Foot abscess??

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Annie&Amy

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My mare was shod a week this wed's and has been sore since, i felt all her feet and they seemed fine so initially put it down to a muscle strain. However this wed's she was alot worse so had vet out. She has got strong digital pulse and vet took shoe off and hoof tested (no reaction), she pared some of hoof away but couldn't get anything out and amy's hoof is very tough!!

She advised poultice for three days and box rest etc etc as either abscess or laminitis. Took poultice off last night and lots of black crud (?Thrush) and some other stuff which looked like pus but not a massive amount. She is walking a little better but still has strong pulse. Called vet today and she said to keep up with poultice over weekend and to call them again monday if pus still not coming out well. I'm going to stand her foot in epsom salts tonight to try and draw it out.

She is looking more comfortable on it and is walking more normally - she has putting her heel down first and then her toe when she walked.

Any advice etc etc
 
Did the gunk that came out smell??
I would suggest maybe getting farrier out if no improvement by monday, they always seem better at foot related problems than vets!
Stick with the poulticing for now & see how she goes over weekend. If leg heats up or swells the likely absess is stuck & infection might spread in which case she will need anti biotics.
 
you want to scrub her foot in hibi scrub when you plotice it back up but some idione on it that will help get your farrier to scrap some of her sole away to see if you find anything coz if there is an absece it will have to be drained and she may need some anti biotics other wise it could turn in to a gravel run that will go all the way up her leg. keep it as clean as poss!
 
Have been scrubbing her foot with hibi before putting new poultice on. Vet said no antibiotics needed at the moment!! tried using nappies but they just seem to pull poultice off so gone back to animalintex, soffban, vetrap, ductape and it was still on this morning. Still lame although less so with poultice on, more pus had come out last night but again wasn't alot. Last night the area around her toe felt warm so hopefully the abscess is coming to a head. Will get vet/farrier back monday, vet was struggling to pare hoof away on wed's cause she had a bad back! xxx
 
That sounds like pus coming out to me, and you need to keep poulticing, the nappies do work, you just need to use vetwrap then duct tape over them.
The best poultice I've ever found is made my equine America, can't recall the name of it sorry. It's brown and stinks!
There are a lot of abcesses around this year, we've had several, the reason you try not to use antibiotics is it makes the pus thicker so harder to drain.
Sometimes though no option. Make sure the tet vaccination is up to date too.
 
Had vet out again today and she pared away as much as possible and still no pus but she def. thinks it is a abscess, back to poulticing again but as she said at least the pus won't have so far to travel. In herself my girl is much happier although fed up of being stabled and is less lame than she was. Still digital pulse but not so prominant and hoof still hot.

She was due vacc anyway so had flu+tetanus last night xxx
 
If the vet is certain that it's an abscess, your horse will be better out in the field than in a stable. Her hoof action when she walks will actually help to expel any pus into the poultice. You just need to tape a thick plastic bag over the whole foot to keep everything dry and in place.
 
Well i've just taken poultice off and still no pus from anywhere but hoof no longer hot, she's still lame but alot better than she was and digital pulse much reduced. I've put another poultice on until i speak to vet tomorrow xxx
 
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