Nightmare abcess. Help

[mumsybud3541]

To cut a long story short. Pony had a minor injury. Took for a soundness check. All absolutely fine. Randomly the opposite hind came up lame that day and went on to develop abscess.
Was an area where a nail had nipped up. Shoe was removed by the vet. Next day she was hopping lame. The farrier attended and dug out a fairly small abcess. The usual procedure of poultice hot and then dry was followed. We then got the shoe on and all was brilliant. A week later the foot became warm and she was slightly lame again farrier came to remove her shoe and found it to be exudinf dark dirty gunk. Once again we followed standard procedure and presumed reinfection. A week has passed and she’s much improved. Just A bit careful putting weight on that foot when turning. Farrier has now replaced her shoe and advised she is ridden lightly and in straight lines.


However, today she’s much more sore on that foot. She was tested thoroughly before he applied the shoe, but once it was on it seems she isn’t at all happy with it. The abcess is on the hoof wall, outer edge. I brought her in today and she has had a few hours in and she is clearly worse for it. I have spoken to my farrier and he wants me to give her a couple of days and see what happens. The abcess was quite deep in. I just wondered what other people’s experiences/thoughts are? It’s so awful seeing her so up and done it’s also quite scary seeing her so lame. My rational brain says that she is bound to be sore and she needs a little time. But irrational brain says book the MRI 😂

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My experience is that despite faffing about digging and poulticing, an abscess in the hoof wall will normally break out at the coronet. Once this has happened the horse feels a lot better and instantly looks a lot sounder.

Abscesses can make them look broken leg lame. Just awful.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Just had same. Hind foot, started in heel bulb, then sole and then the other heel bulb. Two litres of Karidox finally sorted it.

 

[mumsybud3541]

My worry is just that something more is going on. I’m a natural born worrier!

I am just hoping that we see some improvement in the next couple of days with that shoe on 😭

 

[SusieT]

I'd take the shoe off and give it time, it hasn't had much time to 'proof' the abscess before it's been covered again.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm another who thinks that the shoe is going back on too soon. I would leave the shoe off and leave the horse out to move around, which will help to clear the abscess.

 

[AmyMay]

I’d also take the shoe off. Dry poultice, wrapped up so that she can be turned out.

 

[silv]

I'm another who thinks that the shoe is going back on too soon. I would leave the shoe off and leave the horse out to move around, which will help to clear the abscess.

Absolutely this, wait till the horse is 100% sound and a few more days before the shoe is back on.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Absolutely this, wait till the horse is 100% sound and a few more days before the shoe is back on.

I was told three days after being sound to reattach the shoe following an abscess. I was also told up to 10 days of poulticing, first day hot, the rest dry with poultice made from sugar and iodine mixed together to form a thick porridge like consistency.

 

[mumsybud3541]

Really interesting to see everyone’s comment. I expect lots of the advice is based on experience which is always so indivial and varied. My farrier is very knowledgable and has years of experience. He wants her shoe on for now. This morning she isn’t sound, but she’s so much happier ! Hoping it continues to improve. But you just never know with her.

 

[MaxboleyBlack]

I was in this same situation late last year - Abscess reappeared twice and horse still lame. We had X-rays done and the abscess had travelled and caused an infection in the pedal bone, so he was put on a strong course of antibiotics for a month. I'm not saying this is what has happened with your pony as apparently its quite rare, but thought i would share my experience. My farrier also left his shoe on.

 

[mumsybud3541]

I was in this same situation late last year - Abscess reappeared twice and horse still lame. We had X-rays done and the abscess had travelled and caused an infection in the pedal bone, so he was put on a strong course of antibiotics for a month. I'm not saying this is what has happened with your pony as apparently its quite rare, but thought i would share my experience. My farrier also left his shoe on.

