questions really appreciate your help! :-)
 
Exactly. Personally I don't poultice at all but I know how hard it is to do nothing while your horse is practically on three legs.

Then when it pops, don't let the hole close. Keep using peroxide for at least a week so that it can heal from the inside out and not trap infection inside.

There is no pus visible when you flush with HP, because you use plenty in order to wash it out and you can't see it. You can smell it though - gross!

I never stop turning out, I just wipe off the mud when they come in and use peroxide twice a day. I did one tonight. He popped a few days ago and was immediately sound. We are out hacking too.

If yours has closed up, keep your fingers crossed that your poultice did the trick. If he goes lame again it will be because it has sealed the infection back in, in which case wait for it to pop again and start all over again. You'll be unlucky if it does brew again, but don't panic if it does, just flush with plenty of peroxide this time. Ebay sell it. The cheapest is to buy 500ml of 35 % and water it down by TEN but be very careful with the neat stuff, it is highly corrosive.


ps call your vet if the leg swells hot and firm. Soft filling is fairly normal.
 
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