Last week Monday we had a “close” nail… it was just barely pressing on the sensitive hoof tissue. No blood, Farrier dremmeled out the channel and treated it with purple stuff (grooms hand). That was Wednesday (I didnt notice it until I rode late Tuesday evening). I’ve pretty much kept him inside since we have been having such awful rain this week and last. I didnt want him in the mud with the dremmeled channel on his hoof.
Today he is still a bit off on that foot.
I do not have experience with bad nails so… is this fairly normal, or am I looking at an abscess in the making? Should I be soaking/wrapping?
ANy advice appreciated.
The one time a farrier did a close nail on mine, he just reset the shoe, didn’t drill a channel or anything. I have no idea if this is normal procedure or not, just the only experience I have.
I personally would do a sugardine hoof pack for a few days.
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thanks @mmeqcenter . He opened the channel to prevent things getting up into the hoof like dirt etc. It looks just like a crack in the hoof. And thanks for the advice. I was considering polticing; I have animalintex pads…
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Any time I have had a close or hot nail, it has brewed into an abscess. I have kept them out as is routine; the movement is good for them. My farrier[s] have always reset the shoe, Wrapping or poulticing not required but sometimes I think it helps them feel better. Hope he feels better ASAP.
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I will put iodine in a syringe and very carefully inject it into the hole. And, I mean carefully as is barely putting the needle into the top of the hole so the iodine runs down the channel to the bottom of the foot. I’ve had very few hot nails over the years, but a really great farrier taught me this trick when we had one. Hope this helps.
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My horse had a close nail once. Turned into a HUGE issue.
Farrier said to just put some sort of disinfectant on the hole (I don’t remember exactly what it was as this was a couple years ago). About a week later I called the vet after no improvement (he was just sorta lame, not terrible but not comfortable). Vet said we should have started antibiotics immediately. Did a round of antibiotics then and horse improved. Went back to riding and all seemed well. Then he started being on and off lame again. Vet said another round of antibiotics. Got better again. Then on and off lame again. At this point the vet thought we had another issue and it wasn’t the hoof anymore. After a full lameness exam, including blocking and x-rays there was a gas pocket in that hoof. Not your traditional abscess, which is why it didn’t act like one either.
Basically–get on antibiotics immediately and nip it in the bud.
my farrier actually opened a channel down the hoof with a dremmel tool. It looks kind of like a crack. Allows air and nothing gets stuck in there.
Vet was here Monday and suggested wrapping with a poltice. He was really sore right where the nail was (hoof tester). Yesterday he jogged out sound on the cement driveway, this morning as well. Keeping it wrapped until Monday I think. I believe the channel my farrier put in prevented any infection from getting a hold in the hoof.
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Great farriers are worth their weight in plutonium!😀
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