Hi all! I’m not super well versed in hoof abscesses but have dealt with a few. My mare came up extremely lame on Tuesday and that plus our muddy/rainy conditions lead me to think abscess. I have been poulticing and wrapping. The abscess blew today and is still draining. My mare looks far more comfortable and already putting full weight on the foot again (though perhaps still a bit sore). Is there a way to know once the abscess has blown completely? Am I good once the poultice pad starts coming back clean, or do I need to be concerned that there’s more in there? I already have a farrier appointment on Monday. Will I be fine to wait and have my farrier look at it then? Is there anything else I should be doing?
I would keep dry poulticing/wrapping til Monday when the farrier comes and see what they say. That seems about perfect timing. I wouldn’t soak it any more, just keep it clean.
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Since the farrier is coming out on Monday (yippeee), I too would continue the poultice and wrap until then.
You want to make sure that the whole thing drains before the hole closes back up.
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If you’re doing the Animalintex pads, just do a couple days of clean pads, and then I like to squirt some Betadine with a syringe into the hole for a few more subsequent days until the hoof starts to close and the Betadine no longer goes in easily.
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We are doing the Animalintex pads! When you say to keep using clean pads— would you continue doing wet pads at this point or switch to dry? I want to make sure everything is drawn out as needed but not sure if I risk making her foot too soft over time. A vet had me use sugar & betadine to harden up a hoof after an abscess once. If it ends up being needed, would you wait til after the farrier looks at it? Sorry— so many questions. I get so neurotic about things like this 
:dizzy:
I would continue packing to draw out the abscess until the farrier is there on Monday and looks at it.
I’d use it dry at this point. You don’t have to use the whole pad, btw. You can just cut a piece and wrap it over the hole.
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Ditto. And the pad at this point is really just acting as a white surface so you can tell if any more is coming out.
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