Turnout with an abscess

[TwoStroke]

So, sod decided to pay me back for being so smug about never getting abscesses .

Here's the dilemma: over Xmas I can only do my horses once a day, & there's no one else who can do them for me. So for these few days they HAVE to go out. I thought the abscess had finished draining, but this morning there's a little spot of pus in the poultice. Horse won't keep poultice on out in the field, but has to go out. Any ideas? To make matters worse my fields are flooded, too .

This has to be the worst timing ever!

 

[Brightbay]

I can only ever go up once a day (except for dire emergencies) and horse lives out, so I make my poultices so that they don't come off

Are you using the duct tape square method? Even with a fair bit of hooning, this doesn't come off, and doesn't wear through in 24 hours.

 

[sarahann1]

Sods law stricks again! I'm sure horses read our calendars and go sick when we are going on holiday, have a really hectic week etc etc etc!

Can you get some really, really thick plastic (ground sheet type stuff) and lots of gaffa tape to keep it on?

Failing that, bung one on so horse has something on for at least some of the time and when you can get back up give it a really good hot soak in hibi scrub type stuff and keep your fingers and toes crossed its not filled up again too badly in the meantime.

Guessing there are no helpful friends who could give you a hand?

 

[Keenjean]

Cut the corner off a mollichaff type bag to use I've the poultice. It's REALLY tough so pop that on, loads of gaffer tape and it'll be stay on fine. Worked a treat on my horse who lives out!

 

[TwoStroke]

Yep, duct tape up to the eyeballs, feed bags, boots... All go flying. Esp given that he's been yarded a lot due to mud + abscess. The hooning that ensues really is ridiculous!

 

[ossy]

I'd do normal poltice then, duck tap on a rubble bag to the foot/leg and hope for the best. Maybe just make sure you tub the foot well when you do go up.

 

[TwoStroke]

I'm thinking maybe ill just have to leave it off & give it a good tubbing once a day... It's actually quite dangerous with the poultice on (for the short time it stays on - seriously NOTHING with keep it on ) as 3 feet have excellent grip but the poulticed foot goes flying everywhere. Not that that slows down the idiot horse!

 

[Marydoll]

Apply poultice, then a small babys nappy to keep in place, to make more secure a vetwrap on top of that then the thick silver gaffer tape.
Cut the tape in strips and criss cross them to reinforce the bottom, long enough to fold up and over onto the hoof wall by about 2 inches, then cut strips to secure applying diagonally in an inverted v secure enough to keep it on without rubbing or being restrictive.
If you can get your hands on a hoof boot thats what i usually use to turn out and they always tend to stay put.

 

[Littlelegs]

I had same issue keeping a poultice on a while ago. Although field wasn't too bad, ponies liking for hooning through the downhill mud & water patches meant it was impossible to keep her out. Short of duct taping up to her elbows without a gap, water always got in the top & soaked downwards to the poultice. So was ok out for a quick blast & a roll so it didn't have chance to get to her hoof, but otherwise had to stay in.
I suppose it might be possible to leave it packed with mud & horse out without a poultice if its sound, however it will take longer to heal cos you'll be starting all over again next day with the poulticing. I think I'd just either find a way to get there myself, or go round local yards & see if I could find someone who'd do it for a large cash payment.

 

[TwoStroke]

Thanks for the tips . But seriously, take my word for it that the poultice will not stay on, no matter what methods are used or what lengths are gone to. Imagine trying to keep a poultice on a horse as it runs the grand national, and you'll see my dilemma!

 

[TwoStroke]

Thanks littlelegs. It's too far for me to go twice a day (staying with family over Xmas), but I'll ask around yards. Failing that ill just have to hope for the best . Bloody thoroughbreds.

