Help with foot puncture before I see vet tomorrow!

Fiona

Fiona

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Any advice would be appreciated before tomorrow, when I will be speaking to vet, and taking my mare up for another visit..

The story is that she had a puncture wound to her sole (outside heel of her near fore, near the bars) about ten days ago, was v lame, hot foot etc. The vet found the puncture, pared it out and bingo, she was far more comfortable in fact we even had a short hack a couple of days later although the foot was still being kept in poultice boot at all other times. However over Xmas she started to get worse again, though no heat or digital pulse this time. Vet came again on Monday just past, and trimmed off a small piece of white stuff which was sticking out of the hole (part of the sensitive part of the sole or sensitive laminae). This bled quite a bit and was obviously v tender, and he also tried to cauterise it to stop further bleeding.

However another little piece of this sensitive stuff is now poking out and its fairly obvious that this is what is causing her lameness (and she is really quite lame, even in walk).

I think this needs to be removed and the hole plugged in some way perhaps with sterile hoof putty if there is such a thing.

A vet I used previously I think used to use dental putty to fill little holes in the sole.

I am assuming there is no infection now after the hole being open and allowed to drain for ten days, so hopefully to seal it up and stop the little "fronds" of sensitive stuff hanging out is the way forward.

She has had sole punctures before (she is a TB after all) but all nearer the toe, and nothing ever came out through the hole on those occasions.

Any advice if you have seen similar would be greatly appreciated, or just some good luck vibes if poss. She is really very sorry for herself, and getting very fed up with hobbling around.

FIona
 
A friend of mine used Stockholm Tar to plug an abcess hole that was slow healing and that seemed to work well. I sympathise with you having a tb with crappy feet myself!!
 
If the vet feels something is needed to plug the hole, then Keratex do a hoof putty in a tin infused with antibiotics, it is very good stuff. You should be able to get it from good saddlers/ feed merchants or your vet/ farrier.
 
Many thanks . I had a memory of seeing keratex hoof putty in a feed store (though didn't know it had antib's etc in it). I know where to get some then if needed.

Fiona
 
Thanks - will see what the vet says but nice to know what others have used.
Her other foot probs have all been back feet, and little/no lameness, just little punctures and faffing with poulticing etc.

This scary lameness in a front foot is a new experience unfortunately, hence the third vet visit in just over a week, and hopefully it will be sorted.

Thanks

Fiona
 
If she is prone to bruised soles you could try putting silicone pads under her shoes. Whilst this wouldn't help right now in the future it might help prevent these problems. My TB has pads under his shoes all year as his soles are paper thin. They aren't cheap but might be worth talking to your farrier about.
 
I used stockholm tar when my tb stood on 4 inch nail.His feet were flat too .The injury went right through to the laminae and bled a lot.He used to pull poultice off in stable or out in field the tar seemed to plug the hole and its antiseptic which helped .
 
Thanks cellie.

We went back to the vets today. He enlarged the hole slightly to get better drainage, and has a gauze pad spread with stockholm tar and copper sulphate stuck on top of the hole.

The white stuff was a kind of proud flesh seemingly, and also had to be cut off.

I hope your horse made a full recovery - how long did it take if you don't mind me asking.

Fiona
 
Hello you - did you have a nice Xmas???

Thank you - I am getting really fed up seeing her hobble about. Have lots of danilon home with me this time though, so hopefully it will help her a bit (quite a big hole in her foot though), then have to decide whether she is better standing in, or mooching around the field with her chum.

Fiona
 
Amazingly only two weeks for that injury although he is still out of use its a ongoing thing.Good luck with the hoof, farrier was amazed how quickly it healed but I had him on hoof supplements which probably helped.
 
She is on maintenance dose of farriers formula, but I have upped it to the full dose again to get the max amount of benefit.

2 weeks would be lovely, but this one has been two weeks already, and this is the third time the vet has had to re-investigate the hole. The shoe is off this time though, and better drainage, so keep your fingers crossd for us.

Fiona
 
hope she is better soon
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quick note: our farrier reccomends hoof first (the myhorse make) as he said it is AMAZING - he couldnt believe the difference after just one pot. might be worth a try if you are using farriers forumula.

apparanlty all the myhorse make is fantastic - a saddler near me wont sell one product to little ponies, as he described it as rocket powder!!
tongue.gif
 
Thanks C. I might see how it compares when the farriers formula is finished up. I don't care what I have to feed her as long as her hoof grows back quickly as possible.

Fiona
 
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