An abscess question

We are still no further on with Fuzzy and the abscess. We laid off tubbing and then on and then off - as it seemed to make no difference. Two days ago we thought she'd turned a corner and last night looking better. But this morning and just this afternoon after going back out - very hoppy on the backs and holding it up. She looks okay in the field and is eating, pooping and fine in herself. The stones make her worse anyway (Cavallo boots that arrived from Hoof Boutique had to go back as way too big as measured wrong!). When the new pair come, hopefully that will help her fronts. But the one that we think has an abscess is just such a puzzle. There's no heat and the leg seems fine but she looks worse turning tight corners like going into the byre side door.
I'm talking to my vet tomorrow and seeing what she thinks. It is two weeks today since it started. How long is too long? And how to move forward? Any thoughts?
 
carthorse said:
Can the vet bring equipment to scan or x-ray? If they can I'd be asking for that to be done, and if the foot she's lame on shows nothing I'd x-ray the other three in case she's compensating.
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I was thinking along those lines - I'm going to ask if they have a portable x ray. I know they have a scanner they can bring out because we used it on Storm's leg a long time ago. At this stage, would you continue with the tubbing? I've been doing it on and off as initially vet suggested for the first three days. So then we stopped and things weren't improving so returned to doing it. And on and off......you get the idea!
 
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Keep going. It can take weeks, literally many weeks for anything to show and even then you don't see it (from experience here) but then you see it when the farrier comes weeks later. So don't sweat it, keep going. I doubt the x-ray would show much and honestly you haven't been at it very long imho. Keep doing what you're doing; it is helping.
 
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I wouldn't keep tubbing in case the problem isn't an abscess and you're softening the foot unnecessarily, potentially adding to the problem. But speak to your vet about it, ideally when he's seen her, and see what he thinks. Out of interest has your farrier had a look? I'm sure I've asked that before but it's easier to ask again rather than go back through the thread - sorry for being lazy.

An x-ray can show pockets of pus, and will also hopefully rule out other problems.
 
I remember with Chunky we poulticed for a week turned him out and he was worse walking on grass. So we went for xrays which showed the pedal bone fracture.
Is Fuz laying down more than normal, is she lamer after going on the grass.
Maybe restrict the field movement. Not saying dont turn out, they need grass for mental stimulation but just keep to byre and flat yard as much as possible.
Depends on how long before farrier is due. I'd wait and see what shows up on farrier visit before xray. But if that's weeks away then I'd see if you could pull the visit forward at all.
 
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chunky monkey said:
I remember with Chunky we poulticed for a week turned him out and he was worse walking on grass. So we went for xrays which showed the pedal bone fracture.
Is Fuz laying down more than normal, is she lamer after going on the grass.
Maybe restrict the field movement. Not saying dont turn out, they need grass for mental stimulation but just keep to byre and flat yard as much as possible.
Depends on how long before farrier is due. I'd wait and see what shows up on farrier visit before xray. But if that's weeks away then I'd see if you could pull the visit forward at all.
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No she's not laying down more than normal. Just waiting to hear back from the vet.
 
Had a chat with the vet and she thinks definitely an abscess and has known them go on for a lot longer than this in her experience. She said we could try putting her in 24/7 and if it were another type of injury it would show some improvement but she wouldn't take kindly to that (she stayed in overnight initially as I didn't know it was an abscess at that point) and I think it would be a big ask and she'd get far too stressed - just on the off chance it is something else like a tendon. If she doesn't want to be somewhere she will literally barge or kick her way out. When she first arrived here I popped her in the cat barn which only has a bar across that lifts off easily and yes, she lifted it off pretty fast and escaped!
I'm just waiting for an answer on the tubbing - whether to carry that on or not. You wouldn't know there was anything wrong in the field - she looks fine. It is the tight corners coming into the byre and when she first gets to the top of the track after being inside a while - she holds it up. But a few more steps and once she's in the field she looks okay.
Vet does not think a tendon and I don't either, she's not showing any symptoms of that, no heat and no swelling.
Our farrier will be coming in a couple of weeks so that might shed some light on it too.
Vet also didn't mention x raying or scanning.
 
