Abscess wait times?

[merrygoround]

I do not stall rest horses that turn up lame and show a positive reaction to hoof testers. Neither do I soak or pack the hoof. I’ve observed that if a horse becomes increasing y lame as the days go by, I can plan on an abscess. If the lameness stays the same, or gradually decreases, I hope for a stone bruise. It also helps if you are watching a horse trotting, see it step on a rock, and go immediately lame.

The time frame in either case is whenever. I’ve had some abscesses become nerve wracking.

[Xanthoria]

Having dealt with a few recently my MO is:

1. Keep them out - movement is good (if stall bound, hand walk. Agonizing, but it helps)

2. No but or other anti inflammatory - you don’t want to slow the progression of the abscess.

3. If it’s wet out and they’re standing in mud, great! Self soaking If not, I usually want to soak and wrap because it gives me something to do and stops people calling me to tell me my horse is lame…

4. Soak: Davis soaking boot. Hot water. Handful Epsom salts. Leave it on as long as you can stand it (at least 30 mins). Life is too short for faffing around with feed pans and annoyed horses.

5. Wrap: apply diaper smeared in icthammol (use latex exam gloves!) to damp hoof (or if you know where the abscess is, put a big blob there). Use half a roll of vetrap to keep that on. Cut a 2" or so slice at the front with scissors so it’s not too tight at the coronet band, then tuck the flaps made inside the wrap. Next apply latticed square of duct tape to bottom of hoof (3 strips each direction is good). Next, and THIS is my new finding, take a strip of an old woven poly feed sack, fold it twice to make a square 4 layers thick, and duct tape that to the bottom of the hoof, making sure the toe area is well covered. This makes the wrap pasture proof and will stay on for days if needed.

6. Re-soak. Reapply. Every 24 hours if it all stays on, can even stay longer if you need. Tip: if you don’t have a soaking boot, you can pour your espom salt solution into the wrap/boot you made from the day before and soak in that. Then remove and toss the whole thing to re-wrap.

7. If it exits on the coronet band GOOD: less time off! If on the sole, or if you let the farrier cut a hole in the sole, BAD: weeks spent waiting for that to grow out