[QUOTE=trubandloki;8645752]
Wouldn’t that cause swelling?[/QUOTE]
Not in all cases and not in mine, unfortunately (unfortunate, as in I know all about issues with a suspensory).
[QUOTE=dotneko;8645918]
We had a horse come in yesterday walking on his toe behind. Xray showed a coffin bone fracture. He is in surgery today.[/QUOTE]
Wow, hope it goes well and speedy recovery!
Did he kick something? Any idea how it happened?
Did he have any heat in his foot?
My gelding showed similar symptoms as well. Testers didn’t find anything, it was my farrier who came out and started “digging” around and lo and behold a massive abscess popped.
It might not be the case, but you can always go ahead and start soaking and see if it will come out. While we waiting for the farrier to come out we soaked and used the green poultice on his bulb.
Best of luck!
How long did your vet say to rest for? It sounds like it very well could be an abscess but I would be inclined to rest just in case it’s not an abscess and it’s a serious injury.I would think if nothing changes you would want to get x-rays just to rule out any fracture.
[QUOTE=noahsgroom;8646659]
Wow, hope it goes well and speedy recovery!
Did he kick something? Any idea how it happened?[/QUOTE]
Thanks - nothing we know of. He has been known to run around a bit in turnout, so I could be from kicking a fence or a small rock in his paddock or just dumb luck.
No real heat or digital pulse increase. Just standing with weight on toe. Recovery is a long process and founder on the other foot is a big concern.
OP, sorry if this was asked and you responded, but did your vet block yet?
I’m going to jump on the abscess train as well, since I had one do the same thing. Young TB, no reaction to hoof testers, small abscess finally came out above the heel bulbs. Weird spot.
Mine just had one come out of her heel bulb as well. I’ve never seen a horse so lame. She had to hop on three legs to get around. Thank goodness for my coach’s cool head. I was sure she was a goner!
My TB who is not wearing shoes came in from the field not wanting to put his heel down. I didn’t call the vet because most of the time they don’t know what the problem is. I thought it was either an abscess or stone bruise. I poulticed his foot with animalintex and made a duct tape booty for him. Left it on for two days and he was perfectly sound once I took it off. Probably just stepped on a stone.
I’d treat it as an abcess until the vet can get back on the 12th. Rest, soak and poultice daily for 3 or 4 days, lay off a couple then repeat if needed. You can over soak and over treat going too many days in a row, or so my vets and farriers have told me. Lay off the Bute, you want to entice it to “cook” and seek a path to blow itself out of the hoof.
I used to make a “bootie” out of a disposable diaper, vet wrap and duct tape. Soak 20 min in warm water and Epsom salt, pack with nasty old Icthymmol (can’t spell it, black stinky stuff the texture of Vaseline, it’s a very old timey drawing salve), put the folded diaper over the sole, wrap with vet wrap or similar then go over the hoof and sole with duct tape. Lasted a day easy if horse was in stall.
I would hand walk daily as the hoof flexes and pumps itself with each step to help the thing find a way out as well as keep the horses circulation and digestion working normally and reduce stiffness. Otherwise rest.
I normally go right away for blocks and X rays on here but, since the vet has already seen him and suspects abscess plus is doing a follow up visit on the 12th? In this case comfortable saying treat as an abscess. Block on the 12th and do X Ray and ultrasound as indicated.
The treatment for suspensories and most soft tissue starts with rest and light hand walking if able anyway, won’t hurt to wait and see on vets recommendation in this case.
[QUOTE=MoonWitch;8648652]
OP, sorry if this was asked and you responded, but did your vet block yet?[/QUOTE]
He has not, we are planning to do more diangnostics on Thursday.
When the vet was out last time, he was not 3 legged lame.
While i was out of town, he was dead lame again and the trainer gave bute and then the next day, he was fine.
I arrived home yesterday and he walks just fine. Trotted him up and he looks ok to me. Just waiting to hear what vet sees later this week before doing anything else.
Any evidence that an abscess blew between when he was last lame and now?
I’ve had a horse with this exact same presentation, limping on toe only, both vet and farrier out and put on hoof testers, no response. Couldn’t figure out why, she was lame for maybe 7-10 days and the a monstrous abcess blew out through the coronet band near the bulb of her heel.
Totally sound as soon as it ruptured. So there’s hope for an easy, cheap outcome!
And FWIW, when it happened, I was quite sure she’d ruptured a tendon or torn a ligament, she was in terrible pain, wouldn’t trot.
When my gelding tore his suspensory he was VERY lame but not three legged lame. It honestly was not as dramatic as one could imagine.
I’m on the abcess boat as well. Jingles for you and your boy!
[QUOTE=IPEsq;8655684]
Any evidence that an abscess blew between when he was last lame and now?[/QUOTE]
Nothing yet. Ferrier did his shoes on Monday, no sign of anything.
I have been keeping a hoof abscess pack on his foot, hoping if it’s an abscess it will hurry it’s way out of our lives.
