Does this sound normal for an abscess?

[FineAlready]

Vet thinks the picture I sent of the stuff on the Animalintex looks more like thrush than abscess drainage. Waiting to hear back on some video clips and other pics I sent.

He does tend to get a little thrushy this time of year, but I guess I’d be surprised to have such sudden onset severe lameness like that with thrush. He does occasionally go out in muddy paddocks after heavy rains, but he is in overnight and his stall is cleaned twice a day. I also pick his feet out twice a day, and treat with Thrush Buster when I can see thrush starting.

I guess if it is thrush, I’m sort of stumped about how I can do anything more than I’m already doing to prevent it. The only other option would be not turning him out at all after it rains, and that’s not an option that will work for him at all.

[JB]

FWIW, though I haven’t dealt with a LOT of abscesses, I’ve dealt with a few, and without exception, all of them have that nasty grayish mess on whatever pad I’m using to soak up the gunk. I do think this stuff changes color to some degree once it’s out and soaking in whatever. I think the only reliable way to judge color is when it’s fresh.

Unless you really, really scrubbed that foot clean, top and bottom and all around, there’s no doubt there’s some dirt in there.

I would not assume thrush. The depth of the collateral groove just holds some bit of dirt that is dredged up once packed with something moist.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=JB;8175146]
FWIW, though I haven’t dealt with a LOT of abscesses, I’ve dealt with a few, and without exception, all of them have that nasty grayish mess on whatever pad I’m using to soak up the gunk. I do think this stuff changes color to some degree once it’s out and soaking in whatever. I think the only reliable way to judge color is when it’s fresh.

Unless you really, really scrubbed that foot clean, top and bottom and all around, there’s no doubt there’s some dirt in there.

I would not assume thrush. The depth of the collateral groove just holds some bit of dirt that is dredged up once packed with something moist.[/QUOTE]

I did really, really scrub it clean. The stuff on the pad is definitely not dirt that was in the collateral grooves.

[Hermein]

It’s altogether possible to have thrush and an abscess, serial abscesses, recurrent abscesses. And my abscess-prone horse once took all of six weeks to blow.

Another horse blows out through the coronary. A friend had a horse who once blew an abscess at knee level.

Everytime one gets a bad one, I expect to find a broken leg because they’re so miserable.

[FineAlready]

Okay, vet has seen pictures and video and has heard history of the lameness. Said that if it continues to improve with what I’m doing, keep doing what I’m doing for up to another week. If not better in another week, have it seen. Doesn’t think it is thrush anymore, either. Agrees it is probably an abscess and thinks that it is probably in his heel.

[FineAlready]

Well, he was worse last night and this morning. No more drainage on the AnimalLintex, so I’m having the vet out tonight (earliest she can get here). I’m hoping it’s just an abscess sitting in his heel that is about to drain, since his heel is very sore to the touch. I am of course freaking out that it’s a broken coffin bone or bone infection, but he’s still sound at the walk (though does take a funny step now and then if I turn him in the aisle). I suppose it could also be some kind of soft tissue injury inside the hoof. I guess he was a little rowdy in turnout the day this started. I’m pretty certain it is in his hoof though. He definitely has a bounding pulse that would suggest a hoof issue. Blah, I hate this.

[ChocoMare]

Sometimes when they’re that deep, the old method of soaking for 30 minutes or more in hot water & epsom salt, followed by a diaper packed with Ichthammol, 1 layer of vet wrap and then a ThermaCare Heat Wrap on the bottom, covered by the rest of the vet wrap & duct tape or a Hoof Slipper works better… I also turn them out on the bootie cuz the movement helps the lymphatic system do its job by moving fluid out.

[FineAlready]

Hmm…have never heard the heat wrap idea. I kind of like that. I’ll ask the vet about it, assuming she still thinks this is an abscess. I feel so bad for him. He’s definitely a little sad about his sore foot.

