infected hoof and lame for 4 weeks now

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Coombs

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My horse has been very lame for 4 weeks now. The farrier and the vet both think its a septic foot but despite poulticing no puss has come out, we have now had it x-rayed and the vet couldnt find any thing wrong. we have now put her back on antibiotics again and can still hardly walk. Does any one have any ideas
 
only a stuggetion as im no expert but have you thought about getting anything higher up the leg checked out?, even though the problem may seem the hoof it could be higher up. x
 
We are more than certain it is in the toe as she is so sensitive when we touch it , if it was any where else would she be this funny about her toe being touched? we thought about nerve blocking it but the vet wasnt very keen.
 
Have they cut into the toe to open up the area that is sensitive, without somewhere to drain, if the horn is hard, poulticing will not be effective. Antibiotics are not routinely used for hoof abscesses as it can often suppress the abscess but rarely get rid of it without it also being drained.
My pony had an abscess last winter that despite regular treatment from vet and farrier took 4 months to completely go, Tubbing and poulticing were done twice daily for weeks on end, every time it seemed to get clear a few days later he was lame again. He had one short course of antibiotics, reluctantly but it was taking so long to go, they did not really help, it was my farriers regular visits that finally resolved the problem.
I am surprised that the vet did not nerve block, mine was done when xrayed, firstly to confirm that it was the foot, secondly as he was so sore it helped him stand for them to be taken.
 
Coombs said:
My horse has been very lame for 4 weeks now. The farrier and the vet both think its a septic foot but despite poulticing no puss has come out, we have now had it x-rayed and the vet couldnt find any thing wrong. we have now put her back on antibiotics again and can still hardly walk. Does any one have any ideas
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If it is an abscess it's possible the pus is tracking up the hoof. PF had this and it was clearly visible on an x-ray as a little bubble. My vet also told me there was no point in putting horse on ABs until there's pus coming out. I'd be very tempted to get another vet.
 
They have both cut as much as possible into the toe, we had to get the vet to sedate her to do this as she was so tender. this has not helped and she was just as lame after
 
I feel your pain :( I've been going through this with my horse since November. We are now on antibios to see if it helps but really we are all at a loss and now the vet is talking MRI etc, which I cannot afford. Sorry I can't help, but I do empathise x
 
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