how long does it take for the sole of the hoof to grow back?

[StormyMoments]

well taz was hopping lame today so had the vet out and he had a huge abscess which was about half of the bottom of his hoof and quite deep so had to have it all dug out to the point it was bleeding everywhere etc he is poulticed for 6 days at least but then what? how do i stop mud going in the hole etc my vet wasnt much help this evening think he was in a rush as it was 8:30pm on an emergency call out and i think he had another directly after so just wanted to be done and gone but yeah how long?

chocolate brownie for any response

 

[cptrayes]

If your horse is shod get your farrier to put a thick plastic cover between it and the shoe for one shoeing. He'll know what I mean. Next time, call the farrier not the vet, they don't cut half the horse's foot away just to drain an abscess.

If your horse is not shod it will be weeks before he is able to work properly with that kind of butchery unless you get him some boots.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

I don't know anything about it but it sounds pretty horrendeous! 6days of poulticing? That sounds quite short to me but like i said i don't really know anything about the subject but hope someone can answer your question!! ((Bump))

 

[StormyMoments]

If your horse is shod get your farrier to put a thick plastic cover between it and the shoe for one shoeing. He'll know what I mean. Next time, call the farrier not the vet, they don't cut half the horse's foot away just to drain an abscess.

If your horse is not shod it will be weeks before he is able to work properly with that kind of butchery unless you get him some boots.

hes barefoot and i have just had his hoof boots turn up, i would have called the farrier but i didnt realise it was an abscess at there was no heat at all so i was puzzled as to what was causing him so much pain... should have known really

 

[StormyMoments]

I don't know anything about it but it sounds pretty horrendeous! 6days of poulticing? That sounds quite short to me but like i said i don't really know anything about the subject but hope someone can answer your question!! ((Bump))

yep 3 days hot poulticing/ untill its finished draining then 3 daysdry poulticing and then peroxide it thats what i have been told to do

 

[StormyMoments]

bump anyone else?

 

[jj1966]

You need to get the yuk out quickly, when poltice changing try standing foot in epson salts with warm water for 10 mins that helps draw things out, if its deep it could be difficult to remove all in that short space of time.
If you cant put hoof boot on over poltice, try putting a piece of rubber matting that isnt too patterened and shape of foot on base (as if putting shoe on) after you have finished vetwrapping, then duck tape, that should keep it clean and helps protect vet wrap, it stops any pee etc seeping in, I have managed to let them graze outside quiety with it aswell. The best matting I have found is the cheap car foot well mats for in rear of car, retangular ones.
If you need to strenghen an area, iodine and sugar mixed and heated, must be used quickly as it goes solid when cold, do NOT cover big areas with this as the foot would not be able to breath. Its only a mix for small areas for sole or hoof wall. Good luck

 

[Lancelot]

I *think* I read somewhere that sole grows about 1mm per week but I could be wrong.
Can't remember where I read it to check

 

[Marydoll]

When my boy had his abcess, i hot poulticed twice a day until there was no gunk, about 5 days, at night it was poultice, baby nappy then duck tape when in stable. Through the day when out, it was poultice then small pad made from nappy with hoof boot on so he could get out as normal.
When it finished discharging, i sprayed the hole with iodine and covered it with proper stockholm tar and kept the boot on for another couple of days, then left him barefoot, with no other problems, that was about 6 months ago

 

[Spanish Eyes]

Don't despair!

Actually once the gunk is out, I've never had too much of a problem with mud getting in the hole, and mine live out 24/7 in a very claggy mud (which is probably why they got the abscess in the first place!) Mine are barefoot too, and I've found them much easier to deal with than on shod hooves.

I'd also second calling the Farrier out rather than the vet - my Farrier does a much neater job, and only charges me £10. But that it for next time.

As others have advised, I soak in warm water with epsom salts to get the gunk out, and dry poltice with a newborn baby nappy, wrapped over with vet-wrap, so that it looks like a brightly coloured boot up to the fetlock. I then put on a part of a thick plastic sack (alfa-a oil ones are great for this), and tape it up securely with duct-tape. This will stay on for 24 hours with mine, if needed, and they plough through muddy patches (which used to bring off shoes when they were shod!)

Once the hole has actually closed I've never had a problem with re-infection, although I continue to flush out and spray with purple spray for a few days. I don't use hydrogen peroxide as I read somewhere that it kills off the newly repaired tissue as well as the affected tissue.

Can't advise on length of time off work in your case - mine tend to be lame for 2-3 days.

Good luck, anyway!

 

[Miss L Toe]

I had vet out to an abscess which I had poulticed the night before, some gunk came though the frog [dry previously], horse no longer very lame, vet pared away the hoof sole... a lot of blood, said he would be fine in 10 to 14 days.
He is now out during the day barefoot [!] and in at night [poulticed], it is still weeping out of the sole and out of the frog, he won't stand in a bath, but I use warm salt water to clean the area before poulticing with a wet animalintex and cover with conforming bandage.
We are into week three and no signs of it getting better. Horse is sound.
I tried a home made poultice boot with duck tape, lasted about two laps of the field [soft ground]

 

[StormyMoments]

his poultice lasted 24 hours vet told me to change it in the evening only :S he was sound today the hole is about 2 inches long by half inch wide not much came out of it at all to be honest was expecting morebut not much at all just a bit of blood was a little smelly though so something must have come out

we are poulticing it with animalintex, cotton wool for padding, vet wrap and duct tape and hes keeping it on although hes not really doing more than pottering around in the field and isnt really turning small circles (turned out 24/7 very dry fields) althoughhe is moving alot better today chasing our 2 year old off his food which he wasnt doing yesterday although he was on 3 legs all day sowasnt moving much anyway

thanks for the advice! hope your horse is better soon Miss L Toe!