 

[SaharaS]

Don't forget we are due a horrible amount of rain over the next few days and that the wind is picking up now so will make it far worse as far as stunts go..I do feel for you as its not nice, but the amount you'll pay someone or lose by going twice will be nothing compared tot he nightmare that potentially follow if you get a reinfection and it decides to break out over the coronet...if you hadn't had pus this am, I would not worry so much but as you have, you really don't want to be giving it any excuse to get worse..I would offer to help but don't think I physically could - most my days at the mo are involving leading 4 out in hand twice a day as two currently in on box rest so ride & lead is out and already have 2 demanding extra tlc due to weather/water/unmentionable related evilness..the two who I can are put in the school for the day if not raining too hard but the other two i can't get to the school due to mud/floods& them being on box rest(thanks next door for diverting your waste pipe to avoid getting tank emptied& not clearing your ditches & leaving hoses running all night a few times on top of th rain!!) so I really don't think I could cope with any more patients to worry about but do try some local yards..just make sure its someone sensible..why not post on here for your area for help?Hope you find a solution x

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Can you ask around and see if someone has a hoof boot you can borrow?

 

[TwoStroke]

Naw, thanks Sahara . No worries, I couldn't ask you to drive out here over Xmas anyway. (Your neighbours sound like a nightmare, tho!) was so cross to find pus in poultice this morn! My car's blown a tyre, so have to go get it fixed - am very short on time all of a sudden. Starting to panic, lol!

El-snowflakes - misread that at first as 'a hoof you can borrow' and thought great idea! Sadly hoof boot wouldn't stay on

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

If poultice wont stay on and horse cant stay in then will just have to go out and you will just have to tub horse for a good bit when your up.

Horses were made to heal on the go.

 

[Littlelegs]

On phone so can't see if your location is up, but if not maybe mention it? Someone on here could be local, & willing to do it for money or a return favour. Pre child I would have traded xmas day for a lie in on new years day, sure I'm not the only one.

 

[LynH]

One of my horses had two abscesses this summer and I don't have stables atm so she had to stay out. I did the feed bag and duct tape as others suggested but added a turnout boot not a hoof boot and taped the poultice higher up her fetlock so it was taped to the turnout boot. That was the only way to keep it on and first time she hasn't got a poultice off. Just don't do the turnout boot too tight.

 

[Tnavas]

This!

Does not come off in the paddock

 

[TwoStroke]

I'm near chew magna, nr Bristol. Epicentre of the rain. Am seriously short on time now & local yards are deserted, so have had to put him out. Will just have to hope .

Have tried turnout boot & hoof boot. Will try and source a car tube for tomorrow, but really can't see it staying on. Will try it though. Thanks folks!

 

[bubbilygum]

Farrier told me that if it is draining and poultice won't stay on, tubbing twice a day with hot salty water will suffice. You will be very unlucky to get a reinfection and if you poultice and turn out, a sodden muddy poultice is probably not going to be any better than leaving the hoof undressed. Poultice, duct tape, plastic bag, duct tape would be your best option as you will need to keep the water and mud out if you go the poultice route.

 

[Maesfen]

TBH, I'd leave in, cut all feed out only hay/haylage, poultice in the morning and walk him out to have a nibble of grass if you can find any. Sloppy gritty mud is not what you want getting into an unhealed abscess, it might do more harm than good especially if he gets it off early in the day and you can't go back for another 24 hours. It does beg the question of why on earth go away if there is nobody else available to do your horse though, seems quite selfish to me but then again, if you can do the trip once then surely you could do it twice, I know the majority on here would or do the morning trip, stay in the area for a couple of hours so he can get turnout and then bring him in again before you do the return trip; surely the family understand that it's unavoidable unless you don't go to them at all.

 

[amandap]

Has the abscess been dug out/drained by a vet? If it has burst on it's own I wouldn't worry.

 

[windand rain]

If there is a noticeable hole in the hoof I would tub the hoof today and without it getting on the floor pour in hydrogen peroxide and plug the hole with cotton wool and press it until level with the hoof surface The plug will keep the dirt out and the hydrogen peroxide will kill any anaerobic bugs the cotton plug can be removed and replaced once a day with the hydrogen peroxide always put in first. Mine was sound in 2 days with this method as she lives out 24/7

 

[biggingerpony]

I always found the duct tape square didn't work for me, always ended up getting worn through.

I bought a poultice boot really cheaply for a fiver I think and that slips on I cover with feed bag tied up and turn out as per. When my mare had a couple a few years back the vet said its better to keep them moving.

