Sudden onset lameness

Hello everyone, how long roughly should it take for a abcsess to come to a head? I poulticed last night, it came off in the field this afternoon but it was clean nothing on it. Going to re poultice tonight
 
Pearlsasinger said:
It could be several days. If there was an infection in his leg, from a cut or similar I would expect his temp to be raised so I still suspect an abscess.

Eta But/danilon is likely to slow the progression of an abscess as they are anti-inflammatory.
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I have a feeling it may be in his heel as one side very very squidgy and warm compared to the other.
I see, I wonder why the vet advised danillon then, possibly because he couldn’t say for certain it was an abscess? will it eventually still come to a head with the danillon just take a while longer?
 
There is no need for him to be in pain with an abscess. The old wives tail that they shouldn't have bute or similar with an abscess is just that. Imagine having a really painful foot and the doctor refusing to give you pain relief ? Reducing the swelling won't reduce the infection, and once the infection bursts out the pain will go .
 
Reducing swelling = reducing pressure = might take longer to pop but bute is given more frequently now/considered more ethical and moving around on it helps so they kind of cancel each other out. Is the horse normally shod? If not usually more likely to pop out of a heel/coronet
 
Horsegirl25 said:
I have a feeling it may be in his heel as one side very very squidgy and warm compared to the other.
I see, I wonder why the vet advised danillon then, possibly because he couldn’t say for certain it was an abscess? will it eventually still come to a head with the danillon just take a while longer?
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It was heel which gave me broken leg lameness one Xmas morning - took 3 days to pop with a warm, wet poultice & I gave bute.

Instant relief when it popped thankfully.
 
Horsegirl25 said:
I have a feeling it may be in his heel as one side very very squidgy and warm compared to the other.
I see, I wonder why the vet advised danillon then, possibly because he couldn’t say for certain it was an abscess? will it eventually still come to a head with the danillon just take a while longer?
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Yes that's right, although if you can get the farrier to look at it, I would do so. He will probably be able to find the right place to open up
 
ester said:
Reducing swelling = reducing pressure = might take longer to pop but bute is given more frequently now/considered more ethical and moving around on it helps so they kind of cancel each other out. Is the horse normally shod? If not usually more likely to pop out of a heel/coronet
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Yes normally shod but has shoe off atm since this started
 
He was significantly lamer this morning which wasn’t nice to see, despite the danillon.
I did feel his leg was swollen also which it wasn’t yesterday but was when this all started. Will attach a photo although probably hard to tell.
 

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Getting worse, then better, then worse is classic for an abscess and they can grumble on for weeks in the worst cases. The swollen leg is normal at this stage, too. Is his foot hot? I would get a good wet poultice around the heel area that you felt was squishy and hope it pops out there today. Hot wet bran will make a good poultice.

Can you get a farrier out to have a dig for it?
.
 
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ycbm said:
Getting worse, then better, then worse is classic for an abscess and they can grumble on for weeks in the worst cases. The swollen leg is normal at this stage, too. Is his foot hot? I would get a good wet poultice around the heel area that you felt was squishy and hope it pops out there today. Hot wet bran will make a good poultice.

Can you get a farrier out to have a dig for it?
.
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Thank you very much that is reassuring. I’m not sure if his foot was hot this morning as it was the same poultice on from last night but it was warm last night, I feel heat around heel/coronary band too.
I will give farrier a text and see if he can recommend anyone in the meantime. Thank you very much.
 
Has cellulitis been mentioned? That can also rumble on and end up very serious. My old Connie presented like yours, came in from the field with a straight leg but no swelling. Next day it was mildly swollen, the day after slightly more. I couldn't see anything but when the vet clipped his leg he had a nick the size of a pea where he'd kicked himself to the bone.
 
IrishMilo said:
Has cellulitis been mentioned? That can also rumble on and end up very serious. My old Connie presented like yours, came in from the field with a straight leg but no swelling. Next day it was mildly swollen, the day after slightly more. I couldn't see anything but when the vet clipped his leg he had a nick the size of a pea where he'd kicked himself to the bone.
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No cellulitis hadn’t been mentioned however I can’t See any nicks/cuts on him to suggest. Funnily enough I had the vet out last week as my mare had cellulitis in her hock(!)
He doesn’t seem to be presenting the same way she did albeit it is a completely different area
 
Hi everyone just a wee update and thank you all for your responses/tips.
I phoned another vet I use for lameness and he was helpfully in the area today so agreed to pop out.
He didn’t suspect abscess, he blocked various parts of his leg and he blocked sound to it. Long story short he’s coming back next week to scan the area but it is looking likely that it is a tendon sheath injury. Not quite sure the ins and outs but at least I semi have an answer ❤️
 
