Farrier doesn't think it's an abcsess!

[Charmin]

The saga continues...

Been poulticing mare after emergency call out for lame horse. Vet said abcsess that would burst out of coronet band. It hasn't burst yet but each day she's a little sounder which seems contrary to an unburst abcsess!

Farrier popped down today to have a look and has said he doesn't think it's an abcsess and there seems to be heat in her pastern not her coronet band. He suggested ligament damage.

So the vet's due in a few hours arghhhh

 

[julie111]

Oh no I hope it isn't ligament damage! My poor pony went to the vets last week, x rays show ligament damage in his pasterns fingers crossed for you!

 

[Erzie]

For how long has she been limping?
I had e few abcess problems with my mare. The last time, I was worried beacause it took time to heal, but it was only an abcess in the end.
Sometimes, it takes more time. It depends wher the abcess is.

 

[Wagtail]

Does she have a digital pulse? That is often present when there is an abscess, as is a swollen pastern. I remember panicking when my filly went lame and she had a hot swollen pastern and lower leg below the knee. I was convinced she had a tendon injury and so box rested her. But the next day she was worse and so I poultice her hoof. The following day she had improved so I knew it was an abscess. I therefore continued poulticing for a couple of days and turned her out in a boot. She was sound by the second day. There was hardly any pus on the poultice so I was surprised that she was so lame and her leg was so swollen.

However, if it is not an abscess, she should be box rested, especially if there is any ligament damage. I thought the vet had initially found she was sore in her shoulder?

 

[Tiddlypom]

However, if it is not an abscess, she should be box rested, especially if there is any ligament damage. I thought the vet had initially found she was sore in her shoulder?

This.
Time to push for nerve blocks to determine the site of pain. Often works out cheaper in the end, rather than paying for repeat visits by the vet and farrier and for them to stand around scratching their heads in puzzlement.

 

[Goldenstar]

Get the foot nerve blocked ASAP .
It won't tell you it's an abscess but it will mean you know it's the foot .
I really would be box resting this horse if it was here .

 

[Charmin]

Thanks guys.

Mum tried box resting her this morning but she went mad when everything else went out as it's an american barn system and she can't see anyone. She's also a cribber when stressed and turns chronic when isolated.

She's now out in a small stable sized electric fenced pen so movement is restricted until the vet comes, but can't do this long term as the ground would get too churned when it gets wetter and not really possible on livery yard. Thankfully she's quite happy for today to be in the pen munching hay and apparently the others keep popping over to 'check in' aww.

Not sure what the plan is, I'll ask if they're planning to nerve block. If they nerve block can they scan in the same evening?

 

[Tiddlypom]

If they nerve block can they scan in the same evening?

I've had horses scanned and/or x rayed on the same day as they were nerve blocked.

Good luck. I know that she's tricky to box rest so the sooner that you know what you are dealing with, the better.

 

[julie111]

Thanks guys.

Mum tried box resting her this morning but she went mad when everything else went out as it's an american barn system and she can't see anyone. She's also a cribber when stressed and turns chronic when isolated.



She's now out in a small stable sized electric fenced pen so movement is restricted until the vet comes, but can't do this long term as the ground would get too churned when it gets wetter and not really possible on livery yard. Thankfully she's quite happy for today to be in the pen munching hay and apparently the others keep popping over to 'check in' aww.

Not sure what the plan is, I'll ask if they're planning to nerve block. If they nerve block can they scan in the same evening?

Yes they can, my boy was nerve blocked and x rayed in one afternoon.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is it an evening appointment? Nerve blocks take time to work, so not ideal if you have limited time. I take mine to the clinic in the morning if they need blocking, so the staff are not pushed for time and can get on with other jobs in between times.

It also depends on how high up they have to block to find the sore area. If she blocks to the foot, it shouldn't take too long.

 

[Charmin]

If it's something that requires box rest we've looked at rehab yards where the the rest of them will be in as well, plus we'd probably put her on some ulcer supplement to make sure she's not cribbing because of that. As it is we're thinking of investigating her cribbing a bit further and ruling out ulcers as since she's been in pain it's a lot more frequent, usually she can go for days without you seeing her doing it, but as a scope reqires starvation it's not our biggest priority currently. (This is a bit of a revelation as I've always wondered if she'd had ulcers but mum is old school of 'it's just a learnt vice because she was stressed')

Vet's just turned up at the yard, I said about nerve blocking, mum said not to worry and they'll do all they can. She's going to suggest nerve blocking but apparently a deep abscess can also show up on an x-ray so they might go for that.

Think vet's also brought some zylkene and maybe some ACP if she needs to be on box rest tonight.

 

[cundlegreen]

I had a 4 yr old in the spring come up hopping lame whilst turned out. Her leg was swollen from pastern to hock, and I assumed she had put her leg through the stock fence and wrenched it badly. She came sound within the week, and all the swelling went. Approx three weeks later there was an eruption on her coronet band. It had been an abscess all along.

 

[Charmin]

Vet came along and x-rayed this evening. Saw black mark in hoof and also perhaps bone fragment in canon bone but could be a shadow of the xray.

She's currently boxed and will be going for a full lameness work up tomorrow. She's still about7-8/10's lame. Vet hasn't ruled abscess out completely but wants a scan of soft tissue to make sure.

 

[Tash88]

Sorry to hear that it may not be an abscess now, sorry if this is a silly question but what could the black mark in the hoof be? I hope the fragment in the cannon bone is just a shadow. It must be terribly worrying to still not have an answer, hopefully tomorrow will be more revealing and you will have a plan of action that will result in your horse becoming sound again. All the best, Tx

 

[maccachic]

It always gets to the point where you doubt its an abscess and then a little bit later it pops. I find movement is key to rehabbing most injuries I don't get the box rest that everyone jumps on.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Hope you get some answers today, OP, and that it is all readily treatable. Please let us know how it goes, and it could well still be an absess.

It always gets to the point where you doubt its an abscess and then a little bit later it pops. I find movement is key to rehabbing most injuries I don't get the box rest that everyone jumps on.

Until a fracture is ruled out, box rest is much the best option. I agree that full box rest is probably over advised by vets playing safe, but in some cases it is the only thing to do.