Jester is hurt....really scared :(

Been here so many times and even as recently with my youngster last week. Each time it has turned out to be an abscess even one which foxed vets and farrier for 5 weeks. Our TB was actually on 3 legs until he then gave himself an abscess in the other foot because he was putting all his weight on it. Poulticing and hot-tubbing both front feet was Fun!!

Therefore I would still put money on it as being an abscess so if I were you I'd start treating as such and get the farrier to have a dig about. Try tubbing in some warm, salty water to help draw anything out.
 
I was away on holiday a couple of years ago in January I got an e mail from my horse sitter my old T/B (25)was really lame on back leg she had got vet out who had diagnosed a strain given bute calling again in 2 days .By which time I was back.
I suspected an abscess as he has form for that in the winter so as soon as I got back I soaked and put on a hot poultice the next day when the vet came guess what an abscess had burst on the poultice .
The bute had helped and walking about along with the poultice had brought it to a head.
I must say the vet was embarrassed said he was stiff behind so was looking for a strain
(as a 25 year old retired T/b he can be a bit stiff behind especially in the winter when he usually is given a bit of bute)
I always suspect abscess first particularly when very lame.It took 3 weeks to find an abscess on one of my other horses"! vet and farrier checking but eventually exited at the coronet band.
 
In all honesty there is no change. He is able to move about the field but at a hobble. He is himself and eating etc (he actually mugged me for his bute this morning lol). Still no heat/swelling/pus or anything else definitive :/
STILL trying to speak to the farrier.
I'm going to tub and poultice later on today and see if that does anything. Really frustrated now...makes me so sad seeing him like this, he moves beautifully usually :(
Would my next step be x-rays or something? Sorry if I sound a bit thick but haven't had a horse with lameness that has no glaringly obvious cause before :o
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
Jester can barely walk...he seems to have done something to his near fore and he can barely hobble. There is heat/swelling etc and nothing in his hoof. Vet is on his way but I'm really scared it's something bad. There is a cracking/clicking noise when he tries to walk. Vet is thinking he may have been kicked..???
Please keep my boy in your thoughts :( :( :(
Click to expand...

Oooops this should have read "there is NO heat/swelling etc"... :o
 
The vet isn't even certain of the seat of pain, yet, is he?

I'd be asking for a lameness workup (ie nerve blocks) to find where the problem is, and take it from there. I don't think that vets at my practice would leave a horse hobbling lame for days, without pushing for a more definite diagnosis.
 
Hi,
If you think it is in his foot, then have you considered nerve blocks?
I had this with my horse, she was practically on 3 legs, it blocked to her foot, so we poulticed and treated as an abcess, and if no better, then we xrayed.
It was in her foot, and turned out to be a fractured pedal bone, practically unheard of in a front foot, and even more rare in a horse with no shoes on! Typical, luckily she has made a full recovery though, and is now in full work.

Good luck, hope its nothing sinister
 
Tiddlypom said:
The vet isn't even certain of the seat of pain, yet, is he?

I'd be asking for a lameness workup (ie nerve blocks) to find where the problem is, and take it from there. I don't think that vets at my practice would leave a horse hobbling lame for days, without pushing for a more definite diagnosis.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be happy either if my vet came and couldn't work out where the pain was coming from and left it at that. :(
 
Is he not improving on the Bute? How much is he having? I think you need a lameness work-up with nerve blocks to find out exactly where the problem is. It did cross my mind that it could be a fractured pedal bone, you will need xrays to establish that.

Is your vet an Equine Vet? Maybe a few days box rest might help, might make it easier to poultice it as well.

Good luck, i hope you find out what the matter is soon.
 
It's probably worth bearing in mind that their is some evidence that administering bute can slow down the progress of an abcess i.e it might take longer to 'burst'.

Obviously, leaving a horse in pain is out of the question but just something to bear in mind. I still think a couple of days of hot tubbing and poulticing would be my first port of call before going for a full lameness work up.

Hope it resolves itself very soon. :) x
 
This turned out to be an abscess, vet and farrier had both been and hoof tested him and nothing was showing, farrier had an inkling of where it was and dug a drain hole low and behold virtually sound within 3 days (second part of the video) I thought I had lost him at this stage as he was on 3 danilon a day on the first part of the video.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151940332658683&set=vb.746808682&type=3&theater
 
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