Anyone else treating an abscess this week? Update: There is pus (and thus drainage)!

[Amchara]

My 10yo Conn/TB mare seems to have an abscess festering. Just noticed it yesterday and am soaking in epsom salts 2x a day for ten minutes. Also will try the Mistyblue heat pack wrapping method.

Vet said to hold off on bute if she isn't too miserable, which she isn't. Also said to soak for a few days and if it doesn't do its thing on its own he will come out and take a look (last time she abscessed he came out twice to try to dig it out and it wasn't developed enough).

Have her confined to a small paddock as that yesterday she was walking with out bearing weight on her heal and I thought that could lead to a joint strain which would really be trouble.

Anyway, guess I'll go out and get to soaking.

[jaimebaker]

I've been dealing with abscesses off and on since last August due to all the mud. I haven't dealt with an abscess in over 10 years! I've dealt with, let's see....7 abscesses in 4 horses so far. Got another one brewing right now. Mine are all barefoot and out 24/7. They've had the same farrier for two years now and we've never had problems with them until all the rain last year. This winter it's been rain, snow, mud and then frozen rutted ground causing bruising. I'm so beyond over it it's not even funny.

[Amchara]

Mine has also been barefoot all winter and is out 24/7. I was going to have her shod tomorrow as her feet were getting pretty worn. I feel responsible for having her BF for one more cycle when her TB like feet would have probably been better shod :(.

[sheltona01]

Me too! Found it last Sunday. Thankfully it is very mild, but my horse is hating stall rest. It is too wet to turn him out.:sigh:

[Frizzle]

Try White Lightning -- a few treatments will clear it right up. http://www.grandcircuitinc.com/

[horsepoor]

Mine was last week. I rarely soak, just wrap/poultice and turn them out unless it is really wet. It came out the heel bulb and seems to be dried up and done now. Now that I put that in writing, watch it flare up again... I've got 10 rolls of duct tape coming from ebay, and SO bought me a huge box of diapers (I think it had like 80 in it -- should last me for years, hopefully!), so I'll be all set for the next time.

[Cheval Gris]

Just the last two weeks I had one (tons of wet muddy weather-do you think the pony likes to stand in the dry areas? nope). I put him in soak boot of cotton, chlorhexidine, and warm water with epsom salt and kept him in one (changed 3 times) for 5 days (and stalled). I never found a track, but he became sound and xrays showed the gas pocket. I pulled his shoe to soak so I am assuming it came through a nail hole as it was right across his toe. This of course happened the week he was going on trial. :)

[Amchara]

I'm now thinking its not an abscess, but sore/bruised heel. What tops it off is that she was going to get shod today but I canceled the appointment because I didn't think she would be able to have the other hooves shod and stand on that leg or have a shoe nailed to it. Rescheduled for the 23 so I'm probably going to miss a clinic.

Anyways, horse has been confined for two days to a small paddock and I've been soaking her hoof 2x a day. Was previously walking on her toe but now walking with weight over the entire hoof (is landing flat I believe, hard to tell). There is still a tad of noticeable swelling, but not much. Pulse is not stronger than opposite leg. Heals are sensitive to my poking and prodding, but not on the other heal. Going to have a second person look at her trotting to see if they see anything and wait to here from vet.

[jaimebaker]

The abscess could be trying to blow out the heel. Soaking it twice a day isn't going to do much to it if you aren't wrapping and poulticing it. I don't even soak much anymore, just poultice and wrap. Get some Animalentex poultice wrap, diaper, vetrap and duct tape. Change twice a day. If it's not blown in 3-4 days it could be something else. It's totally the way to go if you want to pull them out quickly. Never had it take longer than 3 days. Better than ichthammol or epsom salt poultice from my experience.

[Amchara]

Well, Miss Mare had some puss on her heal bulb and what looked like a cut/exit site above the heals. Still touchy, but less so.

Doing to soaking and wrap routine, treating it like a flesh wound. Vet never returned my call today but will call him again tomorrow.

