I suspect a possible abscess but what is the best course of action?

[TotalMadgeness]

OK so pony is shod on Tuesday, I have a lesson on him on Wednesday and instructor thinks he looks 2/10th lame possibly on left hind, but as he has stifle issues (and a weaker left hind) which result in stiffness that can improve when warmed up, we continued on the premise we would immediately halt the lesson should he struggle. After a brief warm up he improved beautifully and in the end he worked really really well. No heat in hooves or anything else odd noted at the time.
Thursday he has a day off because it was snowing and horrible.
Friday afternoon I get him ready for a dressage comp on the Saturday. He has his legs washed & I put quick dry wraps on and leave him in the stable to dry off.
Later I take the wraps off but as I'm touching the right fore hoof I feel a hot spot on the hoof through my glove.
Alarm bells ring - I check for digital pulse - nothing. No heat in fetlock either, just a hot spot on one part of the hoof (inside leg). All other legs and feet are cold. The fetlock and leg of the affected hoof is also cold. I loose school him to see how he is moving - he is moving really well and there is no sign of pain.
Just to be safe I withdraw from the dressage anyway.
Saturday - hot spot on hoof is barely there. I walk him in a small circle on flat hard ground and note that he doesn't track up on right rein, fine on left. I also note his back is reactive (which happens when there is something going on with his legs).
Sunday - hoof is cold but there is slight heat in the coronary band. I start to hot tub. Still not tracking up on right rein on small circle on hard ground and back still reactive.
Today - hoof is slightly warm, more heat in the coronary band and now also the fetlock. No digital pulse or swelling. Will hot tub him at lunchtime.

I am pretty much an abscess virgin so looking for some help from more experienced folks please! When my other horse had an abscess he had slight but obvious lameness, raised digital pulse but no heat in hoof. He then went suddenly extremely lame and vet intervention was sought. Vet removed the shoe & poulticed the foot etc. Horse came right after about a week. My pony is different but its possible I've caught it early and the worst is yet to come. For example should I get the farrier out to remove the shoe/investigate and the start poulticing the hoof? Or should I just go straight to the vet??

Thanks for reading.

 

[bonny]

OK so pony is shod on Tuesday, I have a lesson on him on Wednesday and instructor thinks he looks 2/10th lame possibly on left hind, but as he has stifle issues (and a weaker left hind) which result in stiffness that can improve when warmed up, we continued on the premise we would immediately halt the lesson should he struggle. After a brief warm up he improved beautifully and in the end he worked really really well. No heat in hooves or anything else odd noted at the time.
Thursday he has a day off because it was snowing and horrible.
Friday afternoon I get him ready for a dressage comp on the Saturday. He has his legs washed & I put quick dry wraps on and leave him in the stable to dry off.
Later I take the wraps off but as I'm touching the right fore hoof I feel a hot spot on the hoof through my glove.
Alarm bells ring - I check for digital pulse - nothing. No heat in fetlock either, just a hot spot on one part of the hoof (inside leg). All other legs and feet are cold. The fetlock and leg of the affected hoof is also cold. I loose school him to see how he is moving - he is moving really well and there is no sign of pain.
Just to be safe I withdraw from the dressage anyway.
Saturday - hot spot on hoof is barely there. I walk him in a small circle on flat hard ground and note that he doesn't track up on right rein, fine on left. I also note his back is reactive (which happens when there is something going on with his legs).
Sunday - hoof is cold but there is slight heat in the coronary band. I start to hot tub. Still not tracking up on right rein on small circle on hard ground and back still reactive.
Today - hoof is slightly warm, more heat in the coronary band and now also the fetlock. No digital pulse or swelling. Will hot tub him at lunchtime.

I am pretty much an abscess virgin so looking for some help from more experienced folks please! When my other horse had an abscess he had slight but obvious lameness, raised digital pulse but no heat in hoof. He then went suddenly extremely lame and vet intervention was sought. Vet removed the shoe & poulticed the foot etc. Horse came right after about a week. My pony is different but its possible I've caught it early and the worst is yet to come. For example should I get the farrier out to remove the shoe/investigate and the start poulticing the hoof? Or should I just go straight to the vet??

Thanks for reading.

I wouldn’t treat for an abcess with the signs you’ve got, I would wait and see.
A heat spot on a hoof probably means nothing at all.

 

[ponynutz]

I would do as you say and seek farrier's advice. If he says no abscess then vet simply bc of the sensitivity on his back.

Not tracking up properly wouldnt worry me - could be his stiffness but the fact you know him well enough to know that a back issue = leg issues means I'd be more worried.

As bonny said heat spots in hoof doesnt mean much tbh.

If you're worried and if too expensive to get both out to have a look id favour the vet and explain the situation. Just to rule it out!

If you're not as worried as I think you are then, yes, wait a few days and just see what happens - save a bill as could just right itself or become clear you need vet only and not farrier and vet. I'd favour this option bc I also wouldnt suspect abscess with the signs you've got.

 

[Birker2020]

I wouldn’t treat for an abcess with the signs you’ve got, I would wait and see.
A heat spot on a hoof probably means nothing at all.

I agree. Unless heat is accompanied by an increased digital pulse, heat in hooves changes constantly throughout the day depending on whether the horse has been exercised or is out in sunlight, etc. Although all four feet should be the same temperature. My vet told me its an unreliable indicator.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

Thanks everyone. Thankfully the vet is already booked in - because the pony also suffers from sarcoids and melanomas and I found a couple of suspect lumps last week. Never rains but it pours!

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks everyone. Thankfully the vet is already booked in - because the pony also suffers from sarcoids and melanomas and I found a couple of suspect lumps last week. Never rains but it pours!

They like to test us, that's for sure.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

**UPDATE**

So since my post the heat came and went and came back with no definite signs of anything else amiss but today I noticed he had a lot more heat than usual in the leg and specifically around an old splint he's had a long while (outside of leg). This splint is pretty close to his knee and instructor reckons the increase in his workload (after winter) along with his natural high front leg action has simply aggravated the splint. Took a while to figure out what the hell was going on there but I think we might have found the issue.