Hi everyone another wee update this one much less bleak!
Friday (when vet was out) and Saturday he was pretty sore and swollen but I do suppose the nerve blocks on the Friday didn't help. Anyway just continued as we were awaiting scan this week, then Sunday night I noticed something rather odd which I couldn't quite decide if it was an over reach or an abscess burst from his heel bulb (same one I mentioned above as being quite squishy) so I thought f*ck it, we have nothing to loose I will just poultice and if anything it will do nothing!
Well the joy I felt when the poultice had gunk on it the following day!! Trying to not get too excited as his leg was still pretty warm and swollen although not as drastically but I was now icing and cold hosing twice a day (I was slightly concerned that the abscess was just an addition to the tendon sheath so I wasn't getting too excited yet).
Fast forward to yesterday the vet couldn't believe the improvement in him, he was 1/10 lame yesterday off the danillon compared to 6/10 lame on Friday on the danillon! He was very kind and didn't want to scan as felt it was going to be a waste of money. The poultice is still drawing gunk out and his leg is still filling up a bit while standing in, so basically we are just waiting atm for the abscess to clear and no longer be painful and hopefully I will have my pony back!
On Friday I would have never thought this would've been the outcome especially after he didn't block sound to his foot but I suppose abscesses are strange things...
Anyway if anyone needs a poultice done I am a pro now!! 🤣
 
Horsegirl25 said:
Hi everyone another wee update this one much less bleak!
Friday (when vet was out) and Saturday he was pretty sore and swollen but I do suppose the nerve blocks on the Friday didn't help. Anyway just continued as we were awaiting scan this week, then Sunday night I noticed something rather odd which I couldn't quite decide if it was an over reach or an abscess burst from his heel bulb (same one I mentioned above as being quite squishy) so I thought f*ck it, we have nothing to loose I will just poultice and if anything it will do nothing!
Well the joy I felt when the poultice had gunk on it the following day!! Trying to not get too excited as his leg was still pretty warm and swollen although not as drastically but I was now icing and cold hosing twice a day (I was slightly concerned that the abscess was just an addition to the tendon sheath so I wasn't getting too excited yet).
Fast forward to yesterday the vet couldn't believe the improvement in him, he was 1/10 lame yesterday off the danillon compared to 6/10 lame on Friday on the danillon! He was very kind and didn't want to scan as felt it was going to be a waste of money. The poultice is still drawing gunk out and his leg is still filling up a bit while standing in, so basically we are just waiting atm for the abscess to clear and no longer be painful and hopefully I will have my pony back!
On Friday I would have never thought this would've been the outcome especially after he didn't block sound to his foot but I suppose abscesses are strange things...
Anyway if anyone needs a poultice done I am a pro now!! 🤣
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You now have an abscess which is lower in the hoof than the exit wound, and gravity is working against the poultice. I recommend you get some hydrogen peroxide and squirt it into the hole twice a day as hard as you can push down on the plunger of a syringe. Repeat until it froths back clear. Tubbing in warm salt water will also help if he will stand for it.

You need the bottom to heal before the top. Whatever you do don't let that hole in the heel close, it will seal in what's left and then break out again later.

It's great news that it was an abscess!
.
 
ycbm said:
You now have an abscess which is lower in the hoof than the exit wound, and gravity is working against the poultice. I recommend you get some hydrogen peroxide and squirt it into the hole twice a day as hard as you can push down on the plunger of a syringe. Repeat until it froths back clear. Tubbing in warm salt water will also help if he will stand for it.

You need the bottom to heal before the top. Whatever you do don't let that hole in the heel close, it will seal in what's left and then break out again later.

It's great news that it was an abscess!w
.
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Epsom salts in the water, above the height of the exit hole, with soap and sugar on the poultice will help to draw the gunk out.
 
Great news. I read this post early doors but didn’t want to comment as would rather someone took vets advice whose actually seen the pony, however, turns out us keyboard warriors were right!
Top tip from my farrier was that you tape over the bottom of a bucket with horizontal and vertical strips of duck tape, then you can peel it off as one big sticky pad that is perfect size and shape for holding poultice in place.
Also advice is wet poultice for 3 days and then dry but I have had to do wet for much much longer with deep abscesses.
Good luck
 
ycbm said:
You now have an abscess which is lower in the hoof than the exit wound, and gravity is working against the poultice. I recommend you get some hydrogen peroxide and squirt it into the hole twice a day as hard as you can push down on the plunger of a syringe. Repeat until it froths back clear. Tubbing in warm salt water will also help if he will stand for it.

You need the bottom to heal before the top. Whatever you do don't let that hole in the heel close, it will seal in what's left and then break out again later.

It's great news that it was an abscess!
.
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Oh amazing where can I buy some from? Do I have to dilute it?
 
myheartinahoofbeat said:
Great news. I read this post early doors but didn’t want to comment as would rather someone took vets advice whose actually seen the pony, however, turns out us keyboard warriors were right!
Top tip from my farrier was that you tape over the bottom of a bucket with horizontal and vertical strips of duck tape, then you can peel it off as one big sticky pad that is perfect size and shape for holding poultice in place.
Also advice is wet poultice for 3 days and then dry but I have had to do wet for much much longer with deep abscesses.
Good luck
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Thank you very much! No definitely understand what you mean! Sometimes peoples advise online is the best lol.
First abscess experience and I would appreciate if it was my last(!)
 
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