Stubborn abscess

[soloequestrian]

Yes, I have chatted to the vets, I just wondered if anyone else had dealt with this sort of thing... Foot abscess in elderly TB. It's his sole, close to half way down the frog on one side. He was in a lot of pain, we found the abscess, cut a tiny bit in and the pain decreased. This was about a week ago. Since then the pain has gradually disappeared - he is fine now on no painkillers - but there has been a tiny bit of nasty discharge each day. I've cut in a little bit more and had a tiny bit of blood. When I say tiny here, I mean a drop of blood and about half a drop of pus! Vet isn't too worried - if it hasn't improved by the end of the week they are going to come and look. Just wondering if anyone has had an abscess grumble on this long and finally clear itself up?

 

[PapaverFollis]

I had a horse get a sub-solar blood blister once. That grumbled for ages (week? 2 weeks?) and no-one could find it. It had to be cut out and drained properly with sedation and a nerve block in the end. Then dressed and looked after until it healed up. Because it was under the sole it seemed like there was nowhere for it to track to burst out properly so it had to be a vet job. So much blood came out when it was released!

 

[Britestar]

Yes, one had a sub solar abcess, took about 3 months to get rid of it.
Just kept tracking around.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Yes had one that went on 3 weeks. Would find the abcesses and horse would be relieved but not quite right (though hard to tell as he struggled without shoes) then gradually go to broken leg lame again. Then another would be found.
Was very stressful and horse was really uncomfortable. Kept wondering if it was the end of him but he came right.
I would get farrier not vet.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Technically if they are drawing blood or there is any risk of hitting live tissue then it has to be a vet as it becomes surgery at that point. My farrier wouldn't dig deep enough to get the one we dealt with out because he was concerned about crossing that line. My vet drugged the horse up too which really helped as he was a live wire and in a lot of pain.