[jaimebaker]

Ahhhhh....sometimes puss looks soooo good :lol: Hopefully she'll get all drained and be good as new:)

[equi-jumper]

I have found the best method to use for absesses is ichthammol (http://www.farmvet.com/p-26-ichthammol-salve.aspx). Just put it all over the hoof 2x per day before the abscess comes out and then continue after it burst to draw out any remaining infection. It works great doesnt ruin the hoof like salt soaks and its cheap! I keep a jar at all times in my barn. :)

[mjrtango93]

We have a 4 year old working on his first abcess right now. At the current moment he is pretty sure that his entire hoof is falling off. Farrier comes to our barn once a week, so he has tried to dig it out the last 2 weeks (stupid thing comes and goes), and vet was out last night for another horse. Raging pulse, abcess is in the toe, and the coronet band it very sensitive. We should be to bursting within another day or so. In the meantime poor little boy is having to suck it up a bit. Been doing the soaking then animalintex, icthommal, bute, but this thing must be huge (or he's a big old wimp!).

[dauntless]

I'm dealing w/ an abscess right now... poor mare can barely walk on it. I'm hoping with how bad she is, that it's on it's way to popping. We're doing the animalintex and the soaking... I've never tried the ichthamol in all my abscess experiences but if it doesn't pop soon, why not.

This looks like it's in the heel. She is walking on her tip toe, poor girl.

I think the worst part about abscesses is trying to keep it clean afterwards. My gelding chronically reabscessed a bazillion times, even though I was so careful to keep it clean.

[jaimebaker]

I've never had it take longer than 3 days for one to pop by using Animalintex and changing twice a day. Before I discovered that I used ichthammol and it would easily take 8-10 days. So now I stick with the Animalintex just based on my experiences. Good stuff!

As far as recurrent abscessing, sometimes it doesn't have to do with you keeping the drain hole clean as much as it has to do with several pockets formed by the abscess. If even one drains, sometimes it will offer enough relief that the horse goes sound and you think that's it. My mare had multiple pockets on a back hoof a couple of month ago. One huge one popped out the coronet band and she was instantly relieved so I figured I was done. When the farrier came and trimmed her two weeks later he found another on the sole at the toe area. The hole itself was about the diameter of a pea, but not very deep. When the farrier came out and trimmed her again a couple of weeks ago he said the sole was sloughing from that abscess and decided to remove the dead stuff. Well, again, drain hole was the size of a pea. The size of the track he dug out went from that drainage spot all the way back to the heel on one side of the foot. Would have never thought that little hole was relieving pressure from an abscess that big.

[dauntless]

As far as recurrent abscessing, sometimes it doesn't have to do with you keeping the drain hole clean as much as it has to do with several pockets formed by the abscess. If even one drains, sometimes it will offer enough relief that the horse goes sound and you think that's it. My mare had multiple pockets on a back hoof a couple of month ago. One huge one popped out the coronet band and she was instantly relieved so I figured I was done. When the farrier came and trimmed her two weeks later he found another on the sole at the toe area. The hole itself was about the diameter of a pea, but not very deep. When the farrier came out and trimmed her again a couple of weeks ago he said the sole was sloughing from that abscess and decided to remove the dead stuff. Well, again, drain hole was the size of a pea. The size of the track he dug out went from that drainage spot all the way back to the heel on one side of the foot. Would have never thought that little hole was relieving pressure from an abscess that big.

Wow! Very interesting. My theory on the reoccurance has to do with bad trims... I was a new horse owner, and didn't know any better, and had a terrible blacksmith. I still feel guilty about it! His toes got very long, and the vet explained that the whitw line was stretched. Since all the abcesses were at his toes (except one) I think that crap just kept getting up there. A good blacksmith is worth his/her weight in gold!!

Very much hoping to see the mare this aft and have her be able to walk!

[Bacchus]

My guy's abscess must have burst yesterday. He was dead lame Saturday through yesterday morning. Been using an Epsom salt / betadine paste wrap. Last night, he was almost sound. Finally got the Animalintex and wrapped with that last night. He looked great this morning.

My TB had an abcess a month or so ago. Farrier couldn't find it and vet couldn't find it. Ended up taking X-rays of his leg because we ruled out abscess (he was off an on lame for two weeks, and his leg was swollen up the back to his knee), but also shot a few of his hoof . X-rays showed a pocket in his hoof. Sure enough, he popped it the next day -- out the heel bulb and out the toe -- same spots as his last abcess last fall. Boy, was he happy!

[SmokeyCB]

Yep, my guy has an abscess too.

We took him to the vet on Tues., three legged lame and his lower leg had started to swell. I was so relieved that it was an abscess (The vet x-rayed it and found it, then drained it).

He has a wrap on now with the Animalintex on his hoof and is on SMZ's.

[Bacchus]

Are the SMZs just a precaution? I've never put my horse on anything but bute for an abscess. Anyone else do this? Every time or in certain situations?

