Awkward wound also in vet

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samsbilly

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Hi I don't post very often but thought I would be brave. My lad has a rub on the bulb of his heel looks very similar to a blister about the size of a 20p. looks like its starting to dry up then by the time I come down in the evening the top has come of and its raw again. It is clean and he is not lame on it but in his box due to all the mud and can't ride as work full time so only option is sand school. Think his over reach boots are to blame. Currently cleaning it well with hypocare and using aluspray on it. Any ideas would be great x
 
I am keeping it clean and open to the air over reach boots haven't been near it. Can't turn out in the school as not allowed but thought the sand would irritate it.
 
I would still turn him out in the field and then clean it when he comes in (if he's stabled overnight) and then clean again in the morning before he goes out. If you aren't allowed to turn out at the moment I would let him have a leg stretch in the sand school and clean the wound afterwards. I would also walk him out in hand, even if it's just round the yard, field or up and down the driveway.
 
I would check for signs of thrush too - these blister thingys are quite often part of the infection that has gone further up into the skin of the heels, particulary when it's wet and soggy (like now) and the skin is compromised. Shy has just recovered from thrush in one foot, and had one of these too.

If you can, keep in, and wash clean with hibiscrub, and then apply eucalyptus or tea tree oil twice daily, until it heels up. I am using Red Horse field paste on the area for turnout.

When things dry up, hopefully that will be the end of them. If you do suspect thrush, get your farrier out to take a look.
 
Don't want to turn him out as don't want it to develop into mud fever. I'm walking him out and once it has dried up a little will ride in the school as he is perfectly sound and just clean it well afterwards thank you x
 
You'd be amazed at the wounds that have healed perfectly while my horses are out (they live out all the time) including a nasty slice wound to the bulb of a heel. As long as you look after it and get antibiotics if needed, they do heal without complications. I do understand your mud fever concerns and you must do what you think is best for your horse. :)
 
Had friend who's a vet look at it and it isn't mud fever only way to describe it is like a blister which has popped and the skin has come off its odd Iv not seem anything like it. Thank you
 
what did this vet recommend - interested as I've just treated one ?

Just to add - why didn't you mention before that a vet had looked at it ? And why not take their advice ??? Sometimes i feel like I've wasted my time replying to peeps on here.
 
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What I am doing plus she sorted antibiotics out for 5 days. Said to keep in of the mud and not to use the school as sand could get in and make things worse.
 
I have taken there advice but was just interested in how other people deal with things. Was only asking this is why I am not brave enough to post on here very often.
 
you need to give out the full info (on here and in veterinary), or peeps cannot give you the right advice, altho if a vet has seen it, I'm still confused :confused:
 
samsbilly said:
I have taken there advice but was just interested in how other people deal with things. Was only asking this is why I am not brave enough to post on here very often.
Click to expand...

Please post more, it's good to have new posters and opinions. :)

I think that most people on here know that I would only box rest in an emergency and even then one of my horses wouldn't cope with it. Many others disagree (and tell me so ;) ).

This horse had to be box rested for two weeks - until the staples came out.
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She was back out minutes after the staples were removed.
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I wish that I had taken more wound photos over the years as you forget exactly how they looked and how they healed.
 
Thank you. I was once told by a wise old instructor that if I ever got to the point where I thought I knew all there was to know about horses them I should find another hobby there is always things to learn just thought someone might have some genius idea that we had all over looked
 
It's true you are always learning with horses and often there are different ways to solve the same problem. The skill is knowing which approach will suit each individual horse and sometimes having the guts to say 'this isn't working, I'm going to try something else'. :)
 
Thank you that is what I was thinking it is trial and error with horses and I am starting to get the confidence to listen to my gut.
 
My son's pony had a similiar thing a few weeks ago - it looked a bit like a blister/ulcer on the back of his heel.

We cleaned it with hibiscrub, let the wound dry overnight whilst he was stabled, then turned out as normal but covered it with sudo creme. We repeated the same routine for a few days and it healed up on it's own, and just put it down to the constant wet condtions.

Hope you get it resolved!
 
I'm with Faracat, I turn out in mud even for abscesses which are still draining. It makes a great poultice, and you can flush the wound when they come in.

Don't forget that Samsbilly, vets will always take the "least risk" option, which is often not synonymous with the "best" option for healing.

Has the horse been at all lame? Is there any possibility that it's an abscess exit wound, they often come up on the heel with a small blister which then pops?
 
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