Grumbling abscess - how best to get it out?

[Tracking_up]

If there has been no puss coming out and no shadow on the x-ray , how do they know for sure it's an abscess?
Mine had on and off lameness and heat in the foot that turned out to be a DDFT injury.
If the horse is insured or finances allow it , I'd want the foot to have an MRI scan.

Oh, that's interesting.

Mine has occasionally had heat in his foot over the years and the yard has poulticed with no results. And then last year, after lack of success with coffin joint arthritis injection, MRI shows DDFT chronic injury, which has healed but badly with lesions to the collateral navicular ligament. So I wonder if its been going on for a few years, with these 'false' abscess episodes???

 

[ihatework]

It may well be a grumbling abscess but don’t be so invested in that that you discount other possibilities.

Other explanations may include laminitis or soft tissue damage.

If you get an abscess erupt at the coronet more often than not it’s absolutely fine, the foot grows down with barely more than a mark.

Or you might end up dealing with a mess like this (only one I’ve had to deal with over the years thank god)

 

[Sossigpoker]

Oh, that's interesting.

Mine has occasionally had heat in his foot over the years and the yard has poulticed with no results. And then last year, after lack of success with coffin joint arthritis injection, MRI shows DDFT chronic injury, which has healed but badly with lesions to the collateral navicular ligament. So I wonder if its been going on for a few years, with these 'false' abscess episodes???

I had a similar story, the lameness was on and off for about 18 months until he went hopping lame and then the MRI showed a huge tear right under the navicular. If I had a horse present with these same symptoms and no sign of puss for a few weeks I'd be inclined to investigate further.

 

[rabatsa]

I bought epsom salts by the kilo from Boots online.

 

[HorseMaid]

When I got mine she started with very mild intermittent lameness and tripping in the school, I had my suspicions about a grumbling abscess but nothing appeared with hot tubbing and no reaction to hoof testers from farrier, it would get better then start again. She then came in v lame one day which resulted in a Sunday vet call out, sole tested and scraped and a beautiful stream of pus and clear view where it had tracked round the sole. I was relieved as was thinking I'd bought a duff horse, 4 years later never happened since.

 

[catembi]

Quick update…I have been soaking and poulticing like mad to no avail. Farrier was out this morning and found a large underrun abscess in that foot that was probably already there when I bought him and probably why he failed the vet. So more soaking and poulticing, and then I might have a sound horse! So relieved. Next stop was going to be MRI.

 

[HeyMich]

Quick update…I have been soaking and poulticing like mad to no avail. Farrier was out this morning and found a large underrun abscess in that foot that was probably already there when I bought him and probably why he failed the vet. So more soaking and poulticing, and then I might have a sound horse! So relieved. Next stop was going to be MRI.

Great news! Fingers crossed that's the problem nipped in the bud and you can now move on.

Did you get a discount due to the failed vetting? If so, I hope the million rolls of vet wrap haven't outweighed any monetary benefits!

 

[catembi]

No discount on failed vetting. X-rays did show mild navicular changes but to me he didn’t stand or move like a navicular horse. I decided that the X-rays were a red herring and that he was worth a massive gamble. Yeah, idiotic but he is by far and away the best horse I have ever owned, including the late, great Catembi, and I just had the feeling I could get him right. But then I always think that!