After care following an abcess

[mynutmeg]

So my sister's tb came in out the field last night hoping lame - the past couple of times it's been an abcess so went and pulled our farrier / yo out the house (very useful having our yo also being our farrier) to have a look. He found a very sore spot with hoof testers so removed some sole. There was a crack but ended up drawing a little blood without hitting an abcess so stopped, we poulticed and this evening he has a nice hole and pus out on the poultice and is much more comfortable. We've re-poulticed and will continue to until it's dry (we've done this bit before)

Main question is what do we do for turning out once he's not got it poulticed any more - previously we were on a differnet yard and the fields were simply too boggy to even contemplate turning out until after the foot had grown down however out fields now are much drier (still muddy but no-where near as bad) so we want to get him out as quickly as possible. We do have stockholm tar but haven't actually used it before so is this the best thing and if so how do we use it - is cotton wool needed? If it's not suitable what would work to keep the mud out the hole while we're waiting for the foot to grow back. He is normally barefoot.

Sorry for the long post

 

[Nickijem]

I am also interested in any replies. My horse had an abscess 3 weeks ago. The farrier successfully dug it out so I tubbed it and poulticed it for about a week. He was sound after three or four days. I am still wrapping his foot in feed bags and sticking a poultice boot on it to turn him out but how long do I need to do this for? I am going through a roll of duct tape in a few days - am considering buying shares in the company!

 

[mightymammoth]

Can you get some smart price nappies and just put a couple of bits of duct tape on that then the poultice boot on top? I find the nappy keeps the boot on nicely

 

[LD&S]

I had to deal with a couple of abscesses last Feb/Mar, mine are out 24/7, once I'd done the wet then clean dry poultice for three days I then put a final dressing on which was just some animalintex and about 4 strips of duct tape to keep it in place for hopefully a further 24-48hrs then left it alone I think it was off the next day, they were fine.
One was right on the toe and I tried to pick the mud out as best I could afterwards more to give me an early warning if it was tender rather than any other reason, there's been no problem since.