Foot Absess

Halfpass

Halfpass

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I wanted to post this in here as more people view.

10 days ago I went to check Alee at the place where she is turned away and she was hopping lame. I took her up to the yard (took a while) and called the vet. He came out quite quickly and diagnosed an absess right on the toe. He advised bute poultice and to call farrier. Farrier came the next day and confirmed what the vet had found took a little more of the foot away and left quite a large hole for the absess to drain. I poulticed wet for 2 days then a dry one and the poultice was clear. On advice from the farrier I treated the hole with silver spray and turned her back out. ( by this point i have bought her back home as she has a stable there).

This took us to Monday night and she is very lame again so I took her back in poulticed and left her in the stable. Monday morning 100% sound again (no longer on bute) and the poultice was clear. She has been back out since wednesday and other than being a little foot sore has been fine so I had planned on starting her work again next week.

Last night I went to check her in the field and she is hopping lame again. I cleaned it up and put her in the stable. Farrier came this morning and she was sound in walk and lame in trot but not as bad as yesterday so farrier had a good look and made the hole bigger. No reaction with hoof testers and only a little heat in the foot. Found a very small amount of puss but not what he thought he'd find considering how lame she is. He advised wet poultice of 2 days then dry one and to call farrier with an update on Monday / tuesday, so I have now poulticed and turned her out (she is happier out than in).

Now why, even though the poultice is clear and hoof testsers are having no reaction, is she still lame?

Should I continue with the bute and how long should I continue poulticing for?

Any other advice of foot absesses much appreciated.
 
Well thats what i thought farrier (gareth
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) came out today and she didn't react to hoof testers at all.
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poor Alee she is hopping around the field at the moment. Luckily she is quite sensible and isn't trying to charge around.
 
Norman had an abscess which we poulticed and became sound, turned him out, came back lame, farrier said because dirt/mud etc getting back in and re infecting, so he had to stay in longer OR poultice whilst in the field to prevent dirt getting in. Didn't take long to be back to normal!

(sorry very rushed/unexplanatory but you get the idea.
 
Im surprised your vet and farrier didnt tell you to cover the open wound for longer if Im reading your post right you covered it for 3 days.My horse had a 4 inch nail puncture last thursday the vet came and dug out a large hole but I kept It covered for a week .He was on anti biotics because it was a rusty nail and although there is no sign of infection I wont ride until he has a gel pad fitted to protect the new sole .All of the above is on the vets advice and he is sound trotting up.It takes 3 months for the hole to strengthen .I have been treating my horses hoof with stockholm tar which is good for keeping the wound clean from mud dirt etc in the field its also antiseptic.Sorry cant help with any other advice.
 
I must be the queen of abcesses! My horse was diagnosed last Tuesday where the vet dug a hole and I polticed for 3 days (wet), then plugged with cotton wool and purple spray. There was quite alot of soft tissue revealed which was making him really sore, shoe put back on again yesterday and farrier adapted shoe so I could still plug. Hes sound today think the shoe has taken pressure off, but found another abcess in front foot so start process all again! I found this to work for me. I wouldn't over wet poltice as it makes the sole very soft but make sure all pus is gone (which is what you are doing). Before all this happended horse threw a shoe and trod on and bruised his sole which caused lameness on and off for three weeks. Sounds like your horse has a combination of abcess and bruising. I found a weeks box rest for the bruising really helped.

Good luck!
 
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