What is wrong with my horse's butt???

[Kiwayu]

So this whole week my Uncle has been bulding an addition onto my barn. My horses have been fenced off into a smaller paddock away from the building so they don't get in the way until he is done. Anyway, I'll admit because things are totally crazy around there I haven't been in the same routine. My horses get the necessities (hay, fresh water, grain) with the typical daily feet picking. They normally get groomed (fussed) over every night but I can't even get to my stuff since it's so burried in tools, wood, etc. So Saturday night I decided to dig out my grooming box so I could give my boys a good pampering. I take off Kiwayu's turnout sheet and he has a spot on his butt next to his tail (but more towards his thigh area) that is dried up ooziness. I wash it off with warm water and figured I take a good look at it Sunday morning since it was dusk out. It was hot to the touch and very sensitive.

This morning I take off his sheet again and fresh ooz is there again. I scrub it with bedadine shampoo, it's still hot to the touch, and it obviously hurts like heck. My horse LOVES his butt/back area rubbed but not now! :no: I took his temp-normal. It's an area the size of a golfball and slightly swollen/enlarged. I don't see any "holes" but then again he won't let me look too well and I'm in direct kicking zone if I piss him off. He's been lifting his leg when I touch it.

I'm thinking that he 1)has a splinter embedded and it's infected since that's where he rubs his butt due to his allergies (he's been crazy itchy lately); 2)it's a nasty tick bite; or 3)it's maybe a hot spot.

Basically, I don't have a clue what it is and I feel like a moron for calling the vet to say "he's got a oozing spot on his butt." Any ideas what I should do??? I thought maybe wait another 1-2 days and if no better or worse I'll call the vet.

[Paint Hunter/Jumper]

If I was in your postition, I would call the vet right away. If it is infected, you don't want it to get worse. I wonder what it could be though!

[Seven-up]

Abscess, maybe? Hot and painful made me think of that. And yeah, vet.

[Angela Freda]

Abscess, maybe? Hot and painful made me think of that. And yeah, vet.
ditto and ditto.
Maybe from a splinter, sure.
Have you tried a hot compress?

[Laurierace]

OOOh this may be the pus thread we have been waiting for! Make sure the camera is handy just in case.

[EqTrainer]

Oh Laurie, you should have been here when we blocked a horse foot and he stepped down on it - and his coronet band broke open and pus shot out in a stream. My vet said "oooooooohhhh... that was cool.. damn I wish I'd had a video camera!"

Sorry to the OP for the highjack, I just couldn't resist it.

Yes, it does sound like something is imbedded in it maybe? And some sedation and exploration by the vet is in order. My vet would probably do it for free, if it is really gross :lol:

[Patty Stiller]

Basically, I don't have a clue what it is and I feel like a moron for calling the vet to say "he's got a oozing spot on his butt." Any ideas what I should do??? Yep. Call the vet so you DON'T look like a moron when the horse ends up with a baseball size hole in his butt because it wasn't diagniosed and treated soon enough. ;) It may turn out to be nothing more than a little splinter, but infections that are up high on the butt do not drain well without help, and can get really nasty, no matter what the original cause.

[Seven-up]

If I had a dollar for every time I called the vet sounding like a moron...:lol: I think most vets expect that and don't care.

[gabz]

Call the vet and use an epsom salt poultice on it - you want to keep it soft and open.
It's in a difficult area, so use gloves while you hold a hot pack on it.
I bought some gel-epsom salt stuff when my horse had something funky on his neck.

[joiedevie99]

Better to have the vet out, tranq if needed, and get a really good look than later wish you had, or end up laid up with a hoof print shaped bruise or a broken bone.

[Kiwayu]

I've never delt with an abcess before in the 8 years I've owned my OTTB (I know, I'm lucky!) Knock on wood! ;) Would an abcess start out just draining yellowish clear fluid, because that's what is all over this spot. I tried clipping the spot last night to get a better look but the dried up clear fluid is not allowing me to clip too well. It also doesn't help that he won't let me clean it like I want to. I'll see what it looks like when I get home from work this afternoon and then I'll probably be calling the vet.

I just saw her 1.5 weeks ago!! :mad:

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Probably an abscess. Hopefully nothing infected such as something got in there/a puncture would.

Do you have the horse vaccinated for strangles? Going out on a limb here but it can burst in other areas than the throat. Not sure if a fever is associated with that or not.

[MistyBlue]

Yup, an abcess can leak clearish yellow fluid. It will leak the thinnest fluid first...if/when it bursts/is drained it can blow out the thicker stuff. Sometimes even almost solid stuff. Pretty gross and cool! (well, for the human. Not so much for the horse, abcesses can hurt like hell) The good news is...when they blow the horse gets instant massive relief of discomfort. It might get sore again as it drains and heals, but not as bad as when it was full before popping.
If it's *really* warm I'd bet on a splinter...possibly imbedded tick (that's a common spot for either of those; horses like to rub their butts on splintery stuff and ticks like to climb tails and bite butts) but ticks don't usually make the area too hot. Warm to hot poultice and call vet. The horse might need antibiotics for infection.
You can mix a paste of hot water and epsom salt...make it thick like glue. Smear on the oozing lump. Or bring hot water to the barn and a washcloth...soak washcloth and hold over lump until it cools. Then wring out, redip in hot water and re-apply. Keep doing that for a good 20 minutes...the heat draws pus out. Pus travels towards heat...you need to make the outside of the lump hotter than the inside of the horse.
You could use a stick on therma-care heat pad and keep him in while the heat from that draws pus to the surface for a couple hours. I think those get about 110 degrees...nice and toasty and quite a few degrees warmer than the inside of your horse.
Do get a vet out to either drain it or at least give you antibiotics for it. You don't want a beachball sized hole in his arse.
While it's draining...keep an eye on the area for foreign objects such as splinters or tick parts. Don't let it crust over, it needs to keep draining. Bring a flashlight to the barn...easier to see inside the lump and pus with direct bright light.
And bring a video camera? And post the video or photos here? Many of us have a sick interest in all things pus-y! ;)

[pines4equines]

MistyBlue said: "It will leak the thinnest fluid first...if/when it bursts/is drained it can blow out the thicker stuff. Sometimes even almost solid stuff."

Solid stuff...

Okay this and Bot Larvae pus filled donuts has got to stop!!!! (From the what's in the poop thread that we all have to look at and read...) THere goes that cheese filled danish right into the garbage...Arh, arh!!!!

PS: These threads are good for my waistline, keep 'em coming! :)

[pinkdiamondracing]

OHHHHHHHHHHHH goody!!!! More pus!!!! I love a good abcess!!!!!

Had one in the butt of one of my running quarter horses about 10 years ago. Had a BIG hole in his butt that I had to stick a pipette into to drain it.

When I was a girl I watched a necropsy on one of our broodmares, and after that my vet said I could watch any procedure he did, as long as I promised not to say " OOH Gross!!

sorry didn't mean to hijack!!

[MistyBlue]

THere goes that cheese filled danish right into the garbage...Arh, arh!!!!
Funny you should mention cheese...that's kinda what comes out of some older abcesses. Looks and feels like ricotta cheese. :D

I've syringed some abcesses before...no needle, just the syringe and was able to get them draining much better by getting the stuff moving. Almost as much fun as expressing around it. :yes: Had one years ago that was so stubborn I was eyeing the shop vac....

[Angela Freda]

Had one years ago that was so stubborn I was eyeing the shop vac....
Pffft!