abcess / farrier / vet ?

[chocolatecakeystuff]

The big girly went hoping lame on Friday morning (had been a bit unsound at the front for a week or so before)

Further inspection she was hot footed although no obvious damage to the hoof, but frog didn't look/ feel quite right.

Decided to hot poultice to see if anything happened...
Lone behold we had a puss explosion within a few hours.

As the hoof has softened its still not apparent where the actua, blasted thing is. There's a fine crack right across the hoof either side of her frog, which the puss appears to be coming from BUT
Had the farrier up today for a bit of further inspection & to see if the shoe needed to come off , he's poked arround, and said he can't find exactly where it is either & rekons in will come out the top.

Despite this she was clearly very uncomfortable with the inside being squidged & I suspect this is where the problem lies. He's adament she's always been a bit touchy there.


Long story short we bought the horse from said farrier, she has a history of being unsound intermitantly at the front apparently through being ridden into the ground... I wonder if maybe she's had this a fair while & no one had the forsight to poultice because said farrier hasn't picked up on it... there's clearly something there, debating if I should just call a different farrier/ vet to have a quick look.... hmmmm

[Mitchy1nge]

I would say a farrier every time for any foot thing, from expensive experience

[Floralnomad]

Vet , for antibiotics and then a farrier that the vet recommends .

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Anti boiotics? Really? We've still got gew coming out so as long as its still draining I can't see the point.

My real worry is I can't actually find where the abcess its self is.

However today her frog has opened up so guessing its there & a few more days poulticing should sort it out.

Farrier phoned me this morning to see how she's getting on. & is going to pop back tomorrow at some point.

Little bugger managed to get cast in her stable this morning. One thing after another.

[DolomitesDonkey]

Equine podiatrist.

[frostyfingers]

Is the shoe still on? If not I'd get it off and keep poulticing for a bit and it may be worth getting some bute from the vet for pain relief. If it's still "productive" in the same way (ie not reducing in quantity) in another 24 hours I would get the vet.

[N0tinmylife]

I've always thought you need antibiotics to completely clear the infection with abscesses, otherwise, if there is any gunk at all left in there I'd be worried about the infection coming back. Is she OK after getting cast?

[horseylady]

Yup vet for antibiotics. Farrier to remove the shoe and maybe cut it out. Shoe needs to come off to let it drain properly. Having owned a horse who lost over half her hoof to one get it treated quickly. Even then they can go wrong :(

[DolomitesDonkey]

Do not let a vet start cutting! If they so much as glance at a scalpel get the EP! An abscess does not need to be cut out.

Can you soak in a bucket of borax solution ? A dry paddock will be too much to ask for right now, but turnout and movement if poss even if only in arena. The hoof mechanism when moving will push any more pus out. Only use a poultice if you can be militant about cleanliness!

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Yes the shoe came off Sunday sorry forgot to say farrier took it off, just couldn't find where to dig.

She's fine, think she shocked herself as was just laying there quietly waiting for me. Had only been down for 10 minutes tops thank god. Its not the first time she'sdne it... in the same sodding place too. Thank god I spoil her with a big bed & huge banks. Small grazes on two legs but
Nothing to write home about.

Hoof looking better tonight, hole has appeared & gunk is reducing.
Farriers back tomorrow to have a looksie.

Picked up some danilon from the vet this afternoon, he said to give it untill Wednesday & if we've still got gunk he'll pop over & take a peek.

Fingers crossed we're through the worst of it. I really do wonder if this is what's caused her lameness in the past & because the farrier didn't pick it up its gone un noticed & put down to over work.
If we didmt have all the yuck coming out her hoof i really think he'd have dismissed it.

Roll on getting my farrier back ( he's beenpoorly for a few months)

[SaggyOldClothCatpuss]

From experience, and from what you say, Id say she has had recurrent problems with this, its often hard to totally shift an abcess, and this farrier has sold you a dud, hoping you will trust him and take the story he feeds you about running her into the ground.
Get a new farrier ASAP, and get it properly checked out by someone independent.
Ive known a couple of people in this situation, sadly both horses never came sound.
Sorry to be a harbinger of doom. x

[Grunzlewheek]

If its draining then you should be able to get away without antibiotics, vet told me they don't work very well in feet because not much blood flow.

I would want farrier to open it right up so it drains properly.

Nappys make a brilliant dressing for foot problems (with a plastic bag and tons of tape on top).

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Yes someone else on the yard said nappies... in theory sounds great but for some reason I don't like the idea of it ( call me a pansy but they're for arses not feet hahaha)

Now we've got an obvious place to open up hopefully he will have a good old dig tomorrow to get right to the root of it.

Have been & stocked up my first aid box today. Have a feeling she's going to end up being accident prone if this week is anything to go by.

Was shocked by the price difference from one shop to the other in the animalintex.... was 5.50 in one shop, and 8.90 in another!! Rip off merchants!!!!

[PoshPenny]

If you are hot tubbing too when you change the poultice/dressing, consider putting some epsom salts in the water. They are very good at drawing out any toxins.

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Ooooo that's a really good idea penny thank you. Will give that a go. Am indeed hot tubbing, although depending what comes out tomorrow may start dry poulticing in the next day or so, so the hoof can start to harden again before her shoe goes back on.

[Plomino]

I always use nappies for abscesses , and they work wonders , because they use the same drawing technique to keep bums dry , that seems to do the trick for the ick in the foot . And you can use the tapes to hold them in place whilst you get it properly bandaged .

[Fredstheteds]

Nappies always a lot cheaper than animalintex then swimming nappy on top

[chocolatecakeystuff]

But I'm assuming you can't hot poultice using a nappy? X

[DolomitesDonkey]

Another vote for nappies here!

[DolomitesDonkey]

Fwiw, ALL horses get abscesses in their hooves. Next time you have the trimmer/farrier come look at what he's scraping away from the sole. Any black "streaks" are actually an old bruise and you will often see a tiny little cavity or "thread" running up through the sole and this is an old abscess. Of course most of them stay tiny and don't cause any problems, or if the horse is shod then it can't feel it through nerve damage.

I do believe though that some are more prone than others to problematic ones.

[horseylady]

Yup saggy my mare was retired due to recurring problems. Was put down to a chip or something along those lines. Anyway we spent a lot of years and money trying to get her right. She eventually went on to be a broodmare and ended up in a very nice home!!

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Well good news today, the farrier found the bugger... right where I said it would be. He's managed to dig it out, wasn't much left in there now to be fair & most of the heat has come out of the hoof.

Another 24 hours of dry poulticing & we should be about there.

Cuts from yesterdays mishap look all good & she's not swollen up either.

Fingers crossed we're on the home straight. :-) x