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hoof abscess

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maeclara
Reg. Apr 2004
Posted 2008-08-03 11:11 AM (#88887)
Subject: hoof abscess


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Posts: 40
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Location: Sullivan NY
My TB gelding developed an abscess around the coronery band this week, thankfully it blew out in the trailer on the way to the vets, however I thought he would get better once it had come through, but he is still very lame, I think he had another one come through, and there might be another trying to come through as the bulb of his heel is very soft. My main question is, how long do they normally take to drain, and when do you think the lamness will subside, I can't believe he has 2 at one time, thankfully in the same foot, but could there be a third?
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ponytammy
Reg. Jan 2005
Posted 2008-08-03 11:36 AM (#88892 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Posts: 781
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Have you determined what caused the abcesses? Laminitis, foreign object, white line disease, seedy toe etc? Sometimes the abcess can drain better if the outerwall of the foot is dremeled out. It could take weeks to months for the lameness to subside. Depends on coffin bone rotation if the horse foundered and being that you have abcesses on the coronary band, the hoof wall has to grow out to strenghten.

I'd call your farrier and work with your vet to avoid further complications.

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luckeys71
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2008-08-03 1:22 PM (#88897 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Location: Newport News, VA

My, then 3 yo Oldenburg filly, had a terrible abscess in her left front foot last fall.  It had opened a small hole and began to drain after a few days, but she continued to be quite lame, until a much larger hole opened at the coronary band and it, also, blew out the sole.  Then she was nearly sound.  About a week later, I discovered that before coming out the sole, the abscess had gone subsolar and detached her sole the entire inside heel of that foot.  It was goopy and soft and yucky under there and I completely panicked.  I called my farrier and she wasn't panicked.  She was off for two months, until all the draining was completely done and my farrier felt it safe to cover the sole with a leather pad (since the entire heel was open) and shoe her.  The shoes were a whole 'nother nightmare and fortunately, after 2 months, we were able to ditch the shoes.  My farrier retired in the meantime and I now use a Natural Hoof Trimmer and I LOVE her and what she's done. 

It used to be, vets immediately opened and drained abscesses and the horses usually were quickly sound after that.  Apparently, the newest wisdom is that you can do more damage trying to open them, than in letting them find their own way out, but it certainly didn't work for me last fall.  That whole heel thing was an awful mess.  My farrier was afraid that heel would crumble and she would lose the whole heel of that hoof, due to the tissue destruction and the hole in the coronary band was about an inch long.  Fortunately, she grows a lot of heel and it never did break off until it got to the very bottom.  The vet HAD seen my horse as soon as she was lame.  Of course, I had literally, JUST gone out of town for a week.  The message on my phone from my barn was from just after my plane had taken off for Boston. 

 

It sounds like your horse may be like mine.  It opened, but closed back up and didn't drain fully.  while I was away, they were not able to soak my filly but a couple days.  I had no problems when I got home, but a week's worth of damage had already been done.

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PaulChristenson
Reg. Jan 2007
Posted 2008-08-03 4:07 PM (#88910 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Have your vet and farrier involved...

Stall rest

Get your rubber soaking boot fill with the WARM water mixed with epsom salts and soak hoof everyday...followed with a drawing poltice held in place with a baby diaper and duct tape...

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KeepsakeFarm
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2008-08-03 7:56 PM (#88931 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Location: Hutto, TX

I second Paul.  I've done the Epsom salts soak, baby diaper thing.  It's tedious but it works.

Good luck

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randemtam
Reg. Jun 2007
Posted 2008-08-03 8:29 PM (#88936 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Location: Brooksville, Fl
I recommend Clean Trax. It can be purchased from KV Vet and other places. You soak the foot, and it is a looong soak, but it has done wonders for my horses. It penetrates deep into the foot and is also great for white line and other fungal issues. Good luck.
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jackbrat
Reg. Sep 2005
Posted 2008-08-04 5:17 AM (#88953 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Location: Northern CA

It sounds like the abscess closed up and didn't drain completely or there is another one. Most of the time, when an abscess bursts, It is immediate relief. ( no more lameness ) Since it burst through the coronary band, I would tend to bet there is another one at the bottom (sole ) of the heel. Especially if there is a soft spot.

Keep soaking with warm water and Epsom salts, maybe even twice daily. I soaked my guy with Epsom salts and Betadine in the "soaking boot". Then apply a Duct tape boot with Icthamol ointment ( drawing salve ) to draw out the abscess.

Be real consistent and u will get it. It is tedious but u will get real good at making a duct tape bootie!!

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Tuffyspop
Reg. Jul 2008
Posted 2008-08-05 12:51 PM (#89059 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Posts: 58
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Location: Foley, MO

My Wife's TB/QH mare gets an abscess in the same hoof every spring.  We treat as follows...similar to some of the other suggestions...

First, 1/2 hour soak in epsom salts and warm water.  Let dry, keep clean. 

Fill a baby diaper with a poultice mixture of 1 part oatmeal, 1 part epsom salt and enough water to make a paste.  Secure this on the hoof with duct tape or vet wrap, and leave on for 12 hours.

Remove diaper, soak in epsom salts again for a half hour.

Let dry, keep clean, then pack the abscess (when it opens) with iodine-soaked cotton balls.  Tape securely.  Leave this on for 24 hours.

Remove and start over again with soak, poultice, soak and iodine pack.

After about 3-4 days, the abscess should dry up and lameness should subside.

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maeclara
Reg. Apr 2004
Posted 2008-08-07 5:43 PM (#89234 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Posts: 40
25
Location: Sullivan NY
thanks everyone, I am still fighting the battle, my boy is still severely lame and now his other hind is getting extremely stocked up, and he has lost weight and was looking a little dehydrated tonight, I am soking foot and have the Icathomal and diaper with epson salts, but I feel like I am not getting anywhere, I spoke to my vet and she told me to take him of the bute as this can hold the infection in by keeping the inflamamtion down, but I really feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. He won't put no weight at all on the abscessd foot, he just seems to be stuck and not moving forward. And for all the women out there and know how we are, I had to have a little breakdown in his stall last night and tonight, I just don't want him to hurt anymore. Would anyone recommend SMZ's for him?
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NM-Rider
Reg. Jun 2008
Posted 2008-08-07 6:23 PM (#89235 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Posts: 99
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Location: New Mexico
As for the weight loss.  Try using DAC oil, you can get it directly from Direct Action Company.  I gave some to a friend who was trying to put weight on a horse for a friend that was for sale.  A buyer came and looked at the horse but was concerned about his weight.  The buyer really wanted this horse.  Whole different story about this gelding and his weight loss.  Anyways, the buyer came back after 30 days and was amazed with the weight gain.  We figure that adding this oil helped put 100 to 150 lbs on him.  The oil is a combination of flax, wheat germ, soybean, rice, and corn oils.  It will feed the calories needed without giving the carb overload that grains can do.  With the issues with the abcess you don't need a founder problem.  I feed it to our show steers and horses. 
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KeepsakeFarm
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2008-08-07 6:30 PM (#89236 - in reply to #88887)
Subject: RE: hoof abscess


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Posts: 192
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Location: Hutto, TX
What did the vet say about antibiotics?  Sometimes they recommend different ones for different things, so your vet needs to weigh in on this decision, but i would sure ask and ASAP!
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