Is there just a thing as 'footsore'?

[Muddywellies]

I've had them with abscesses not really react to hoof testers. One with a huge blood blister almost under the sole. Can't remember his hoof tester response exactly but he was certainly more lame than he was hoof test reactive.

My last horse also didn't really react to hoof testers, despite being terribly prone to hoof abscesses

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Tricky. Mine had a hind bulb abscess which I shamefully didn’t clock, he refuses to lift his hinds, he’s extremely arthritic. He has 2 x Danilon a day and didn’t exhibit signs. Bonkers, I know. He has front boots for going down the very stony lane, but is sound on the flat/field sound. Have you considered boots just to see if they make a difference?

 

[Gloi]

We are coming into the start of the autumn hormonal rise for ppid so with a 20+ horse with any potential laminitis signs a ppid test is in order.

 

[SEL]

If it was just 1 foot I'd think a deep abscess. Both though just shrieks lami, so I'd treat as if that's what is going on for now.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

20+
retired now from working, in every night, out for a few hours during the day, in a well used paddock to restrict intake, and on steamed hay. Has been very jolly and happy - until this. Should I suggest doing bloods?

I would ask for a TRH-Stim test for PPID done asap, it can take up to a week to get the results so I would probably ask if he could be put on Prascend pending the results, as he is so uncomfortable. My mare had a recurrent abscess for 3 months which cleared up as soon as she got Prascend into her system.

 

[paddy555]

And the odds of having such a deep seated abscess in both front feet?

but you could have deep seated bruising in both fronts at the same time which may or may not lead to abscessing. If the horse walked over something that caused bruising in one front it could easily have bruised the other on the same surface.

if you can get a foot up then tapping. Not just once but continuous tapping in one place and then move onto the next.

Padded boots, not ones such as gloves or scoots, but boots that will take a really thick pad. Equine podiatry site will have a variety of pad thicknesses.

TRH test asap. Cushings can make a normal horse deep bruise or abscess over the most minute problem surface.

 

[HuskyFluff]

I'd also check for PPID. I had similar with my old welshie - both front feet very sore, although he did react slightly to hoof testers. Once we got the prascend dose sorted he was fine.

 

[ester]

.

Padded boots, not ones such as gloves or scoots, but boots that will take a really thick pad. Equine podiatry site will have a variety of pad thicknesses.

That's why I wondered if shod or not re. boots and pads.

 

[Fools Motto]

Was shod, but we removed the fronts to treat the abscess 2 weeks ago. Put the shoes back on, and then had to take them off again as the pressure - we think, made it worse.
One foot is better today, the other, is not.

 

[ester]

would the owner be receptive to getting therapy boots?

 

[Carrottom]

Have you tried tubbing with Epsom salts as opposed to poultice?

 

[shortstuff99]

Do you have a video of what she walks like so we can see the footiness?

 

[Chinchilla]

hmmmm no help but I have one exactly the same currently and thought either laminitis or abscess - leaning towards the former.
Not knowing is so shit, isn't it.

 

[C1airey]

We had an abscess earlier this year. Tiny, but wicked: horse originally looked off, then ‘footsore’, then finally on three legs. X-rays showed nothing but a tiny shadow which the vet decided to dig for and the tiniest splat of bad blood dribbled out. Horse sound. Vet thinks was initially a bruise, but because so far up, nothing showing on sole and no reaction from pincers.

 

[Alwaysmoretoknow]

My retired eventer managed to have 3 abcesses in 3 different feet at the same time this spring so multiple abcesses are not unknown though, thankfully, rare. Was so sore poulticing was impossible as couldn't stand on very sore foot to allow opposite to be dressed even with significant sedation. Only foot unaffected was the hind one on which he struggles to stand on for any length of time as he has a bit of nerve damage in it (of course!). Had (very experienced) equine specialist vet and excellent farrier out several times and it took us a while to work out what was going on as it looked initially like a text book laminitis case. Farrier was loath to dig around too much (no track on sole) and leave compromised areas so on vet's and farrier's advice eventually he was given (quite a lot) of Danilon x 2 daily and they eventually burst naturally. He looked absolutely awful for a few days and I felt like the worst owner in the world ever and was waiting for an angry visit from a welfare agency - cringe. Needless to say as soon as they burst (through the sole) he improved dramatically and has been fine since. I think it was the weird weather at the time when the ground went hard/wet/hard in a really short period of time and his feet got a bit waterlogged/soft and then got bruised on the hard ground. So possibly not dissimilar to the conditions recently? I hope your boy recovers soon.

 

[dorsetladette]

Have you tried tubbing with Epsom salts as opposed to poultice?

I thought this too. Nice and hot!

Abscesses should in all sorts of horrid ways. The weather of late has been perfect for getting a bit of dirt in a crack and as the feet get wet and dry working its way up in to a horrid place to fester.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is there something in the water? Heard of another case not so far away, horse won‘t move and vets don’t know what‘s wrong .

 

[JanetGeorge]

Horse is very very lame (can't walk) vet been, farrier been, and seriously nothing obvious. Xrays clean, hoof testers = nothing, no swellings, no heat. Both front feet. Suggestion is footsore, and with time, and pain killers the horse will get better. Got progressively worse over the past 10 days after a tiny abscess which was polticed.
Can anyone tell me anything regarding their own experience, or suggestions that perhaps we haven't thought of yet? Horse is stabled, on a massive deep bed, with bandaged pads onto the feet.

I haven't read all the replies (in a bi of a rush) but my first concern would be the shape of the feet: is he low on the heel with thin soles? If so, front shoes ARE essential In theory you can get boots suitabe for only using while working - but most candidates will lose them - or fall over because of them. A good hoof dressing - like Kevin Bacon's - will help - but not enough!

 

[ester]

Boots aren't suitable only for working, which the horse isn't doing anyway.
I'm not aware of any cases of a horse 'falling over' due to hoof boots.

 

[Mucking out - still]

Sounds like a mystery, FM, and hope you find the cause. Laminitis is the only thing I can think of when you say it's getting worse, but it doesn't sound as though your vet agrees.
Goodluck and hope the cause is found soon and treatment effective quickly xx

 

[Wheels]

One of mine has been described by the vet as pottery which I suppose other people might call footsore

He has relatively recently (end of june) had a mild lami episode. That is now over but when we recently trotted up for the vet he was pottery / sore. Xrays show soles that are not particularly thin but not as thick as you would like to see. His soles on the front feet are also quite flat and haven't improved since removing shoes in November

He is barefoot but will be getting shoes and pads to try and provide him with some relief. In the mean time he is either stabled on thick bedding or turned out on soft ground and not the hard standing until he is more comfortable