please tell me... do you leave a hoof abscess to burst or have it dug out?

[Antw23uk]

Yes echo bravo I am "for real", how do you know if my horse is in a "lot of pain", sorry didn't realise you were in my stable earlier. Maybe if you were you would have the guts to say something to my face as you are obviously an expert? Pathetic judgemental person

Victoria dont rise to the nasty comments. You are doing ok. Abcessess are a horrible thing to deal with and most of the advice on here i agree with having gone through the same thing very recently. The vet came (he was so lame we were terrified) and opened up the bottom of the hoof .. the relief was clear to see and within minutes he was feeling better already.

Come off it Victoria1980x. When my horses have pointed their feet and being in pain the first thing I do,is ring the expert my FARRIER,never the vet,farriers have spent more time studying the horse foot as that is their livelyhood than a vet, so if your horse is in pain and it's a foot you get your farrier out,they can tell you if you need the vet.

You ... stop your nastiness, let this thread be for information and advice rather than bi*tchy comments. Anyone coming on here with a problem is going to be put off and run a mile if we all keep being horrible to each other and that could put horses in danger!

 

[Stacy_W]

I would have it looked at. My friend's old pony nearly suffered blood poisoning from a foot abscess that wasn't treated and couldn't find a breaking point. She had to have a fair few weeks of box rest. I expect this is a rare side effect but for me it wouldn't be worth the risk. If an abscess can't find an easy release point it will find a better route and sometimes this is through the body. This is why you should always get dental abscesses attended to - they can (rarely) be deadly.

 

[mightymammoth]

Thankyou echo bravo I can only bow down to your superior knowledge and expertise, it is the constructive supportive advice from people like you that make this forum so wonderful. I never realised that farriers spent so much time studying the horse hoof, wow such a revaluation, thank you.

(although where in this thread I have said about pointing their feet and being in pain I dont know). I was only wondering what people would do as some say leave and some say dig out which is what I usually do. I shall know better than to ask opinions next time.

 

[cptrayes]

Is Victoria1980x for real??? that she had too ask, whethr to leave her horse in a lot of pain???

Echo Bravo there are plenty, though a minority, of farriers and vets who will recommend leaving abscesses to break out by themselves even if the horse is in a lot of pain for a couple of days. It is the opinion of these vets and farriers and others, including me, that they heal a lot quicker and with less risk of re-infection if they are left.

So a little less of the outrage and sarcasm please?

 

[Echo Bravo]

Perhaps you should have a chat with your farrier as you don't seem to hold him in any high regard. Mine I do.

 

[Buds_mum]

Goodness I am the only one with a farrier who can not drop everything because my precious horse had a abscess?! As echo brave seems to be suggesting farriers are an on an abscess hotline.

Victoria I tend to poltice and hot tub, for a day or so. If horse is on three legs then farrier if he isn't available as is often the case (tends to be shoeing them things with hooves ) then vet is called.
My old lad had a cracker of one in his frog, blumming nightmare. 2 weeks of hot tubbing and polticing before he came sound.

The Bute thing is difficult, one hand says it helps the pain. The other says taking down the inflammation stops the natural course of the abscess bursting and draining...
My boy had Bute as his arthritis was aggravated by him over compensating on his other legs. But generally I wouldn't give Bute for an abscess.

Hope your horse is fixed up soon!

 

[JennyNZ]

I'm a leaver. My one experience of having one dug out was futile, not only did I end up with a hole in the sole, but abscess continued on it's merry way and came out the coronet anyway.

Being a BFer (whats with this Taliban thing?), I'm a believer in movement - it increases circulation, abscess breaks out sooner.

My horses live out 24/7 anyway, so that helps too.

They really are the pits though - I recon worse for owners than horses some times.

 

[cptrayes]

Another vote for having it dug out, by the time your horse is lame the infection has possibly moved onto internal soft tissue..

If you take the total occurrences of abscesses, this would be a very rare case and you would know by the swelling of the leg. I have never had an abscess in the foot infect any other part of the horse in over 30 years.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Cptrayes if I listened to people like you and your vet my horses would have been in pain for several days,when one day your horse is sound and next day in pain and pointing foot or hobbling, as I have said you get the expert out your farrier as they know the foot better than a vet!!!!!!

 

[Buds_mum]

Echo brave. Chill out man!

 

[Antw23uk]

Agreed Buds_mum .. I would say bute the first dayat most but after that i wouldnt. He needs to feel uncomfortable (for want of a better word at 2230 in the evening after a long day) so he is careful on the foot and thus ensureing the recovery time is nice and quick.

 

[Echo Bravo]

And yes when I've rung my farrier he's been there within the hour, so perhaps I have more respect for mine than you lot do with yours????

 

[cptrayes]

And yes when I've rung my farrier he's been there within the hour, so perhaps I have more respect for mine than you lot do with yours????

Or maybe your farrier is such rubbish he has no other clients ?

With an attitude like you are showing on this thread, I'm guessing all the farriers with fuller books won't shoe for you anyway!

 

[amandap]

Victoria1980 is asking a very sensible question. There are various opinions and practice on this subject. Even some vets recommend abscesses are left alone or just tubbed.

 

[Buds_mum]

It has nothing to do with respect eb.

If my farrier dashed to every horse with a poorly foot he wouldn't have time to do any actual shoeing!
Imo opinion (and my farriers) relief is often sought from hot tubbing and a poltice and should be tried for 24-48 hours. Digging a wacking great hole is the last resort.

