Gutted - I thought it was an abcess

S

showaddy1

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2011
Messages
499
Visit site
As title, poor ginger mare came in lame 10 days ago.... suspected an abcess as she had 10 days previous lost a shoe on the foot in question... shoe by then replaced.
When at home collecting poultice things - pus burst through the coronet band, so poulticed for 3 days, had shoe removed and examined sole - just assumed she'd recover (box rest as unfortunately poor, uneven turnout).
day 5, marked improvement - even managed a few hours out....
Day7 - lame again - rung farrier who advised to re poultice - minimal came out.
Today, day 10 - farrier came out, and has said his gut feeling is this is more likely to have been an actual injury to the coronet, and has says her band now feels like one that has side bone forming??
Quick google has frightened the crap out of me - firstly because the mare was bought, having scraped the pennies, for my daughter to compete...
And secondly, most importantly, my husband recently left me in a financial pickle, and i had made the stupid bloody decision to cancel my insurance....
The farrier left with the advice of 2 more days poultice in the hope that its still an abcess, if no improvement then vet for xrays...
How much is an xray these days (i think i paid 150 previosly, but that was way back), do they ever come sound again??
I am left feeling stupid/ desperately sad... and a little scared :(
 
Firstly do try not to beat yourself up over this.

Yes, insurance is for exactly when your husband has left /you get made redundant / etc... If you're in a position to meet veterinary costs that of course is when you don't need it. But many many smart people don't understand that. And you will for next time.

For this time, one step at a time. No-one on here can tell you all will be well, but it might be. And if it isn't the best thing you can do is cope. The alternative isn't attractive!
 
Google has it's uses but can be scary, I would get the vet out if she doesn't come sound quickly but it could still be an abscess causing the problems whatever the farrier says, I had one that took the best part of 4 months to resolve despite attention from vets and the farrier.
If it is sidebone that is not the end of the world they rarely cause problems once they are formed and should not stop a horse from having a normal active life but at this stage I would get the horse out moving around with the poultice on and hope it helps push out whatever is left.
Your vet is likely to want to come out and see what is going on before xraying, explain you want to be careful regarding costs and he may not even want to xray at this stage.
 
I would love to get her out - do you think it would be OK on uneven ground?
I could box her to a friends - but obv she wouldn't cope with the running around in a new field..
I'm gutted, had come to terms with the fact that I have to sell two of the three horses... Having been left on the bones of my bum, in October... It's taken till now to pay for last winter.
 
As long as it is well covered a few hours out should be fine if she is sensible, if it is an abscess it really will help move it out, part of the reason mine took so long was it was mid winter and the ground was either like a bog or frozen covered in snow at this time of year they will usually be more interested in eating so likely to be relatively sensible and safe.
 
Google can be your worst enemy.......you search a symptom i.e. you have a head ache. You either need an asprin for the head ache or you need major surgery for a brain tumour! Don't google, all you'll succeed in doing is worrying yourself silly!!!
 
Abscesses were created in the depths of hell to torment horses an their owners! It could easily exit again from a different spot - have been there and done that. If she were mine, I would poultice and turn out. If it hurts pony will not be charging around and some movement will certainly help.

Hope it all works out for you - darkest before the dawn and all that.
 
Amymay - I was always told 'farrier for hoof'... And tbh I haven't previously had a vet attend an abcess...
I will ring the vet to discuss, having scared myself silly tonight. Thank you for making me feel even worse in an already ****** situation. I certainly haven't asked to be facing financial ruin - and as already explained, I am hoping to sell my others to focus on the one.
 
Oh jeez, how awful for you. Don't despair just yet, my old boy had HORRENDOUS abscesses last year which took the best part of 2 months to completely drain, and several months careful farriery afterwards to sort his hooves, whilst not ideal certainly cheaper than xrays to fix.
My mare had xrays last month, the first plate was £65 and each £35 thereafter, not inc VAT.
 
A horse who does not come quickly sound with an abscess needs a vet .
A farrier is only guessing he's not trained to diagnose nor can he legally do so .
I would not panic but I would not let it go much longer before you get a vet.
 
showaddy1 said:
Amymay - I was always told 'farrier for hoof'... And tbh I haven't previously had a vet attend an abcess...
I will ring the vet to discuss, having scared myself silly tonight. Thank you for making me feel even worse in an already ****** situation. I certainly haven't asked to be facing financial ruin - and as already explained, I am hoping to sell my others to focus on the one.
Click to expand...

I always get the farrier and the abscesses have been quickly sorted, the only time I did get the vet, my farrier was injured and couldn't come that day, it was the one that took months to resolve and cost a small fortune, I still think if my farrier had attended first it would have taken less time, far less money and less pain for the pony, it was the farrier who took over care when the vet virtually gave up and said there was nothing he could do.
 
For turn out get a horsecroc, we have used them on two of ours this winter/spring. Poultice with nappy, vet wrap, plastic and duct tape, croc on top, all well for turn out. Good luck and I hope it is only an abcess
 
One of mine recently had an absess that burst through the coronet in lots of worm sized holes.
Farrier, wth permission from vet, dug out from the sole over several visits over the course of 3 weeks, before the pus finally stopped. Touch wood, horse has been fine since. If there is pus still coming out, get the hoof dug out to release it. Even if it has to be over a longer period than you expect. We were poulticing twice daily too.
 
My young horse passed a vetting with mild sidebone - if thats what it is then don't worry, it's very rarely the cause of lameness and is easily remedied by good/corrective shoeing.
 
That's horrific! I do have a morbid curiosity for this kind of thing, but almost a phobia about them at the same time. I knew I didn't want to look at the photo based on your description, but found myself doing so!

Thanks for sharing and I'm glad your horse is none the worse for it. Me, not so sure!
 
Spottyappy said:
One of mine recently had an absess that burst through the coronet in lots of worm sized holes.
Farrier, wth permission from vet, dug out from the sole over several visits over the course of 3 weeks, before the pus finally stopped. Touch wood, horse has been fine since. If there is pus still coming out, get the hoof dug out to release it. Even if it has to be over a longer period than you expect. We were poulticing twice daily too.
Click to expand...
Meant to quote this in my reply above ....
 
If I called my vet out for an abscess he would ask me why I had not had my farrier. In fact when I did so because I was unsure, they were the first words out his mouth. Often a farrier is better equipped to deal with them. No they can not diagnose but they can advise and if the farrier is concerned and said call the vet I would. If the farrier said leave it a couple of days and see, I would be inclined to do so unless something unexpected came up.

OP I hope it works out, abscesses are tricky things, i would listen to the farrier but not panic just yet (hard I know!) I have a poorly pony too at the moment and its hard.
 
Oh those holes - they look amazing but gruesome at the same time...
Still worried, poulticed last night - full of pus this morning (and stinks).. Turned her out for two hours in the school and she managed to remove her poultice..
Lame, but not hobbling..
 
Thats great the pus is still coming out.
Hopefully it's "just" a deep seated abscess.
Yes, the holes were right round the coronet, and ours coming from the sole too.
Was a bit of a nightmare, thankfully ok now.
 
Sounds like just an abscess, keep poulticing twice a day until nothing comes out

Coronet band abscesses are the worst as you cannot dig them out...my mare is cooking one now as we speak,the second in just a couple of months, only a faint lameness to be seen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top