[ChocoMare]

The Heat Wrap idea is from COTH’s own MistyBlue… it keeps the heat going

[gottagrey]

Does the hoof have any weird kind of growth in it? I’d make sure to have the vet come out to make sure the horse doesn’t have the beginnings of canker too. Canker is rare, though it is more common but diagnosed as many vets & farriers are unfamiliar with it. I thought my horse had an abscess and treated it as such when it wasn’t getting better, called the vet out and unfortunately my saga with canker began - so I apologize if I seem to be an alarmist but it’s something you might want to keep in the back of your min IF your horse doesn’t seem to improve or goes back and forth.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=gottagrey;8177277]
Does the hoof have any weird kind of growth in it? I’d make sure to have the vet come out to make sure the horse doesn’t have the beginnings of canker too. Canker is rare, though it is more common but diagnosed as many vets & farriers are unfamiliar with it. I thought my horse had an abscess and treated it as such when it wasn’t getting better, called the vet out and unfortunately my saga with canker began - so I apologize if I seem to be an alarmist but it’s something you might want to keep in the back of your min IF your horse doesn’t seem to improve or goes back and forth.[/QUOTE]

Vet is still not here…running behind. I wouldn’t say I see any weird growth, but the hoof is now in bad shape because he was due to be trimmed and now the foot looks awful from being soaked so much. At some point, he’s going to need to be trimmed, whether he is sound or not. He’s shod in front, and those really need doing as well.

[Zu_Zu]

Jingles for your gelding ~ AO

[B]

Jingles for your gelding ~ AO

• I’m betting an abscess …which you can manage ~[/B]

[Zu_Zu]

ChocoMare ~ thanks for the reminder of the Misty Blue method !

ChocoMare ~ thanks for the reminder of the Misty Blue technique !

QUOTE=ChocoMare;8176545]Sometimes when they’re that deep, the old method of soaking for 30 minutes or more in hot water & epsom salt, followed by a diaper packed with Ichthammol, 1 layer of vet wrap and then a ThermaCare Heat Wrap on the bottom, covered by the rest of the vet wrap & duct tape or a Hoof Slipper works better… I also turn them out on the bootie cuz the movement helps the lymphatic system do its job by moving fluid out.[/QUOTE]

[FineAlready]

Vet just left. She still thinks it is an abscess. Flexed his fetlock, x-rayed, palpated. Nothing else amiss, so most likely an abscess given history, strong pulse, and some response to hoof testers.

[runwayz]

When I worked for an equine vet, we would always tell the client to keep the wrap on and not let any dirt or debris get into the hole. Ichthammol, a diaper, vet wrap, and duct tape would stay on for a couple days, then remove, soak, and re-wrap. Perhaps he should not be out with nothing on that foot.

The hole will close from the inside out, and you want to be sure no dirt is in there for it to close over, or you will start all over again…

[FineAlready]

Yeah, I was thinking this too, but vet seemed fine with it coming off during the day. There is no hole to speak of at this point…not even with some trimming of the hoof. He’s also a weirdo and gets overly emotional about the wrap on his hoof if it stays on too long. Like he stomps and kicks and turns to try to bite it off. I may try to leave it on until his farrier appointment tomorrow afternoon.

[QUOTE=runwayz;8177601]
When I worked for an equine vet, we would always tell the client to keep the wrap on and not let any dirt or debris get into the hole. Ichthammol, a diaper, vet wrap, and duct tape would stay on for a couple days, then remove, soak, and re-wrap. Perhaps he should not be out with nothing on that foot.

The hole will close from the inside out, and you want to be sure no dirt is in there for it to close over, or you will start all over again…[/QUOTE]

[Farys]

Did you vet suggest antibiotics? My horse was off for almost a month and a half with a stone bruise and 4 abscesses in the same foot (confirmed 4 drainage holes on x-ray). We ran a course of sulfa-trim for 10 days to clear up any of the abscess that had stopped draining. Might be an avenue to explore if it continues for much longer. He was sound and back to work before we even finished the course of antibiotics.

[FineAlready]

Nope, no suggestion for antibiotics. Vet honestly didn’t seem to think this has gone on long at all. We could not see the abscess on x-ray, so it probably isn’t massive. He’s a sensitive horse, so it’s not that surprising that he would react this way.

[FineAlready]

More drainage this morning right near where the vet thought the abscess was. I didn’t lunge him this morning, but when I took him to turnout he was extremely jacked up and galloped off bucking and farting once he was out. So presumably it feels a bit better. He’s getting his feet trimmed this afternoon, so hopefully that will also help.

[ChocoMare]

Yay… for future reference, do leave the bootie on for 24 hours, then change it. After dealing with chronic abscesses in my Percheron, I invested in an Equine Slipper. SOOO much easier to deal with than Gorilla Tape.

Easily washed for next time use.