Hoof abscess in barefoot horse. Help please

[Wilbur_Force]

Over 3 weeks ago had a visit from the vet as horse presented very lame, literally fell out of stable when I took him out that evening. Vet came following day, tried farrier but no joy. Vet put the hoof testers on, positive result then excavated to find abscess. I've followed advice to the letter with the usual treatment, poultice, epsom salts and also used manuka honey. Farrier came out and said that vet had done all he could. There's still no real improvement though!! This horse has always been barefoot and in 8 years of ownership this is my first abscess. Do they really take this long to sort out? Fed up is an understatement. Any advice most welcome, thanks x

 

[Heelfirst]

Sadly it could be deep enough to be looking for another way out, depending where the abscess is based it may find the easiest way for relief is to make its way up the laminae until it brakes out at the top, it is often worth gently feeling around the coronary band for any soft areas, if you find one you can try a poultice to help draw the puss.

 

[Wilbur_Force]

Heelfirst thanks, you could well be right. The leg was filled to mid cannon too and has continued to do so on and off since the vet came out. When I walk him a little on it, the swelling disperses. The abscess is to the right side of the frog, very close to or on the white line area. The vet did have to dig pretty deep so I'm also wondering if we went too far? As you say, perhaps it's working it's way up. It's so frustrating, he walks out ok, but then stumbles when he hits a sore patch. At the moment he's on a danilon twice a day but is very chipper in himself at the moment which is a good sign

 

[Indy]

My horse developed an abscess which I got the vet out for on the 15 February it eventually reached the end of the line at the beginning of April so yes they really can take that long.

On a plus side I am bloody marvellous at poulticing

 

[Wilbur_Force]

Indy, I am the poultice queen lol. Thanks for the reply

 

[cptrayes]

I would take him off the danilon, I'm not surprised this is dragging on if he's on that. Did your vet tell you to use it?

It suppresses the inflammation that you need for it to eat its way out if it's still in there, which sounds very likely.

Check for a soft spot on the heel bulbs, they come out there most often, ime.

 

[Wilbur_Force]

I would take him off the danilon, I'm not surprised this is dragging on if he's on that. Did your vet tell you to use it?


Yes, vet prescribed danilon. I would never use it unless under vets supervision. Thanks

 

[cptrayes]

I'm glad to hear that, there are some yard owners chucking them about like smarties, and some owners using them at very inappropriate times.

Your problem now is that it's probably still in there, but if you call your vet out again you'll end up with a trench in the horse's foot. But the alternative is to watch him hobble until he gets it out for himself.

The danilon confuses the issue, but if he is still really lame I think I would be looking to get an x Ray after this length of time.

I hope he's OK soon.

 

[Wilbur_Force]

cptrayes, you've just said exactly what I've been thinking. I'm worried that he's got a little stone in there or that it's damaged the structure of the foot. My farrier is due on Tuesday so I'll start there, but looks like it's the vet again. He actually looks lame on the other leg but vet says it's because he's compensating so badly because of the abscess foot. Vet also said that these things sometimes get worse before they get better. He wasn't wrong! He will generally walk fine but then stumble occasionally which is horrible to see. Poor man

 

[Wilbur_Force]

Perhaps worth a mention that he's also a cushings and EMS boy and had his first ever bout of laminitis in February. Any connection? When he first presented lame, laminitis was my first thought, apart from the swelling up the cannon bone. He did have a whopping pulse, again, only in the one leg and vet is certain it's an abscess

 

[Heelfirst]

I would be very tempted to ask the vet about trying him on lily pads or something similar, just to transfer the weight to the frog pad.

 

[cptrayes]

Perhaps worth a mention that he's also a cushings and EMS boy and had his first ever bout of laminitis in February. Any connection? When he first presented lame, laminitis was my first thought, apart from the swelling up the cannon bone. He did have a whopping pulse, again, only in the one leg and vet is certain it's an abscess

Definite connection. Laminitis kills of laminar which can then turn into an abscess, very often at the dead centre line of the toe.

 

[Wilbur_Force]

The vet has checked the toe. It was the first place he looked. How frustrating this is. Calling the vet tomorrow and asking advice. Farrier due on Tuesday and I'll book the vet for after that. I've got to sort this, poor horse has so many issues. I just want him comfortable again

 

[HashRouge]

How big a hole has the vet dug? Could it be that causing the horse to be sore? I'd also be wondering about getting x rays done. Is the horse lame all the time or just when he hits a stone/ rough patch?

