Pips not right.. any ideas ?

[Asha]

I wasnt worried at first as i just assumed it was an abscess . Saturday morning Pip wasnt right. Toe pointing on left hind, swollen fetlock and quite lame. Had a prod around, and reactive to touch on the heel. I poulticed her up and kept her in for a bit. Sunday morning, still toe pointing/heel pain, but much more swollen. Vet came out, took the shoe off, told me to carry on with poultice and turn her out for a bit. I text the farrier he said he would pop over today. Shes walked around a bit more today, and even cantered a few strides. Swelling has gone down a lot, he had a good prod and agreed no pain in the hoof at all. But definitely sore in the heel.
He noticed she was much more reluctant to put the hoof down after he held the leg up for a bit. Which he said was a concern. So hot poultice again tonight and see what we have in the morning. After i put the poultice on tonight, she was much more sore again. Farrier suggested if shes stiff in the morning to get the vet back out, as hes not sure it is an abscess and is wondering if its something in the joint ? Or could it just be bruised heels ?

No pulse and no heat

Has anyone seen anything similar ? keeping fingers crossed its an abscess and in the morning we have pus galore.

 

[J&S]

Had she been in for the night before ? If she had been out, for instance, it could be annular ligament strain, but I would think unlikely if she had been stabled all night.

 

[Asha]

Had she been in for the night before ? If she had been out, for instance, it could be annular ligament strain, but I would think unlikely if she had been stabled all night.

Sorry should have said . She had been in at night , it was the morning I had notice she wasn’t right . But to be fair she could have done something Friday day in the field ?

 

[Asha]

After a week of worrying and visits from the vet / farrier, with no real joy . I thought the leg looked less swollen today . So clipped off her bit of feather so I could do a better comparison with her other leg and what do I find ... a bit of Blood and sticky liquid bursting out of the heel bulb !! Couldn’t be more relieved ??

 

[PapaverFollis]

I was going to say heel bulb abscess. They seem to be very odd in how they present. Probably because there's more flex for them to expand in the heel bulb rather than under the hoof wall. My chap's latest he was sound in walk and even trot from what I saw (it was too icy to trot up properly) but was resting it constantly when stood. No heat not much of a pulse until it was the day before it blew and on and off for about 10 days of me thinking "is he resting that foot a bit often? No, he's stood on it now" before he was really obviously resting it all the time! He's not working at the moment though else I'm sure I'd have been more sure more quickly. But I was definitely starting to think there was something else up.

 

[milliepops]

After a week of worrying and visits from the vet / farrier, with no real joy . I thought the leg looked less swollen today . So clipped off her bit of feather so I could do a better comparison with her other leg and what do I find ... a bit of Blood and sticky liquid bursting out of the heel bulb !! Couldn’t be more relieved ??

missed this thread when you posted it but that's great news. My 3yo popped one out of the heel bulb 10 days ago, he was completely crippled until it popped and his whole leg swelled up. hope it clears up quickly now.

 

[Asha]

Thats exactly how Pip was. farrier was convinced it wasnt an abscess as she didnt have a raised pulse either. Ive spent far too long googling DDFT injusries over the past week. Glad your lad is better too

 

[Asha]

missed this thread when you posted it but that's great news. My 3yo popped one out of the heel bulb 10 days ago, he was completely crippled until it popped and his whole leg swelled up. hope it clears up quickly now.

Thanks MP, glad your youngster is on the mend too x