ajn1610
Well-Known Member
Three weeks ago horse came in properly hoping lame, no heat or swelling but unable to weight bear and very uncomfortable for a normally tough cookie. Rested him and suspected an abcess so called out Farrier, who took off shoe and had a poke around but couldn't find anything. Called out vet who agreed it was probably an abcess and advised tubbing poulticing which I was already doing. Nothing came out and his leg began to swell so had Vet back who took Xrays to check for any foreign body or anything properly nasty, by this stage horse was only intermitently lame. Xrays showed abcess site about an inch up the hoof wall but nothing more sinister. She also prescribed some antibiotics. After further tubing and poulticing a very little puss appeared, there was also some from the corenet band. Horse was now sound. So Farrier came back and put shoe back on. However the foot is still hot and although he is no longer lame I'm a bit dubious about just leaving a possible problem festering for the six months it'll take to get the horn growth down to where the Farrier can dig it out. I've had several abcesses before but nothing that has gone on for so long or provoked such severe lameness and I'm also aware that continually poulticing the foot isn't good for it, plus the fact the horse is literally eating his way out of the stable he is so miserable! I'm a bit loathed to get the Vet for a third time when there isn't anything new tolook at so I thought I'd canvass you guys for opinions too.