I have a cushings mare and for the last two years she has been prone to a run of abscesses in the autumn. This is because (so far) I haven't managed to stop her getting some low grade lami in the summer months and several months later this manifests itself in a series of abscesses. I'm hoping this year I may have cracked it as I've changed her management again, but we'll see!
My vet thinks that there is no point digging out these abscesses as she says she would have to dig far too deep and also because it can sometimes be very hard to work out exactly where to dig. She has advised me to poultice if my mare is very lame to try and encourage the abscess to burst as quickly as possible, but otherwise to leave my mare alone and allow the abscesses to burst in their own time. I was a bit scared about doing this at first, but so far it has worked a treat. Hopefully it won't be an issue this year, I'm really hoping to get on top of this problem!

 

[Wilbur_Force]

HashRouge, I'm thinking this too. A lot of people with cushings horses leave them well alone! Hope you can sort hours too, I know how frustrating this is and it's his first abscess ever. He had his first ever laminitis in late February.

The hole is tiny but he had to dig quite deep to find it. Farrier said he couldn't go any further either. That'll make him sore in itself! He's not consistently lame. The odd stride in walk where he'll stumble if the ground is uneven but definitely lame in trot. I'm getting very frustrated by it all

 

[NZJenny]

Am also not a fan of digging for abscesse as IME it dosn't really help. It dosn't stop the abscess from travelling and finding it's own way out and you are left with a hole in the sole to heal as well.

 

[cptrayes]

Am also not a fan of digging for abscesse as IME it dosn't really help. It dosn't stop the abscess from travelling and finding it's own way out and you are left with a hole in the sole to heal as well.

You've just missed a word out, I think Jenny. It doesn't 'always' stop the abscess from traveling. It does usually, though. But either way, I don't let them be dug out either nowadays. My experience is that ones that burst out on their own heal with fewer problems.

 

[Janee]

You've just missed a word out, I think Jenny. It doesn't 'always' stop the abscess from traveling. It does usually, though. But either way, I don't let them be dug out either nowadays. My experience is that ones that burst out on their own heal with fewer problems.

Agree< having had some dug out and others burst found on balance nature is the better way

 

[Chichi]

Definitely a connection between laminitis and abscesses which I didn't know about a few days ago. Check the laminitis site for information.
My horse had an abscess a couple of months ago and it took almost a month to clear. I had the vet out twice who dug a hole for drainage but that was a mistake. The abscess burst at the coronet band and healed nicely but because of the hole at the bottom I had to be careful and keep the wound clean for a while. I did have to use danilon (so the vet said) but only used it for a couple of days and tried to turn the horse out as soon as possible as I am not a big fan of box rest either if it can be avoided.
All the best.

 

[Wilbur_Force]

Thanks everyone. Vet and farrier both out tomorrow at same time. Vet will X-ray and then farrier will pick up from there. Will keep you all posted. Thanks

 

[Bellalily]

Definite connection. Laminitis kills of laminar which can then turn into an abscess, very often at the dead centre line of the toe.

Sorry to hijack this after all these years, but my horse had an abscess every spring for three years 2012-2014, then one during that appalling winter 2014-2015, then another summer 2016. Then nothing for years until October 2020 despite that horrendous winter of 2019 when they were standing in muddy water all day. Just thrown another one which is taking days to burst and the poor chap is barely weight bearing. I am reluctant to give him any bute because of slowing it down, but he went out today with pain relief. I am now leaving him in all weekend and going to alternate with soaking and poulticing. Every single poultice has always come out at the dead centre of his coronary band and I always wondered why. Vet told me he had a cavity there, but your remark makes much more sense. Thanks loads. He does have a large black dot forming at the centre of the coronary band, so I am hopeful it will start to drain soon.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Perhaps worth a mention that he's also a cushings and EMS boy and had his first ever bout of laminitis in February. Any connection? When he first presented lame, laminitis was my first thought, apart from the swelling up the cannon bone. He did have a whopping pulse, again, only in the one leg and vet is certain it's an abscess

Yes, very possible, and keep a close eye on the Danilon throwing a spanner in the works. Agree with all the posts that abscesses take time to resolve, some longer than others. My vet reckons that mild laminitis in these horses causes a hoof wall separation, that fills with dead tissue, and eventually abscesses as the tissue breaks down and basically rots in the cavity. Take a look at the diet, reduce sugars as much as possible and eliminate anything containing grain. If you can turn your horse out, movement is the best thing for working the abscess out. If you work on the principle that EMS is similar to type 2 diabetes, it makes management a bit clearer. Good luck, I hope you have a fast recovery!

