My horse has an abscess. It’s been 7 days with animalintex poultice and still no relief. Vet was out a few days ago. Xray’s done. So confident we are only dealing with an abscess.
He had a tough time with an abscess last year that took about 10 days to start draining and then he either developed a 2nd abscess or the first go round he wasn’t completely drained and we deal with it again another few weeks. Hoping this isn’t the case again.
I read some places that using crushed garlic draws out abscesses and was curious if anyone has tried it? I’m tempted to give it a go but not a ton of information out there on trying it for a hoof abscess. Any thoughts? We’re pretty sure the abscess is in the medial heel area.
No idea of the osmotic properties of garlic.
I’d stick with (Epsom) salt and hot water.
Just googled and found nothing on garlic.
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Have had the most luck with epsom salt poultice paste wraps. Especially for heel area abscesses. Never heard about garlic. My thoughts are with you … coaxing out an abscess can be exhausting! Good luck.
I haven’t heard of garlic as drawing, but is supposed to have some antibiotic powers, however I have heard of sugar as being drawing, probably not better than bought poultices though.
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Sugardine or Epsom salts are more likely to be drawing than garlic, which I suspect is not particularly hyperosmotic.
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I usually prefer Animalintex wraps bc I can see the drainage once it happens. Need time and movement (of the horse) to push the infection out. Just keep at it.
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Whatever antiseptic properties garlic might have, they are lost in an abscess pack on the outside of the hoof. You are trying to draw fluid from inside the hoof capsule out hopefully through a rupture in the softer tissues of heel or frog crevices. And not the coronet band.
You want somethung that will keep those structure soft and wet and has some osmotic properties.
That’s why wet poultice of animal lintex or sugardine or Epsom salts are used. Also soaking daily or twice daily for ten minutes in a warm saturated solution of Epsom salts. And as much movement as horse will tolerate, padding or packing or boots is fine. I like to get the poultice up over the heel bulb but not over the coronet. Bute which reduces inflammation can actually slow down the process.
That said it can be hard to tell the difference between an abscess and a bruise. A bruise just takes time.
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Well - it worked! Abscess opened on heel bulb within 24hrs. Could have been a combo of time. Just happy it’s finally draining =)
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Yay! That’s a good place to pop.
Later you will see a dry crack in the bulb that will grow downwards. In a couple of months it will be part of the frog and will peel off. You don’t need to worry about this, no worries about aftercare or protection.
