Normal Gunk from Abcess?

Balibee

Balibee

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Please can I have some advice :)

What type/Colour/consistancy of gunk would you expect to come out from a poulticed foot?

I have never had a horse with an abcess before so wondered what to expect?

Thanks :)
 
Hi, when my horses have had abscesses, the 'gunk' has been a grey/green colour and usually smells pretty bad. Hope that helps. Hope horse recovers quickly. Abscesses are a nightmare for horse and owner.
 
Photo's might be interesting but thank god we haven't got scratch-and-sniff:)

Oh, and I've had sort of creamy pus out.
 
Hi, recently my horse had an abcess in the sole of his foot. The 'pus' was black then greyish /clear like jelly after day two. Then he got another in his other foot - in the frog this time, this pus was black like oil!

Hoping he doesnt get another!
 
jemima_too said:
Photo's might be interesting but thank god we haven't got scratch-and-sniff:)

Oh, and I've had sort of creamy pus out.
Click to expand...

lol :D Scratch and Sniff :D

I could actually take some pics ;) It could be helpful as I have never come across an abcess before so may help someone else.

Are barefoot horses more susceptible to abcess because they are more likley to pick up bits? My youngster is only shod in front.

Thanks :)
 
LynnWalker said:
Hi, recently my horse had an abcess in the sole of his foot. The 'pus' was black then greyish /clear like jelly after day two. Then he got another in his other foot - in the frog this time, this pus was black like oil!

Hoping he doesnt get another!
Click to expand...


Oh bless, How long did it takle to clear?

:)
 
Hi, well they were both in the hind feet ( he is shod on the front) - the sole one appeared to heal quite quickly, but he was still unsound on a circle 4 weeks later. The frog one happened a week after the sole one and took maybe 3 weeks to be sound on.
Its now been 6 weeks and he is sound on concrete /stones and tarmac.
So ready to ride agian now!
 
With the first one ( in the sole) he was really lame on it ( got the vet out as I thought he'd broken something!!), so that was poulticed for 5 days - on the 5th day i didnt tub it because farrier came and looked at it and said not to. He put a small bandage with a blob of cotton wool in the hole he made on day 2 and said to leave it uncovered from day 6. I did this and just carefully cleaned the hole out for the next week or so. He was sound on grass after a week, but not on hard surface. Didnt try him on tarmac or stoney ground for a month and he was still a bit sore so left him another 2 weeks to be sure.

The one one the frog I poulticed for 3 days and then got farrier to check it - he said leave uncovered from then on. That healed quite quickly.

Hope this helps and your horse is ok.xx
 
Pus colour depends on how old it is - fresh gunk will be white/yellow. Older gunk will be black/grey.

You often don't get more than a tiny bit - if the abcess is in an akward area then even a full ml of pus will make them hopping lame.

Sole abcesses can take ages to heel properly, usually because they spread over a wide area and therefore don't drain well out one small hole.
 
:( Think this may be a longer term one.

He first went lame 5 weeks ago. Got the Vet out, they found nothing but interestingly they didn't inspect his feet.
He was on Danilon for 2 weeks. Vet then said leave him a bit longer and see what happens. It wasn't until my farrier came out that he suspected an abcess. He didn't react to the pinch tests but he found a small dark mark.

Now I finally know what it is, I can start trying to sort it. i have a suspicion I might find a lot of black stuff in the poultice tomorrow :(

Poor baby
 
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