Hoof Abcess Advice Wanted

[Mrssmith129]

Hi my horse had a hoof abcess drained by the vet just over 4 weeks ago, for the first few days I used a hot poultice followed by a dry poultice as instructed.

The farrier did not suggest trimming as he said it may make her sore and recommended I plug the hoof with stockholm tar & cotton wool.

I did as advised and stopped using a duct tap boot as the farrier said as long as its plugged she will be fine.

Please note my horse lives out 24/7 and her field is wet & muddy in places. She is also bare footed.

3 weeks in and she went lame again, vet suggested a hot poultice again followed by dry and seems to have done the trick and has been fine for approx 10 days since but I have been using a duct tape boot.

My question is this...
She is due to go for backing next weekend, I have made the trainer aware of the situation, but should I go back to plugging the hole with stockholm tar & cotton wool or should I continue with a duct tape boot.

This is my first horse so I am learning on the job! I'm just feeling a bit unsure how I should be treating her in terms of her long term recovery. I can't use duct tape boot forever, plus it's making her heal soggy which again is another concern.

Any advice would be great.
Thank you!

 

[meleeka]

I’ve had 3 abscesses this winter in my mare . The ground should be drying up now so the hole will eventually harden up and grow out. If it’s making
her heels soggy I’d probably just wash out well daily and monitor.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Next time get a farrier for an abcess not a vet. Farriers burst them with minimal holes and damage to the hoof. Vets seem to like digging great big crators!

I would scrap the duct tape boot. It will just be softening the hoof now and that's not what you want.

 

[Highmileagecob]

I have used Red Horse Field Paste to plug the hole. No boot, and out 24/7. Just made sure it was thoroughly washed out daily, dried and re-plugged until the hole had grown down. Agree with the advice about calling a farrier not a vet. And maybe check the heels and around the coronet band for signs that another abscess is about to burst.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I feel your pain after decades of horse owning I’ve just had my first abscess in my 27yr old. This one due to a blackthorn. I’ve been back and forth between the vets (useless) and my farrier for 3 weeks now. Farrier felt it needed further medical intervention but vet doesn’t think it does. It looked like it was healing and has got worse again so wet poulticing again for a couple of days. Hoping this is the last stretch.

I would be absolutely sure she is comfortable and fully sound before sending her for backing. The last thing you need at such a formative stage is for her to associate being ridden with pain.

 

[Melody Grey]

As above, be sure that it’s not causing any problems. Personally, I’d wait to send for backing until this was well blown over.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Another saying farrier for abscesses. Sugared iodine after it has been poulticed etc.

 

[Mrs G]

Yes, ditch the duct tape boot. If horse is now sound just plug the hole- I had great success with Keratex Hoof putty (for a very deep hole my horse had we melted the hoof putty and poured it in, once it was cooled/hardened it lasted over 4 weeks and just grew out).

 

[Sprogladite01]

I used Red Horse field paste for my boy after we stopped poulticing, like yours his heels were soggy and starting to get sore at that point. Just make sure it's all healed up properly before yours goes off for backing - my boy was very unfortunate in that his abscess was deep enough to cause severe pedal bone bruising and he's on box rest for that now!

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Would Red Horse Artimud be suitable for hole filling?

 

[bouncing_ball]

Yes, ditch the duct tape boot. If horse is now sound just plug the hole- I had great success with Keratex Hoof putty (for a very deep hole my horse had we melted the hoof putty and poured it in, once it was cooled/hardened it lasted over 4 weeks and just grew out).

how did you melt it? I’ve never managed to get hoof putty to stay put for 5 minutes!

 

[Mrs G]

how did you melt it? I’ve never managed to get hoof putty to stay put for 5 minutes!

put some on an old spoon and melt over a flame/lighter.