 

[Bellalily]

Yes, very possible, and keep a close eye on the Danilon throwing a spanner in the works. Agree with all the posts that abscesses take time to resolve, some longer than others. My vet reckons that mild laminitis in these horses causes a hoof wall separation, that fills with dead tissue, and eventually abscesses as the tissue breaks down and basically rots in the cavity. Take a look at the diet, reduce sugars as much as possible and eliminate anything containing grain. If you can turn your horse out, movement is the best thing for working the abscess out. If you work on the principle that EMS is similar to type 2 diabetes, it makes management a bit clearer. Good luck, I hope you have a fast recovery!

Any bucket feed they both get is definitely uber low in sugar, and sadly I can't test the hay as yard buys it in from a variety of sources. As they have only been at present yard for 2 months and he's had a grumbling abscess for the last three weeks, I am hoping that this is the reaction from their previous place where they were for only six weeks. I just annoyed at myself for this to start up again after so many years of completely sound. Yes I always treat both of them as tho they were diabetic. which sadly many don't as they think they have to starve the poor things. I can't turn out as he is almost non weight bearing so would need a decent amount of bute to keep him moving and then I've noticed he just stands in the field near the gate all day I am sure it's been his way of letting me know the sugars are too high for him, but unfortunately it's a delayed reaction and by then the damage has been done. I just hope this isn't a reaction to the new place, but I don't see how it can be with his friend being fine on the grass. Going to check their feet in a mo which should give me a better idea of whether the hay is too high, but I honestly can't see that it is and I am usually a pretty good judge of it.

 

[Highmileagecob]

It could well be related to the stress of moving. Mine threw an abscess a couple of years ago, and walked like he had a wooden leg! Unfortunately for him, box rest is not an option as he would take the stable wall down. Once it burst and started to drain I packed the cavity with Field Paste and chucked him back out. Tubbed the hoof every day and repeated the paste.

 

[Bellalily]

I did wonder about that. Well I've covered all bases by changing their feed back to what it has been for about six years, (why did I change it ) I've soaked all their hay today and will do the same tomorrow. Little man's feet were a bit warm this morning, but by the time I left they were cold, whereas the hopping one still had all four feet warm. I took him out for a short walk this morning and noticed that I had three tiny black spots where I was expecting it to burst. By lunchtime, when I repeated the walk, it had started to weep thank goodness. Nothing much and the soppy horse licked his hoof clean twice, but it's starting to go which is great news. I have more animalintex and vetrap and a new roll of duck tape, so I am all prepared for the next week, but hopefully it means he'll be comfortable enough to go back out tomorrow, if only for an hour or two. Thanks for the advice and support, much appreciated as I hate to see him in so much pain. He now won't let me near it, so poulticing is going to be fun.

 

[Bellalily]

I did wonder about that. Well I've covered all bases by changing their feed back to what it has been for about six years, (why did I change it ) I've soaked all their hay today and will do the same tomorrow. Little man's feet were a bit warm this morning, but by the time I left they were cold, whereas the hopping one still had all four feet warm. I took him out for a short walk this morning and noticed that I had three tiny black spots where I was expecting it to burst. By lunchtime, when I repeated the walk, it had started to weep thank goodness. Nothing much and the soppy horse licked his hoof clean twice, but it's starting to go which is great news. I have more animalintex and vetrap and a new roll of duck tape, so I am all prepared for the next week, but hopefully it means he'll be comfortable enough to go back out tomorrow, if only for an hour or two. Thanks for the advice and support, much appreciated as I hate to see him in so much pain. He now won't let me near it, so poulticing is going to be fun.

Forgot to mention I also tubbed it this morning and will do the same tonight before the poultice goes on.