 

[justabob]

If there is a noticeable hole in the hoof I would tub the hoof today and without it getting on the floor pour in hydrogen peroxide and plug the hole with cotton wool and press it until level with the hoof surface The plug will keep the dirt out and the hydrogen peroxide will kill any anaerobic bugs the cotton plug can be removed and replaced once a day with the hydrogen peroxide always put in first. Mine was sound in 2 days with this method as she lives out 24/7

As above, my horse was very lame with an abscess and my very good horse vet told me to just turn him out. Once the pus has come out there is no point in poulticing as it just softens the sole.

 

[Doublethyme]

My 4 year old has kept her poultice on out in wet mulchy field and she can hoon and rear with the best of them - gangly 16.2 Hanoverian with lots of TB blood!

As others have suggested.....I used poultice, whole vetrap, then two nappies, the I per-prepare two separate squares of cross-crossed gaffer tape, both go on bottom of hoof and ends up hoof walls over coronet, then lots more short strips of tape to finish fixing. Worked for us last few weeks.

 

[TwoStroke]

Maybe it is selfish of me, but its the only 2 days of the year I ever visit them only once, and they don't normally have abscesses, so it was rather difficult to plan for this. So sue me . I could do the trip twice, but would cost a fortune in tolls and petrol.

It's not a matter of giving him a couple of hours turnout - the poultice comes off in 10 mins flat every time without fail. So it's no turnout (which is becoming untenable, as he gets ulcers from the stress of being in) or he gets let out without a poultice.

There is a small 'hole' - it's not right the way through the sole; maybe 1/2 to 2/3s the way through. Impossible to pack with cotton wool as too shallow. Was done by my trimmer, so she was careful to dig as little as possible.

He's no longer lame.

Oh, and I can't cut feed out whilst he's in - he's a very poor doer and loses weight easily in winter.

Thanks for those of you who gave non-judgemental advice . Will go back tonight & tub, poultice & leave in - if no probs he can stay out over Xmas.

 

[TwoStroke]

Doublethyme - you're lucky, lol! There is stone down in places in the field, which doesn't help, but seriously - I've expended a huge amount of nappies, vetwrap, duct tape, feed bags (and a few other less conventional items) - it will not stay on, no matter what .

 

[Brightbay]

lol it's a tough conundrum, I know. After having managed to keep poultices on for about 3 days (vet was impressed with them... they actually come off looking exactly like a neat hoof boot), I was up one lovely sunny morning (i think we did get one during December) after applying a new poultice and was just "being with the herd", following them around and taking the time to comb out manes and tails. As I was combing out Mr Hopalong's tail, he lay down to have a nap. Sat there for a few minutes, having the "awwww" factor, and then watched him carefully remove the poultice boot with his teeth and his other front hoof .

I did curse a bit that day!

Mine has a large hole. It was an abscess that vet reckoned had grumbled on for some months since a bad flare up in June, so she was determined to get it to drain this time - hole about the size of a 20p just to one side of the toe, in the sole/whiteline junction, and quite deep.

After the poulticing, I have been plugging with a small piece of poultice which has been staying in nicely, but I have gone up a couple of times to find it's come out and hole is full of earth. Vet says that in her opinion, abscesses are usually "encapsulated" and once draining, a bit of wet going up into the hole isn't the end of the world - best not if possible but not to fret. So I don't

Field mate's old cushings horse used to get constant abscesses - as soon as one was drained, there'd be another in a different hoof. She used to soak a tiny bit of cotton wool in diluted iodine, plug and then top with damp, iodine soaked mud. Weird idea, I know, but it worked - the mud seemed to seal in the cotton wool and changing it every day, once you scraped off the mud, the cotton wool would come out clean.

Don't fret and try to enjoy your Christmas. Your horse will be doing his utmost to fix his own hoof, so just help as much as you can manage and try not to worry too much

 

[TwoStroke]

Thanks brightbay . I checked his hoof in the field this avo & it was clean as a whistle, if a bit soggy, so I think I'll put him out tomorrow & try not to stress about it