Foot abcess

[crystal]

My horse has developed an abcess in his foot. My farrier has removed the shoe and I have been poulticing for 7 days now. can anyone help me as I am not sure how I know when it is better!!! there is still black stuff coming out. I am now syringing salt water in as recommended by farrier, but he seems in a hurry to put the shoe back on and I would rather wait. Should I keep poulticing until it is clear and no more gunge?? any help appreciated...

 

[hollyzippo]

Yeah, should be no gunk before ready for a shoe again. Did vet give you any antibiotics? Sounds like may need some as should be ready to clear up otherwise!

 

[crystal]

The vet hasnt seen him as farrier thought it would clear up in a couple of days....

 

[Law]

Yip there should be no more gunge and gunk coming out. Keep poulticing- is the horse in 24/7 or out in the day?
If it's in on box rest and you have a safe area to turn it out (not the field) then i'd be inclined to turn him out for half an hour and let him walk around- this should help to move the gunk (leave him poulticed) How often are you changing the poultice as well? If you can change it a couple to a few times a day the more the better.

 

[crystal]

thanks. I am poulticing 2x a day and he is in 24/7, he had a little wander round yesterday but I have nowhere safe to leave him for too long. will let him out again today.

 

[hollyzippo]

I'd carry on poulticing and speak to vet. May be happy to give out antibiotics on farriers word.

 

[vicijp]

onlypoultici42daysWeaken s footign oreBlackisbet t er

 

[Sparklet]

I think was vicijp is trying to say is that you should only poultice for 2 days. I agree - two days wet poultice and then dry poultice - am completely against anitbiotics for abcesses because they shrink down the site of infection without removing it so it just grows again once the anti b's have finish. It also makes bugs more resistent to anti b's for more serious conditions.

After 7 days would be tempted to put shoe back on to give the foot some protection from stones etc - they are often a little lame still because they are foot sore so it is difficult to tell.

 

[hollyzippo]

Problem is the (unlikely) chance it has made a tract through pedal bone etc. I work at a vets and have seen a couple of cases which arent nice. Think would be good idea to speak to vet before shoe goes on.

 

[Sparklet]

I suspect horse would still be fairly lame if this were the case - OP doesnt say horse lame/lamer than it was 7 days ago.

I do know of someone who had their horse PTS because a hoof abcess tracked upwards but the condition is fairly rare and even most vets advise getting the farrier in the first instance and only getting the vet if things dont improve.

I suppose more info is needed.

 

[Law]

We've got exactly the same thing happening at our yard. Owner went to check horse and it was flat out in the field (back in about July) and it's been poulticed since and is still lame. They held off xraying until about a month ago and now the prognosis is that if it's not less lame by spring it will be PTS. The infection tracked up the bones and has 'eaten away' the bone leaving the horse (only 18 months old) with a severely weakened foot/bone.
Very sad.

 

[shadowboy]

Is that gorgeous Bailey? poor baby- i have to say that it was partly their fault for not checking it out sooner though. Oh i love little bailey that so sad!

 

[vicijp]

 

[Law]

Yes, that's the one- poor love- he's a wimp as well and he's soldiering on but that's the prognosis. If he's not better by Spring. He is a bit better but still lame and I think its the lameness that will determine it.

 

[annie02]

You could try soaking the foot in warm water and epsinsalts, it will help draw out the infection

 

[faerie666]

You really shouldn't poultice for more than a couple of days. Try mixing some liquid iodine with enough sugar so it makes a paste, plaster it over the hole in his foot, and put some gamgee and vet wrap on to keep it in place. Do this for about 3-4 days, it will help harden the foot, then get the shoe put back on. He should be fine.

 

[kirstiegrogan]

Right i have had my horse on box rest 2 and a half months with foot abcesses and unluckly i had to have 2 sets of x-ray done because they thought the infection had gone to the pedel bone luckly it hadnt
it takes as long as a piece of string but keep policing it till no clear gung

but listen up if you but a poltice on a healthy foot it will draw black gung which is off the frog because of it being in the field and all the dirt so watch out for that
if it doesnt clear up within the new year get your vet back out asap

 

[spaniel]

Antibiotics are pretty useless for things in the feet. I would lay of the poulticing and salt water tub and flush the hole twice a day, dry and then put on a poultice boot (line it with cotton wool if you need to) to keep dirt and grit out. The horse needs to move about as much as possible so turnout if you have somewhere reasonable.

It may be that there is either another small site of infection that the farrier missed or he hasnt dug the hole deep enough.

