Hoof abscess

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Dizzydancer

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Hi all,

I thought my horse had hurt his back/shoulder running around the field. He was a bit better at some points this week after a couple of days box rest. However tonight he is hopping lame. Doesnt want to weightbear on front leg and his hoof is slightly warm.

I am now thinking that the fact i thought shoulder lameness has been blinding me and actually thats referred from an abscess? He is less keen on hard ground than soft and doesnt like to turn. I am getting farrier out either 2morrow or sat morn depending on how his day goes.

Any similar stories on here? i have found a few on google about it.

Thanks
 
It sounds very like an abcess and I wouldnt be supprised if tomorrow he isnt worse. I have known abcesses to be so painfull that you would swear the horse has broken its leg! Most lameness is in the foot, get your farrier to have a bloody good look and make a lovely escape route for the pus to come out, instant relief, Poultice and penicilyn.
 
my farrier is great for them. I have rang him 9pm tonight and he will be with me asap without not seeing his already booked customers. I wouldnt be suprised either. I will be off to tesco tomorrow to buy nappies,gaffer tape and epsom salts!
He is in until farrier arrives now anyway so some comfort from that.
Where do you get penicillin from without having vet out? just buy it from chemist? is there a liquid form?
Thanks...ive never had an abscess in 15years of owning a horse :0
 
I have never had penicillian for a horse with an abcess. Just got farrier to dig hole, then poultice (hot) for twice a day for 2 days, then cold for a couple of days then dry poultice for a few days.

I have annoyingly got my mare in today with bruised feet (stamping at flys!). Have poulticed incase its an abcess.
 
Most Vets don't like to give anti-b's for abscesses as generally it just makes them last longer without killing off the bugs due to the poor blood supply in the hoof.

Poultice instead. :)
 
Lynds said:
I have never had penicillian for a horse with an abcess. Just got farrier to dig hole, then poultice (hot) for twice a day for 2 days, then cold for a couple of days then dry poultice for a few days.

I have annoyingly got my mare in today with bruised feet (stamping at flys!). Have poulticed incase its an abcess.
Click to expand...

This is what we had for my lad last winter when he had 2, one after the other. No penicillin was offered.
FDC
 
I don't think antibiotics are much use for hoof abscesses anyway. I've never had them prescribed and only heard of them used if the infection tracks up and involves the pastern/leg.
 
Could be abscess or lami , these were the symptoms my mare has lame, firstly we leg iced thinking tendon- then poulticed after vet and farrier scrapped away but couldn't find the entrance. Finally xray found lami in off fore.
 
He is looking well but not exactly fat (he is a TB). So doubtful if lami.
Thanks for that guys, i wasnt too sure about the anti-Bs really as no-one i know has used them before.
I will poultice his foot today just incase it is an abscess and await the farrier he is spot on with abscesses usually and also lami so if it is he will pick it up and cheaper than vet!!
yes it is indeed a better option than a skeletal problem. If it isnt an abscess/bruising then its a shoulder pull :( so weeks off just as he was coming right.
 
Can i just ask do horses tend to drag there feet if an abscess is present? My farrier is coming in morning but YO said tonight she thikns he would be dragging his foot if an abscess. I have never known this, i though they tend to hop and not want to put any weight on foot at all.
 
They hop very quickly to keep the weight off of it.They tend to rest with the toe touching the ground to relieve the pressure.
Dragging is more a sign of shoulder injury.
 
Mine has had a couple. First, he was hopping lame and didn't bear any weight. Allowed shoe off. Popped and shot out easily. Healed in 3 days. Second, less lame, never popped and took 2 weeks to heal. He was a nightmare getting shoe off. Didn't drag foot though.
 
Thanks for that guys! I have never known that either but YO said last night she doesnt think it would be an abscess as he is not dragging it but iv only ever known them hop as they dont want it on the ground. He much prefers being in his deep bed and he even lay down yesterday in stable to take weight off it.
I wierdly have my fingers crossed its an abscess or severe bruising rather than a shoulder injury. Will let you know after the farrier been this morn.
 
Totally agree with what has been said.

My boy had a hoof abcess about 5 months ago. He was hopping lame one morning and I couldn't see any reason why at all. I looked over his feet and legs but couldn't see anything at all. Waited 2 days and it got worse so got the farrier who came out the next day, it turns out he had a huge abcess under his shoe. He popped it and loads of gunk came out, I can say that within 2 mins of him bursting the abcess he wasn't lame anymore. Poor horse must have been in so much pain.
 
Shoulder injureis are incredibly rare really in the horse world, so many people think it is the shoulder but it is often not. Hopping lame horse is going to be either a fracture or an abscess in most cases. Given his history I'd go with abscess.
But to those who are 'waiting a couple of days' with hopping lame horses-that is downright cruelty-catch yourselves on.
 
Well we have our diagnosis...an abscess. its not a massive one either but he is just a wuss. After it was cut out he just kept waving his leg at me! bless his sensitive TB sole! He should be sound in a few days now.
I completely agree with not waiting SusieT but I was happy it wasnt a fracture and got farrier asap once he was hopping who even on phone was happy it was an abscess.
 
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