Oh Thankyou For that. Being the massive worrier that I am, it’s something I have to thought of. She has no heat and pulse. So I’m hoping he’s right and it’s just bruised/sore. But if no improvement by the end of the week I will arrange a visit to the vets and get some X-rays if they feel it’s necessary

 

[mumsybud3541]

Well, things seem to be going in the right direction and she has improved with turnout. So much so that she looked sound and has had a light hack. It all seems to be doing the world of good. Her hoof is nice and cold whereas before there was a slight heat grumbling away. She is ever so slightly careful on a very tight turn but her feet are nice and flat and she is weight baring yay. I will see how she goes and if there is a plateau or deterioration I will speak to the vet. But for now she is improving. She is forward pony, more so in the winter. Its been so lovely and warm that she is nice and chilled. It initially worried me that she is uncomfortable, when actually she is just more relaxed in the heat. So fingers crossed I don't need to post on here again!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Excellent news!

You can stay on the forum if you want though, we like happy threads too.

 

[mumsybud3541]

it feels like forever ! I wrongly imagined, abcess dug our, drains and then sound ! How wrong was I!
So far there is no heat (checking religiously). She’s sound in one direction and the other is very very slightly short in a less foward trot. She is looking good when turning too. Only a very minimal shortened stride on one rein on a very tight turn.
However, tonight (something I havnt noticed before, but then again I have never done this). She was tied up by her stable on a hard floor. By instinct tell me that she isn’t 100 percent happy. Not sure what it is. But possible that she lifted her unaffected hind foot up a little more reluctantly than the others for picking (meaning weight baring on her abcess foot). I got chatting but found that after half an hour or so tied up she was extremely short and not fully weight baring. This was easily walked off. I have noticed that after her couple of hours in during the day, she is a little more careful and less happy. This must be because again she is still and on harder ground. My niggling feeling is I should get X-rays just to check there is no involvement of her bones/any rotation. But it’s an expensive way to just to make me feel better. My farrier said the abcess was quite deep, so does this mean the pain is likely bruising/soreness ?
TIA!

 

[AmyMay]

An X-ray doesn’t really cost that much.

 

[Regandal]

My boy had a recurrent abscess in January. Visiting farrier popped it in less than 60 seconds, however even with religious poulticing it came back. Eventually blew out of the coronary band at the heel bulb. Movement is key to getting them to burst.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Is she not coming in to a bed? Her foot is bound to be sore, she had had an abscess! If you can't bring her in to a soft surface, leave her out so that she can move about.
My cob had an abscess a couple of months ago, we had had a lot of dry, warm weather, she was living out 24/7, then we had a sudden change and a lot of wet weather, she had to come in overnight for several days and was going out through a muddy gateway. She developed an abscess. Fortunately the weather changed again and she could live out again. I didn't have the abscess cut out and she walked it off in about a week, although she was still a bit careful of her foot for another few days. There was no sudden explosion and she has a lot of feather but, so far as I could tell, the abscess came out of the coronet band, seeping as she flexed her foot.
I am convinced that my mare's abscess happened because she was having to stay in the stable overnight and couldn't keep moving.

 

[AandK]

Chances are the abscess is still rumbling on, there isn't always obvious heat. My old boy had one a few months ago, thought it had gone as he was pretty much sound but there was still some that burst out at the coronet band.

 

[ihatework]

Some abscess can take a while but if you still have something rumbling after a fortnight then I’d always X-ray just to rule out anything more sinister

 

[mumsybud3541]

Chances are the abscess is still rumbling on, there isn't always obvious heat. My old boy had one a few months ago, thought it had gone as he was pretty much sound but there was still some that burst out at the coronet band.

Yes she is coming into a bed. Rubber matting and a straw bed. However i think I will make it thicker for her, but she is now spending the majority of the time out. My farrier has been in touch today and is happy there is improvement. He said the soreness when stood will also be worsened by the fact that her foot is currently shorter and she doesn’t have rapidly growing hooves bless her. So long as she walks it off ( which she does) he’s happt

 

[AdorableAlice]

I commented about my horse having a rumbling abscess earlier on in the thread. My vet gave me a really easy to understand explanation. - the laminae within the hoof capsule is like the tightly packed pages of a book. A tiny amount of inflammation moves around the pages occasionally producing heat and/or a pocket of pus.

