Abscess question-Help!!

[SIXTEN]

Hi all, I need some help and advice on foot abscess because it's really confusing me. My beautiful TB started limping on his right front a few weeks ago. My trainer thought it was his shoulder since there were no bad signs in the foot or leg. We left him in for a week and he was fine. I rode him last Tuesday and by Wednesday he was limping again. The vet saw him Saturday, did a nerve-block on his foot and determined it was a foot problem. She started digging in his horn, cleaning it out and then bandaging it with a poultace (spelling?) bandage. She said he should be well within a day. She said it wasn't a real abscess but more of a "pre-abscess". I have been trying to read up on this and have learned that it usually takes 3 days for the horse to get well. I've been changing his poultace once a day. Yesterday was 3 days and he was still limping. The vet said to bring him in for X-rays. There is black smelly puss on the poultace which makes me think her diagnosis was right. So I guess my question is: Does anyone know of a foot abscess that has taken more than 3 days to cure? I just want him to get well but I feel that my vet's decision is a bit premature, but then again maybe a foot abscess has to be cured within 3 days or its really dangerous? HELP!! Any guideline would be appreciated, I'm lost!

[Wally]

Foot abcesses, so long as they are draining, rarly case much trouble. If it's deep it may take longer than 3 days to be less painful. It also depends on the horses' foot. Some are more sensetive than others. A T'bred may well feel her foot painful longer than say a Highland with rock hard dinnerplates.

There are no hard and fast rules, so long as you change the poultice and keep the puss coming out it may well take much longer than 3 days. Don't worry though, an abscess will usually clear up without much hassle.

[Tammy]

Make sure the horse doesn't have thrush as well as an abscess. Thrush gives off a black smelly discharge.

[SIXTEN]

Thanks Wally and Tammy for your advice. I am going to leave him for a few days and change the bandage, hopefully it will clear up. I did think however that the black smelly stuff was just puss that comes out during an abscess?! Guess I have to go read up on that!

[Wally]

Thrush puss will come from the cleft in the frog. Abcess puss will come from the hole cut by the vet. It all stinks!

[Mossy]

Poor you, and poor horse. I can echo Wally's comment about breed affecting pain threshold. Connie who is half TB can be a right prima donna. "Ooh it hurts! I'm lame" for the slightest knock, [but I can still canter sound down the field with the others!?] whereas if Moss - Highland - is off colour something is undoubtedly WRONG. Thrush discharge is disgusting. black and you can smell it as you walk past the stable door. Abcess pus is the usual horrible pus we are all used to.

[Dizzy]

My friends horse has an abcess in her back foot, hers has been draining all this week, Laura has been using animalintex poultice keeping it on with Duck tape (this is brilliant, at first she had a bandage covered by polythene held on with tape, but this soon wore through, the duck tape lasts for the day), unfortunately our vets are reluctant to come out unless it is absolutely necessary because of F & M but prescribed some antibiotics which we picked up from the surgery. It is only today that PC has been happy to put her weight on the foot. PC is connemara x tb, I would think that the recovery time will vary (as already said) breed and the depth/size of the abcess.

Hope your horse recovers soon.

Lesley

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Thank you all for your support and help- he is finally getting better, I can't wait to ride again!