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I’m sorry to see it’s still ongoing, I’ve known them take 4/6 weeks to finally clear up.

I only xrayed Jess after multiple abscesses within a few months to see if there was something causing them, she was very lame at the time and it showed nothing then we had a huge pus explosion, she had 18 over almost 2 years for no obvious reason but likely to do with whatever caused her career ending lameness which we never found. X-rays can show pus pockets, but often they don’t show up so a negative X-ray isn’t conclusive.

Cleantrax is expensive for a 1 time treatment but I found it incredibly effective for rumbling abscesses (if she will stand in it for the full 45 minutes!), it apparently penetrates into the hoof to kill off nasties inside which can help kill the infection, it was originally used in human abdominal surgery when infection risks are incredibly high. https://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/product/cleantrax/
 
Jessey said:
I’m sorry to see it’s still ongoing, I’ve known them take 4/6 weeks to finally clear up.

I only xrayed Jess after multiple abscesses within a few months to see if there was something causing them, she was very lame at the time and it showed nothing then we had a huge pus explosion, she had 18 over almost 2 years for no obvious reason but likely to do with whatever caused her career ending lameness which we never found. X-rays can show pus pockets, but often they don’t show up so a negative X-ray isn’t conclusive.

Cleantrax is expensive for a 1 time treatment but I found it incredibly effective for rumbling abscesses (if she will stand in it for the full 45 minutes!), it apparently penetrates into the hoof to kill off nasties inside which can help kill the infection, it was originally used in human abdominal surgery when infection risks are incredibly high. https://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/product/cleantrax/
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Thanks for the link, will definitely look into that. Though I've just heard back from my vet and she said to hold off the poulticing now. She reckons it might just be taking a long time to come out. Its weird because Fuzzy looks absolutely fine in the field and its only really on the tight corners like turning into the byre that it shows up. And every now and again when she comes out she randomly holds it up. I want pus!!! Better out than in and all that.
Wonder if they can dissolve inside without ever coming out?
 
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Just an update;
No change at all, if anything she's now looking sore on her fronts.
I'm just waiting for the vets to come back with a day and time to x ray her as we both feel it will be beneficial now. My guess is her fronts are looking worse because she's already sore with the potential abscess on the back. She is never very good on the stones, hence why we ordered her boots (which came and were the wrong size). So just waiting for those to be re-delivered and hopefully they will help her. However, that doesn't resolve the issue with the back hoof. She holds it up from time to time. Seems fine in the field but I can tell is very very reluctant to come back up the yard onto the stones - even the short distance to the rubber mats.
So overnight I've been keeping her in as its not nice to see Zi chasing her up and forcing her onto the stones. What does worry me is that she's fine about being kept in! Which is not like her at all. So I will be glad when we've x rayed and hopefully shed some light on things.
 
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Well what a carry on.
I've had Fuzzy two years and still she surprises me. I think I always go back to the "when a cob loses the plot, they really lose it" way of thinking. She's about as chilled and laid back as it comes normally. But every now and again....
Last night I was keeping her in the byre again - she seemed to love it this past three nights. No complaints.
Last night I left her with a nice pile of hay about nine o'clock. All was well.
But this morning - oh dear. Her bed! She had clearly paced and churned all night long. I wish I'd gone out and checked her at 11pm when I said goodnight to the cats. I could have simply opened the door and let her out! Couldn't find the poop it was so mashed.
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A wretched churned mess. Took me an hour to sort this morning.
She came flying out like there was nothing wrong with her feet at all. But I know its just adrenalin and stress.
So tonight she's most definitely out!
Anyway, here she is keeping company with Zi this morning. He was knackered as he'd been out all night and loves to come up for a snooze.
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And yes, I know she's porky but I am at a loss right now as to how I can get anything off her!!
 
It's a constant mystery to me why people assume cobs are easy, they only are when everything is going their way! When it isn't and they object I think the only thing worse to be dealing with is a proper draught breed. The trouble is that calm nature turns to a cal, determination that things will change and they don't much care for what or who gets in the way.
 
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