Urgent advise pls! Am I doing enough?

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Billie

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Got to the yard today and lunged Billy. He was fine in walk but 2/10 lame in trot on his near hind. I took him back to his stable and the next thing I know he can't bare any weight on that leg at all. There was heat in his heel and pastern and a pocket of swelling on his pastern. The hoof was also warm. I called the vet out immediately.

Billy's feet aren't great at the moment and I've struggled with the condition of his back feet. The vet said it was in poor condition with seedy toe. He couldn't find a source of the pain as he reacted where ever he pressed. He advised to give him bute, tub the foot and then poultice until Monday and hope that if there is pus it will come through anyway as his soles are so soft. He didn't make any holes as he said without knowing where the source was he would have to make more than one hole and Billy's foot wouldn't hold up well to that.

I've tubbed and poulticed it and he has had 2 bute but the poor love is in so much pain. Have I done everything I can for now? I'm going back down later to check on him.
 
You sound like me !

O.k, you have had the vet out, very promptly, are acting on her advice and monitoring the situation, you are doing great
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ETS: seedy toe is a stubborn pig in showing itself
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I'm sure it'll track out within a few days

Don't be surprised if the hole and pus appear along the coronet
 
I have not had this exp before but it sounds like it could be an abscess/infection in the hoof. You are doing as the vet has instructed. Follow the vet's advice carefully and I think that is all you can do for now. It may well be a build up of pressure that is causing the pain. Bute is an anti-inflammatory I believe so will help with the pressure and pain. I would call your vet whenever you feel the need for updated advice......Have just read your last line and if you feel he is in really significant pain (even a couple of hrs after the bute), you may want to ask the vet if he/she would consider injecting him with painkillers for a more powerful effect.....
 
Thanks, the vet is 99.9% sure it is an abcess.

I'm going back down there in a bit the trouble is without a hole to let the infection out the pain isn't gonig to go away soon is it?
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Pain really can be managed by bute, or if that is not strong enough, an IV injection. I am sure the vet has all the tools to help manage the pain, so if you need to, call and explain what is going on. Even if you just have a chat it will help put your mind at rest.
Without a drainage hole it will in all likelyhood take longer to find it's way to drain, through the frog, or maybe the coronet band. Your poulticing will be important in encouraging drainage. I really hope he seems happier very soon.
 
Try not to worry, my young event horse went to a event last year went brilliantly finished 100% sound, by the time we'd travelled home 2 hours he was literally on 3 legs could not bear weight at all ( i thought he'd broken a wing off his pedle bone)
Called vet who was not 100% but thought it was gravel (absess) Tubed and polticed 24 hours and to my suprise it burst out the coronet band the next day.
Once you get a build up of presure on the sensitive layer the pain is excrusiating for the horse as there is no room for expansion.
 
I would get your farrier out they are better at spotting where the abcess is than a vet, and he can cut a hole, better than it bursting through coronary band
 
I've just got back from checking him and although it was clearly uncomfortable he was baring his weight on it more. I think the bute has kicked in, thank god.
 
What a worry horses are! I think you are doing the right thing. Are you using hot/wet poultices? This will draw out pus more quickly, when tubbing use salt water as hot as you can stand it. It's just a waiting game with foot abscess' and giving him painkillers to make him comfortable.
Big hugs, I am sure he will be fine.
 
Good plan Billie. I would also call the farrier. Best of luck - hope Billy feels better soon.
 
Hi Billie, put poultice on and change upto 3 times a day, a hot one if poss (need a kettle) use animal lintex nd then a nappy over and then silver parcel wrap and it won't come off (have had a year of this on and off) it willl ddraw out any infection quicly, but you are right to have vet asap. Good luck
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My donkey had an abscess in the foot. Vet couldn't release pus so we just poulticed. He was on bute but I got vet out after 24 hours cos he was still in so much pain. He had a pain killing injection which helped and he was able to put foot to the ground. After about 5 days the pus broke out through his coronary band and he was soon right as rain. They are in a horrible amount of pain with abscesses but usually make a quick recovery. It sounds as if your boy is beginning to feel some relief now so hopefully he will soon be on the mend.
 
Hi Billie
Hope he's better. Abscesses and seedy toe etc are not so serious - they're just very uncomfortable because the sore bits can't swell properly because of the hoof capsule.
If you've ever had a horse stand on your toenail, you'll know the feeling!
If pus starts to come out, your boy will instantly feel much better.
Try not to worry; you're doing all the right things.
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The farrier can be your friend in these cases, mine has invested in some clever electronic thermometer that he can just point at specific parts of the hoof and thereby determine the source of the heat, might be worth asking yours if he has one of these
 
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