Pus bulb of heel

[Saf]

Hi

Poor Saf was very lame at walk monday night, near hind only putting toe to ground, not huge heat but strong pulse, she had had farrier monday so immediately called him back, removed shoe, nothing found but sore with hoof testers around the bulb of the heel.
Then was told two days ago she had a nail in the frog

shame I had not been told at the time

Vet also had dig and agreed bulb of heel, gave pain killer as she was so bad. 3/5 lame at walk

Hot tubbed and poultice applied 3 times daily and this morning we have pus from the heel

She can now take weight fully on foot

Tonight farrier came again cut away more frog and more pus from cleft of the bulb, can't really dig there but did as much as we could

So has anyone experience of pus from this location and any tips?

Farrier said keep poulticing the heel only and if I can find something to stay on walker when dry and clean would be good to keep pushing the pus out and hopefully if stop getting pus out, shoe on monday?

Saf has her first 1* Gatcombe at end on the month, first and foremost want her right and well, what do you think are our chances of getting there, she is fit but will miss her XC schooling.

Healing vibes please plus any tips to help her, she is my baby and hate seeing her suffer

Oh she gave me a right boot when I was squeezing out the pus

can't blame her but I could not resist

 

[ihatework]

I'd get her walking on it as much as possible, a boot or nappies bound with gaffa tape if needed.
Poultice wise if her heels are getting soggy then switch to mag sulphate paste

 

[ExRacers]

Can sympathise with you.

One of mine had an abscess in the bulb of his heel and was so lame I thought he'd really done something serious!

He had to be sedated to release it initially then I just did the same as you, tubbing and poulticing for a week on box rest.

As the ground was dry I was able to turn him out after that with the heel covered and taped up during the day and exposed to the air overnight while stabled.

He was brand new after a fortnight and back in action. Hope yours is the same & you get to Gatcombe!

Good luck!

 

[Saf]

Thank you so much, please also do a stop raining dance our walker is not covered, lucky I am off work fri sat sun so she will have loads of attention, I was doing the last poultice last night at 10

Elles has given me the sulphate paste, should I put that on a dry poultice?
Ta

 

[Saf]

Thank you, she was that bad, thought it was tendon to start

It will be touch and go but fingers crossed

 

[Donkeymad]

I have a amare who recently had an abscess in the bulb of her heel. Hot-tubbed and it came out. I'd just dry poultice now until it's clear..

 

[H-J]

what a bummer

I know exactly how your feeling with Dext entered for all these events and lame

So gutting.

Hope she i sound soon and can go to Gatcombe x

 

[Saf]

Thanks HJ, healing vibes for Dexter x

Saf now has 2 holes and can put a cotton bud in nearly 3/4ers in yuck

got loads of gunk out

Bless her x

 

[kibob]

Ohhh, one of my mares has been lame for a few days now, not noticeable in walk but obvious in trot. Assumed she had just "tweaked" something (no swelling or heat) and rested her. However, yesterday there was slight swelling around the fetlock area, put her on box rest. This morning leg was still swollen, had a poke around and pus burst out of the bulb of her heel (she didn't much like me squeezing but I couldn't resist either

).

Now contemplating what to do as the vet is due to call sometime today. My guess is that he will suggest poulticing/box resting for a few days (what I would do anyway). So I can't decide whether to cancel the vet or not?

. I will watch this post carefully lol

Good luck with yours, I'm sure she'll be fine once all the yuck has come out.

 

[Saf]

Sorry to hear this

they always seem better when they burst.
We have had pus for 3 days, now at stage of flushing out with syringe of either salt water or very mild hibi and putting in magnesium sulphate paste and then poulticing 3 times a day 2 dry and one wet poultice overnight and walker where we can, she is full weight bearing and shoe hopefully back on monday, seems sound in walk have not tried trotting yet and won't till shoe on.
Lets hope for heeling vibes for the pair of them