My lad had 3 abscesses break in the space of 6 weeks, only one that was painful for him, 2 broke in bulbs of heel and one in the sole. Two long periods of antibiotics finally cleared it up.

 

[silv]

Chances are the abscess is still rumbling on, there isn't always obvious heat. My old boy had one a few months ago, thought it had gone as he was pretty much sound but there was still some that burst out at the coronet band.

This, a few years ago I experienced this with my old horse, it went on all winter eventually, it burst out of his heel I think the time span was about 3 months from start to finish. A very stressful time for myself and painful for my horse.

 

[mumsybud3541]

This, a few years ago I experienced this with my old horse, it went on all winter eventually, it burst out of his heel I think the time span was about 3 months from start to finish. A very stressful time for myself and painful for my horse.

I think this may be what happens to us. She was looking so good ! Little short when weight baring on the effected foot. Then last night sudenelt a bit worse again. 😭 rung my vet this morning and he doesn’t want to X-ray in this case just yet. He said to continue light work and possibly shoe back off and poultice again if I’m still unhappy next 24 hours. Pressed her heel last night when checking her and I feel sure it’s going to pop out there. When I was poulticing, that particular area looked lighter than the rest but we were not sure if it was maceration.
I suppose time will tell!

 

[Carrottom]

Has anyone suggested tubbing the foot with a warm Epsom Salt solution, this can sometimes help a difficult one to pop.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

You can turn her out in a poultice, with either a lot of DuckTape wrapped round it or a HorseCrocz 'sandal' on if the ground is dry. Walking is the best thing for the horse to do to progress the abscess. Don't give bute, as that will slow everything down.

ETA, I second the Epsom salts tubbing in very hot water

 

[mumsybud3541]

If things don't pick up then yes, along with her shoe back off. Shoe off and back to poultice. I was turning out with duct tape when the shoe was off as Im a big believer in movement. So are my vet and farrier. I havn't given bute. We know its an abcess and I wouldn't want any deterioration to be masked. Her relief was pretty quick both times when the shoe was removed to no need. I think I may pop it back in epsome salts as Im convinced its going to come from her heel. The lameness is so subtle! Its very frustrating, she must be so fed up. Both my vet and farrier have advised my little girls continue to hack lightly. This has never bothered her and not worsened anything. Mentally it does her good as shes a forward pony and she likes a job.
I would just love something to pop out and have done with it. We are envious of those that burst, drain and then are sound immediately!

If things worsen are dont improve with the shoe off (if needed) we will then go back upto the vets for xrays to check for any foriegn bodies and further assessment. fingers crossed we dont get to that !

 

[Pearlsasinger]

My mare had an abscess that rumbled on for 3 months. She had got to the stage of threatening to kick the farrier - and she meant it! she was 22 and was then found to have Cushings, as soon as we got her stabilised on Prascend it cleared up!


How old is your pony?

 

[mumsybud3541]

My mare had an abscess that rumbled on for 3 months. She had got to the stage of threatening to kick the farrier - and she meant it! she was 22 and was then found to have Cushings, as soon as we got her stabilised on Prascend it cleared up!


How old is your pony?

My vet mentioned that he has seen a few recently with cushings that just won’t clear up. As a matter of routine if it hangs around it would be bloods too. Glad your horse is better x

 

[mumsybud3541]

My mare had an abscess that rumbled on for 3 months. She had got to the stage of threatening to kick the farrier - and she meant it! she was 22 and was then found to have Cushings, as soon as we got her stabilised on Prascend it cleared up!


How old is your pony?[/QUOTE

Sorry I forgot to say. She’s a 14 year old Irish sports pony. Up until now she’s been extremely fit and ready to event this year