Horse still lame - any advice?

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Ok well just over a week ago rock was hopping lame - immediately called the vet out and after some investigation she found that he was in immense pain around a nail hole - she concluded when he was shod 2days before the farrier had put the nail in too deep. She told me to hot poultice him twice a day on box rest for four days - she said he would either come sound in which case it was just a bruise - or puss would come out and it would get worse - and an absess would come out. Trotted him up four days later (wednesday) and he was still lame BUT no gunk what so ever had come out of the poultice - clean as a bone! Rang her up again and she said continue to poultice for two days - today he is still lame! No gunk is coming out onto the poultice so am now just dry poulticing it to keep it clean. Also cannot turn him out - tried a boot yesterday and it came off - tried extra amounts of black tape today and it too came off - so hes back on box rest and still lame
What could it be? Am going to ring the vet on tuesday after the new year is over and until then just dry poultice and box rest
Any advice or guesses on what it could be?

 

[dwi]

I probably missed this earlier on but have you had the shoe and offending nail taken off or is it still there?

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Sorry i didnt mention that - silly me - shoe is off and two nail holes were 'cut out' by the vet to try and find the infection (which wasnt found) so now left with no shoe on that foot and 2rather large holes...and a horse that is still lame...

 

[Fleur100]

I would suspect it is an abscess so would keep poulticing, keep on box rest and give bute for the pain. If he is still lame on Tuesday I would get your vet out again.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Should i keep hot or dry poulticing it?

 

[Caritas]

I have had my horse lame for over two weeks when a farrier has nailed a bit deep, how lame is your horse? It probably doesnt help that you now have no shoe on and part of the foot has been hacked away. It may be an abscess but I really think it is just down to the nails. Good luck, it will just take time.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Thank you that encourages me

 

[louisewarner]

Hi there....dont get too concerned about this......I had a very similar thing happen a year or so ago. My boy went hopping lame the day after being shod....same scenario as you in that vet came out, shoe off, a nail prick was to blame and duly started to poultice with animalintex and hot tubbing....a week later, no pus came out....still lame...vet advised it may take longer and to keep eye on heat and swelling none of which was obvious...still lame 2 weeks later. I then insisted on X ray as starting to panic about fractured pedal bone (I blame that fat green vet manual!)...no problem on the x ray.......guess what.....? WHEN the other front shoe was removed, horse went completely sound although pottery as delicate little soles...extremely strange but a simple case of a too small shoe being put on by the farrier and they had simply been pinching.......I changed farrier immediately and had resin type sole pads put on for the next 3 shoeings. Never had a problem since. I know my story had a twist there but I have heard of hoof abssesses that never actually spew out any pus at all....they just seem to subside and if you have a delicate soled soul, it may just be a question of soreness..........do update on your outcome, but really dont worry too much though prehaps try getting the other front shoe off?

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Thank you thats very interesting - i'll ask the vet about that! And intresting about an absess that just subsides - might well be something like that! Thanky ou

 

[Louby]

Never thought of that but it could be the reason.
My old horse was an Anglo Arab with typical TB feet and was awful when she lost a shoe which was often. She was so pottery and coped terribly but was fine once the shoe was back on. Sometimes it would take a couple of days after each shoeing for her to feel 'right' as she was often pottery. Farrier used to say there was just no foot to nail too as her hooves were quite brittle near the nail holes and didnt grow much.
Fingers crossed this is what it is, good luck.