Vet v Farrier for foot problems- also in Vet Section :)

Cliqmo

Cliqmo

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Hello. As title, I suspect my horse has an abcess in his foot, am I best to call out the farrier or the vet?

The brief history is that he went really lame a month ago, was seen by the vet who diagnosed thrush in near fore and detected faint digital pulse in same fetlock He was seen the following week by the farrier who advised that the thrush is likely to be a red herring and suggested it might be an abcess, in which case it will come out of its own accord.

Still lame last week so seen by different vet (I moved yards and calling out the same vet was not feasible, but new vet has been given the history) New vet thought either soft tissue/ligament pain in his shoulder or ligament issue in his foot. She gave him an anti-inflammatory, advised me to keep him quiet for a week and said it will be nerve blocks and x rays if he doesn't come sound.

Had Mctimoney (back lady) out today who confirmed definitely nothing muscular/tissue related in his shoulder/back and reiterated farriers first suggestion that it is foot related and that it is probably an abcess. His feet grow very slowly (he is barefoot and they get trimmed every 3mths) so it could still be an abcess that hasn't broken out.

Do I call the vet and get them to run full diagnostics or do I call out the farrier and ask him to rummage for an abcess??
NB horse is NOT insured to cover vets fees

Cookies for getting this far and any advice MUCH appreciated
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I would get the farrier out first, if he/she finds nothing then go ahead with testing by the vet.
 
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Although your farrier should have tested the foot and had a dig when he was there and knew that there was a problem

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Thanks for the message. The farrier gave his feet and frog a good trim back (cut away alot of the black bits off the frog) and went around the whole foot (close to laminae) with some hoofparers(?) checking for sensitivity- the vet also used hoofparers (am I thinking of the right tool?) last week and still got no reaction. Could it be that something went up in through his soggy thrushy frog and has caused a deeper abcess?
 
If the abcess is deeper, you would still get a reaction when testing with the hoof testers. If it is an abcess it would have burst by now (you did say the horse was lame for a month?)

If it is thrush it can eat up quite high through the frogs causing pain and lameness long term. Have you gotten on top of the thrush issue?

If its not the thrush and its highly unlikely to be an abcess at this point you will then need further diagnostics for deeper issues within the foot itself. Also you dont mention any heat which you get with an abcess normally.

Do have the farrier have a look but if he cant find any abcess i would be calling the vet for a work up not for abcess digging
 
[ QUOTE ]
If the abcess is deeper, you would still get a reaction when testing with the hoof testers. If it is an abcess it would have burst by now (you did say the horse was lame for a month?)

If it is thrush it can eat up quite high through the frogs causing pain and lameness long term. Have you gotten on top of the thrush issue?

If its not the thrush and its highly unlikely to be an abcess at this point you will then need further diagnostics for deeper issues within the foot itself. Also you dont mention any heat which you get with an abcess normally.

Do have the farrier have a look but if he cant find any abcess i would be calling the vet for a work up not for abcess digging

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay thanks heaps for all the info. He has no heat, has been lame for a month and doesn't react to hoof testing. Sadly I think it probably is something more complex/serious
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Definately have farrier back. An abscess can brew for months - especially if it's travelling upwards to escape. They also can come and go with the weather - when it's wet and the hoof wall is softer they feel them more - then the weather dries up and the hoof hardens. I had one that bothered a youngster for about a year - He'd go lame on and off mostly when doing a quick turn - then he'd appear sound. He was eventually X rayed and vet found the absces about to burst out of the coronary band.

In the meantime you could poultice the sole of his foot to encourage whatever is in their out. Will also help the farrier. You could use equal quantities of grated soap & sugar, mix together with hot water, pack it into the hoof, then wrap with a disposable nappy then secure with duct tape - wrap this all around to seal the whole foot.

If you want to go for the easy route then animalintex is really easy to use.
 
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