Hoof absess help

[Daisy2]

I suspect my horse has a hoof abscess. She lost part of the back of her hoof at the heel, and with the recent wet weather I believe debris has entered the site causing an infection. She is marginally lame and some heat in the hoof is discernible. She is barefoot. I plan to soak and clean her foot completely with epsom salts, see if I can find the culprit and relieve if simple without digging down to any live structures and then poulticing with a dry epsom salt gauze covered with a plastic bag and gaffer tape. Any other ideas would be appreciated or and a different approach. When I get a chance I shall pop down the tack shop and get some poultice pads.

As for the vet I am reluctant to jump in there because last year she had an abscess and the vet ruled it out and treated her with joint injections, xrays etc. Turned out it was a sub-solar abscess that burst out of the heel months later hence the loss of hoof wall at the heel.

Cheers

 

[Daisy2]

bump

 

[xgemmax]

I would hot poultice first for a few days in case there is gunk and stuff still in there, then dry poultice after that

 

[Jim bob]

Agree^^ hot poultice for 3 days then dry afterwards

 

[Daisy2]

Ok so I scrubbed it this morning and soaked in some epsom salts for a while then poulticed. I could not see anything obvious , she is now with poultice on until I get back from work tonight... My question is, should I keep poulcting even though I have not found the abscees and drain? This morning was a make shift poultice and I have just bought some poulticed pads, are they any good I wonder.

 

[hellfire]

Ive used the pads before and found them to be good. Hopefully you'll draw the gunk out soon. Keep doing it as can take a little while to go. Cassi took a week with hers. Couldn't see a aps and the vet said a sprain. I called my farrier who said aps and he was right. Any lameness my farriers the best call for diagnosing. I turned her out with plastic around the dressings after a few days and that's when it finally went.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I would soak the hoof in hot water with salt for 10 minutes everyday as well as poultice, I've found that it helps draw out abscesses.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Do you have a farrier/barefoot trimmer with a set of hoof testers? Farrier is always my point of call for hoof trouble. Abscess are tricky customers though, can take a while to pop.