[EquitationRider]

My trainer's mare at the barn has a coronary abscess and it's been there for about 4 weeks. She has a buldge at the top and her coronary band is very hot. My trainer has been having me take care of her and I have been soaking in Epsom Salt almost everyday and she is being turned out everyday, weather permitting but it just wont pop! The farrier took Xrays today and saw a tunnel like thing leading up to the buldge but no real pocket where you could dig it out.
I was wondering if anyone had any miracle remedies that I could try. I will try anything at this point to get this mare sound again!
Thanks!

[Dutch Lovin' Dressage Rider]

Abcess in the heart!?! Oh wait, you mean hoof abcess that has migrated to the coronary band. Your title had me going there for a sec. ;-)

Search on here for abcess or abcesses, there are lots of good remedies. Some recent threds had some potent poultice receipe. Icthamol (sp?) and something? Sugardine?

If it was me, I'd apply a heat generating poultice like Icthamol and keep it wrapped to generate heat until it popped.

Good luck!

[Slewdledo]

Keep soaking as often as you can. When my mare has had them on her heel bulb, we have been able to stick a needle in and drain some of the ick out for temporary relief. Can you put a boot on her to soak it even longer?

A friend of mine swears by sugardine.

[saaskya]

i dont think sugardine 'draws'? ive only used for hardening feet.

id wrap it with animalintex ... that is good at drawing. ichthamol to a point but i mostly use it to keep area soft.

[Roxx]

Soaking is great but do you have her poulticed (I usually use animallintex but have also had good success with a glycerin & epsom salt paste) when she's turned out?

[Roxx]

i dont think sugardine 'draws'? ive only used for hardening feet.

id wrap it with animalintex ... that is good at drawing. ichthamol to a point but i mostly use it to keep area soft.

Agree sugardine is for drying out the site after it's been poulticed and resolved.

[EquitationRider]

Soaking is great but do you have her poulticed (I usually use animallintex but have also had good success with a glycerin & epsom salt paste) when she's turned out?

We were packing it with animallintex but we haven't in a while

[morsekg]

My horse just had one, and we wrapped his foot with an epsom salt water soaked diaper before we did the vetwrap and duct tape combo. You can angle the diaper so it sits right across the coronary band and strap it on with the tabs. That way he had very extended treatment. Mine popped in a week, but that might just be luck!

[JB]

The *farrier* did xrays?

What does the vet say at this point?

Are you wrapping the foot? I think I'd slather Icthammol all over the coronet and wrap at this point if you haven't done that.

[caballus]

I use 2 Homeopathic remedies that haven't failed me yet. (dozens of different horses, different siutations, barns, etc.) ... First is Hepar sulph to bring the abscess to a head and blow it out. The second is Silicea to resolve the abscess. In the meantime allowing the horse plenty of turnout to move and work that abscess out.

[trubandloki]

Another vote you should be wrapping with some drawing agent. Whichever you like best.

[Amwrider]

Farriers do x-rays?

Why are you taking care of it and not the owner/trainer?

I agree, it should be wrapped with a drawing agent. Soak it as you have been doing, wrap it with a big slather of ichthamol and wrap it up.

[Amwrider]

Also

coronary = heart
coronet = hoof

[JB]

Coronary band in relation to the hoof is quite acceptable

[Amwrider]

Coronary band in relation to the hoof is quite acceptable

You are right! I stand corrected

[EquitationRider]

The *farrier* did xrays?

What does the vet say at this point?

Are you wrapping the foot? I think I'd slather Icthammol all over the coronet and wrap at this point if you haven't done that.

Woops meant to say that the vet took xrays and farrier had another look at her
We have not been wrapping her foor but I will try the Icthammol, can that just be bought at CVS or something?

[EquitationRider]

Farriers do x-rays?

Why are you taking care of it and not the owner/trainer?

I agree, it should be wrapped with a drawing agent. Soak it as you have been doing, wrap it with a big slather of ichthamol and wrap it up.

Sorry I meant to put vet.
Im taking care of her because the trainer does not have the time to give her a lot of attention and I really care for the mare and I am happy to do it.
I will definitly try thge Icthamol

[saaskya]

ichthamol from the tack store. i would personally use animalintex, but either way wrap with product if choice over affected area, diaper if needed or sheet cotton, vet wrap, duct tape. turnout.

vet didnt think it was anything but an abcess? i have had about five hundred abcesses this past winter/fall and none took that long to pop with daily or twice daily soaks and wrapping with animalintex or epsom salts, depending.

i had one horse who came in lame from the field, thought it was a stubborn abcesss after a week of heat/pulse and packing. turned out, after rads and ultrasounds, there was two pockets, one was a sort of abcess and then a pocket above that had a vaccuum effect when there was impact. farrier suspected initial abcess caused by stepping on something. ultimately put on a medical plate and packed with biozide until healed.

i understand this is at the coronet, not on the sole like my horse, just making sure its just an abcess..

[stryder]

Has the vet talked about antibiotics?

[fanfayre]

A VERY Timely Thread- my mare popped a whopper at the coronet 8 days ago, after being 3-legged lame for the previous 2 days, and with much heat at the heel. Completely caught me off-guard when I unwrapped the poultice and found the mess at the coronet, I can tell you! The "explosion" is 2" across at the coronet I'm trying to post the photos, but it looks like I"m no longer a premium member, so will have to try a different way, or take my word for it, it's Ugly!
I've kept it wrapped with poultice until there was no more discharge- as per my vet's instructions (Board-certified Equine specialist and up-to-date on the newest protocols; I trust her IMPLICITLY) and after that with a pad and duct tape, but she's got what appears to be a separation of the hoof at the coronet. I've got an email into my vet as she's away this weekend, but how concerned should I be? What is the likelihood I may not be riding anytime soon?
Here's my vet's abscess protocol for the last 5 years: NO soaking (absolutely NONE), NO bute, NO stall rest, did I mention not to soak? Her words: "Please don't soak that thing if you were considering it (old PC rules die hard!)" and ones I followed to the letter!