First Time Owner Panic

[KJ94]

Long time lurker first time poster!

Am so fortunate enough to of gotten my first pony in my late 20’s after loaning and sharing my whole life, means the absolute world to me had her 5 years and having the time of my life, although with that comes the first time mum panic!

She’s had an abscess the last week, is a very hardy native, is only lame on tight circles and in trot, is weight bearing on all 4 and isn’t in much discomfort, fine when I clean and pick out the hoof ect. There is heat in the hoof where the abscess track is (think it started on the soul and is travelling to burst out the cornet band as the heat is now only on a small part of her hoof above the track) have been soaking her foot twice a day for the last 4 days but still no sight/smell of the abscess! she’s turned out in a very small dry flat paddock, it’s wrapped and kept clean, she’s acting completely normal, but I am going insane with worry!

I have the vet coming out tomorrow again to check on her, but if anyone has any words or wisdom it would be much appreciated before I go completely nuts with worry! Horses…

 

[gallopingby]

Best person to help with an abscess is your farrier.

 

[Honey08]

Not always. My farrier didn’t recognise it as an abscess, whereas my vet was wonderful.

Abcesses can be nasty things, and very slow to get out. And it’s horrible waiting while watching the horse hurt. But you sound like you’re doing all the right things.

 

[PurBee]

Ive always had great success with animalintex hoof pads that are medicated to draw the abscess out. Within 24/48hrs theyve always induced puss release. I boil water have that in a jug, let it cool a wee bit, pop in the pad, squeeze it out a tiny bit but keep it very soggy, and apply, (the right way up, thats important), then vet wrap, then gaffa tape…and turn out.

My mare had a sole abscess and that took longer, White line/hoof wall tracking ones have been much quicker.

Some soak in epsom salt hot water foot soak bucket, to successfully draw them out.

 

[PurBee]

P.s welcome to the forum, and try not to worry, 99% of abscesses pop and heal-up fine without complications. ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Welcome to the forum, I would definitely call my farrier first for advice , how long have you been drawing it out for? Usually its pretty quick if its wrapped ?
Youll know when its popped or broken through, it will be honky ?

 

[Carrottom]

I would soak the hoof in a bucket of warm water with a cup of Epsom salts dissolved in it for 10 minutes x2 a day (known as tubbing).

 

[MissTyc]

Agree with the tubbing and the animalintex poultice ... Be very careful not to overheat the coronet band if you poultice. I know you say it's tracking that way anyway, but they honestly do weird things.

And I also agree with the "most abscesses heal without any issue" and further reassurance: I had a very complex subsolar abscess that took a lot longer than one would like and even resulted in a full lameness workup and spinal x-rays because it "couldn't be an abscess", but once it popped out (of the toe) that too healed fine and horse was rock crunching very quickly. Hasn't come back. (it was really cool - in the end, we scraped off an extra layer of sole to reveal tracks like an ant's nest!)

 

[KJ94]

Thank you so much everyone have called the farrier who is coming out tomorrow, and have rescheduled the vet until after farriers been out. I have been soaking it in Epsom salts for 20 mins twice a day (pony is weird and absolutely loves it) praying I find a burst smelly yucky abscess soon! ?

 

[Lotsoflemons]

Your doing great! try not to worry too much. and any sudden changes let someone know straight away just for peace of mind.

 

[KJ94]

She was slightly more lame and a bit sore today so did have the vet out again (a different one) who doesn’t think it’s an abscess but a bruise, so he dug away some of the bruised soul and shes poulticed with some iodine soaked cotton wool in the hole. He said it’s been quite common this year with how hard the ground has been, so fingers crossed she heals up quick! Not sure how long they take to heal, one question I forgot to ask the vet!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Can be 10/14 days roughly sometimes longer. Depending where it is