[jaimebaker]

Are the SMZs just a precaution? I've never put my horse on anything but bute for an abscess. Anyone else do this? Every time or in certain situations?

A lot of vets will recommend antibiotics after the abscess has burst to keep infection from setting in in the drain site. Some vets will recommend them while the horse is lame, but that's always just backfired in my experience. Most antibiotics aren't strong enough to take care of it. Now, they'll knock it back, so the horse isn't as lame but the sucker will come right back with a vengeance about a week after the antibiotics cease.

Even bute can knock them back just enough that it will prolong them bursting. I only give bute on the 3 legged lame day(s) which generally isn't much longer than 2-3 days but even then, it just prolongs it. Just been my experience, YMMV.


The one I was battling burst today. I couldn't find the drainage hole but I sure could smell the puss.

[SmokeyCB]

That makes sense, jaimebaker.

I can see where the antibiotics given while the horse was lame and before the abscess bursts or if it is not "lanced" would cause what you said to happen.

Yeah, I just assumed it was to prevent infection after he created a drainage site. My horse sure seems much better so far.

He actually had an abscess one other time that came out on its own along the coronet band with no vet visit. He didn't get SMZ's that time, and recovered fine.

I'm just so freakin' glad it's not something else that would require a longer recovery time.

[SmokeyCB]

Ok I have a question. I know he is on the SMZ's. This is for five days.

After four days, I am suppose to discontinue the Animalintex wrap.

What protects the drainage hole on the bottom of his hoof that the vet made after the wrap comes off? The antibiotics still being in his system?

Or does the hole heal itself enough to where it's a non issue?

The vet said my horse did not need anything else after the above treatment, and I could have asked him this question while I was there, but I had so much on my mind, I didn't think to at the time.

I did call the vet's office the next day after his visit to make sure I'm not suppose to put something protective on the hoof after the wrap comes off, but I didn't ask them why not.

[jaimebaker]

Ok I have a question. I know he is on the SMZ's. This is for five days.

After four days, I am suppose to discontinue the Animalintex wrap.

What protects the drainage hole on the bottom of his hoof that the vet made after the wrap comes off? The antibiotics still being in his system?

Or does the hole heal itself enough to where it's a non issue?

The vet said my horse did not need anything else after the above treatment, and I could have asked him this question while I was there, but I had so much on my mind, I didn't think to at the time.

I did call the vet's office the next day after his visit to make sure I'm not suppose to put something protective on the hoof after the wrap comes off, but I didn't ask them why not.

You want to keep the drain hole cleaned. The Animalentex is recommended to keep drawing the puss out. After 2-4 days, it should be fully drained. Once the hole is done draining I clean it out once a day and pour betadine on it. This helps dry it out and of course, kills any bad stuff waiting to set up home in that hole. The holes (if in the sole) do eventually close up/grow out. But they need to get dry in order to do that. Thus why you discontinue the poultice.


Obviously, if it bursts out the coronet band they just have to grow out. Those don't close.

They make hoof packing for holes caused by abscesses. Hawthornes makes one that really soft and is an iodine product. Kinda doesn't work well without a wrap though (falls out). Keratex makes a hoof putty that has antibacterials and anti-fungals in it that are slow released while in the foot. I'm using that right now to deal with a hole caused by seedy toe. That one is more of a wax based putty and stays where you put it. It's a devil to work with but it does a good job. It's just called Keratex Hoof Putty.

You want that abscess hole to close but you also want to keep it clean so that debris doesn't work their way into that hole and cause yet another abscess.

Hope that helps answer your questions:)

I'm not trying to sound like an expert (cause I'm certainly not). I'm not a vet or a farrier either. Just an owner who's had one of the wettest, muddiest last 8 months that I can remember and who has dealt with more abscesses in those last 8 months than in all of her 30+ years of horse ownership. It sucks, but I think I've got the whole regimen down to a fine science these days (not happy about that either).

[Bacchus]

The first couple of days (after the wrap comes off), I use a syringe with warm water / betadine to clean the hole. After that, maybe just warm water (sterile if I have it), if anything.

Betadine, hydrogen peroxide, etc., kill the good cells with the bad, so as with any wound, don't keep cleaning with them for a long period of time. Just use water. (I usually stop cleaning wounds, period, after a couple of days.)

[SmokeyCB]

Thanks!

And yep, the vet said he's seen a LOT of abscesses lately with the rain, freeze, thaw, repeat.