I know a lot of people swear by the farrier dealing with abcesses but IME vets tend to take more foot off and get the infection out quicker.

If the area can be kept clean by putting the shoe back on with a plug of clean antiseptic cotton wool in first then this seems sensible and will save you all that faffing about with a bucket of warm water twice a day.

As this has gone on for a while I would speak to the vet before you make a decision about re shoeing.

 

[shadowboy]

Is it definately gunge from the infection or dirt. A friend of mine made this easy mistake with her mare two years ago. She was then told to sniff it to check and it smelt of dung not absess! Luckily the mare had tough feet so the constant pouticing did not affect her. I have to say i would not want to stick my nose in a poulice but its quite useful to determine whats in it by sniffing it! Yum!

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]
I do know of someone who had their horse PTS because a hoof abcess tracked upwards but the condition is fairly rare and even most vets advise getting the farrier in the first instance and only getting the vet if things dont improve.

[/ QUOTE ]
PF had an abcess that went into the pedal bone. I hassled and hassled vets until they agreed to x-ray her as she just wasn't getting better. Then they made a huge hole in her foot, scraped out the cottage-cheese part of her pedal bone and put a shoe with a plate on. I had to pack the hole with iodine soaked gauze twice a day until hole was small, then put a wide shoe on. Now she's absolutely fine and I've got some amazing x-rays...
Here they are:
Before (as you can see, they've tried to dig infection out but the 'bubbles' are up behind the wall

After (big chunk missing)

Her Frankenfoot...

 

[crystal]

thanks everyone... I have had the vet out today and she dug out the area abit more, prescribed anti bs and to keep poulticing and let him walk around each day. am nervous about the anti bs but sure she knows best??

 

[alisonpook]

Hi - Just been reading your thread on foot abcesses. Just thought it may useful to hear that we found baby nappies covered up with strips of duck tape to be a cheap and effective way of helping to keep the worst of the wet and muck out when on limited turnout. If you apply the tape quite liberally it make a good little boot. Found Wilkinsons the hardware stores to be the cheapest place for the tape. Hope it clears up soon
Regards EllieP

 

[crystal]

Thanks, I have been using pampers!!! and duck tape, works a treat..... have also bought a canvas boot so he can wander round the yard without getting too mucky.

 

[kirstiegrogan]

[ QUOTE ]
Antibiotics are pretty useless for things in the feet. I would lay of the poulticing and salt water tub and flush the hole twice a day, dry and then put on a poultice boot (line it with cotton wool if you need to) to keep dirt and grit out. The horse needs to move about as much as possible so turnout if you have somewhere reasonable.

It may be that there is either another small site of infection that the farrier missed or he hasnt dug the hole deep enough.

I know a lot of people swear by the farrier dealing with abcesses but IME vets tend to take more foot off and get the infection out quicker.

If the area can be kept clean by putting the shoe back on with a plug of clean antiseptic cotton wool in first then this seems sensible and will save you all that faffing about with a bucket of warm water twice a day.

As this has gone on for a while I would speak to the vet before you make a decision about re shoeing.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah i agree with yeah there with the anibiotics the vet told me exactly the same with my pony

 

[bing]

My horse has suffered both abcess's and corns - you shouldn't in theory as many others have said poultice for more than 2 days at a time. my horse was lame for 6 months. I used to hot soak his foot in iodine and then the vet gave me a neat mixture of eucolyptus (sp) oil to apply to soul of foot (needs to be applied with a brush and gloves as burns the skin. This helps to harden up the soles.) He has since been diagnosed with collapsed heels and has remedial farriery now. I had various x rays and scans, its just unfortunately going to take time and patience. Mine is a thoroughbred cross that liked to be out, but has now come round to the idea of staying in alot more, think he now prefers to be in!!!!!!!
Good luck I know how hard lamemess is - now been intermitently lame for approx 12 months....

 

[xxcharlottexx]

when mine had an abscess a few months ago the vet said that the black stuff was normal coming from the frog
you should start to dry poultic when there is no more green/yellow pus coming out
do that for a week and if all is right, he should be able to put his shoe back on

if your still worrying get the vet up and have a look before you change his poultice so vet can see what is coming out

is there alot of stuff still coming out

as when mine had nearly cleared up there was only tiny amounts coming out

 

[crystal]

Good news.....my boy finally got his shoe back on today!!! has taken 2 weeks so not too bad. He was very pleased to go back out again, bucking and squealing !!

 

[Sparklet]

What a fascinating set of xrays - thanks for posting them