 

[cptrayes]

Cptrayes if I listened to people like you and your vet my horses would have been in pain for several days,when one day your horse is sound and next day in pain and pointing foot or hobbling, as I have said you get the expert out your farrier as they know the foot better than a vet!!!!!!

Well, I am currently riding a horse I am rehabbing that the best of vets could not keep sound in shoes. And I did another who was about to be put to sleep because the best of farriers could not get him sound. And I evented one that two farriers told me would never be able to work barefoot. And another who was very footie on stones in shoes but not barefoot.

So clearly I do not consider any of those farriers to have been experts as regards the foot care of my horses.. And I have not called a farrier or a vet to an abscess in many, many years.

Whether you like it or not, there are two, professional, opinions on abscess treatment and you need to learn how to respect other people's valid opinions.

 

[dressedkez]

Hi,

Can you please tell me if you have your horses hoof abscess dug out by the farrier or vet or if you leave it to burst through on its own...

and why?

thanks

Have it dug out - and usually a Vet is the better choice (although my Farrier is good, but not as good as the local Equine vets at finding the source of the problem as quickly)
Why - because, it is dealt with quickly, can be poulticed, and recovers quickly. If you leave it, the horse is in pain for upwards of many weeks (which is cruel, V cruel)

 

[Holly Hocks]

EB what the hell's wrong with you tonight? Jeez even with PMT I'm not as bad as you're being tonight! Not like you to be like this........think calm.

Victoria, hope you get it sorted. Dont' know what to recommend as I've not really had to deal with many abscesses. The last horse of mine who had one had the farrier dig, not find it, make a mess of the hoof. Good luck

 

[cptrayes]

Cptrayes if I listened to people like you and your vet my horses would have been in pain for several days,when one day your horse is sound and next day in pain and pointing foot or hobbling, as I have said you get the expert out your farrier as they know the foot better than a vet!!!!!!

My vet would dig a socking great hole. He's the last person I'd let near a foot abscess

 

[Echo Bravo]

And now I think Cptrayes you have hit the bottom of the trash. My Farrier did the Olympics and the Para, he's been my farrier for nearly 20 years and I would say his other clients say the same, his appentices also go on to do well,so if you think he's rubbish I'd hate to think what you think about your farrier?

 

[cptrayes]

Have it dug out - and usually a Vet is the better choice (although my Farrier is good, but not as good as the local Equine vets at finding the source of the problem as quickly)
Why - because, it is dealt with quickly, can be poulticed, and recovers quickly. If you leave it, the horse is in pain for upwards of many weeks (which is cruel, V cruel)

The overwhelming majority of abscesses are done and dusted within a couple of days if left. No-one is suggesting leaving a horse in pain for "upwards of many weeks". In that case, all of us would call a farrier or a vet. I disagree that a vet is "usually the better choice". Farriers know feet better and cost a hell of a lot less than a vet call-out and treatment fee.

 

[cptrayes]

And now I think Cptrayes you have hit the bottom of the trash. My Farrier did the Olympics and the Para, he's been my farrier for nearly 20 years and I would say his other clients say the same, his appentices also go on to do well,so if you think he's rubbish I'd hate to think what you think about your farrier?

I don't have one. I don't need one.


I don't know your farrier and I am not passing judgement on him, only on the way you are posting tonight!

 

[amandap]

It was a young lady Vet who dug a couple of huge cavities in my horses hoof years ago too. lol Looking back I shudder as her hooves were extremely compromised and fragile back then.

Incidentally the only two horses I have heard about getting septicaemia with a hoof abscess was following digging about. Sadly both died. Any signs of fever or swelling of the leg with hoof abscess is an emergency vet call in my book.

 

[Echo Bravo]

I'm sorry if you all think I'm over the top but to me my faith in my farrier is top notch,he's spent upmteen years getting qualified to actually shoe a horse and so he knows the foot better than a vet and I have never known a farrier who wouldn't turn up if you said you thought your horse has an abcess. MY mistake, I leave to you experts.

 

[cptrayes]

EB can you understand why no-one has had any problem with the other posters on this thread who say exactly the same as you - call a farrier? It's not what you've said. Many other people have already said the same. But not quite the way you did.

It's not us who think we are experts. The fact is that those who are experts hold one of two opinions which are equally valid.

 

[Tiffany]

Depends where it is. My girl had one which showed itself in bulb of her heel which burst when poulticed. My farrier did find where abcess started when he came the week after.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The hoof is/should be, a sealed structure, digging holes in it into the corium is risking introducing infection.

If you've got an abscess, you've already got infection within the structure of the foot. Which is extremely painful, imagine having a tooth abscess and not being allowed to go to the dentist.

And if my horse is lame I would always prefer to ask an expert about the cause, as i haven't got x-ray eyes. I would hate to think that I had decided that my horse had another abscess just because it had had one before, to find later that it had brken a bone.

 

[KSR]

My ex vet did this to one of my little un's hooves as the farrier couldn't come out..

He actually left her like this.. Poor little mare couldn't stand on it.. I was furious..

I would usually call my farrier first then vet to hopefully rule out anything more sinister..

 

[cptrayes]

That looks more like butchery than veterinary medicine!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi,

Can you please tell me if you have your horses hoof abscess dug out by the farrier or vet or if you leave it to burst through on its own...

and why?

thanks

Having gone through 2 abscess due to lami and some not related on other animals, I would never leave to burst. You will have no idea how bad it is or whether it will migrate up to the pedal bone. This in turn can be the end of your horse if this happens or surgery to remove the pedal Osteitis.

Do not take the risk any infection or necrotic tissues or pus , should have medical treatment and antibiotics. from the vet.
Abscess is infected matter and should be poultice and drained asap Simples.