An abscess question

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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I "think" Fuzzy may have an abscess brewing / grumbling. Okay, rode her a tiny bit Sunday and hopped off as she didn't feel right. Turned her back out and she looked okay (ish). Let her back up the yard and it was clear she wasn't happy bearing full weight on one of her back feet. So popped her in the biggest part of the byre to rest and for me to have a proper look. Soaked in salt water and put a poultice on overnight. She ended up staying in because when I offered her back out she planted, gave me a pleading "can I stop in please" look so I gave her a pile of hay and Danilon and said goodnight. She's not used to being stabled overnight but she was fine and happy and this morning looked bright eyed. Opened her door and she looked pleased to come out. Not right by any means but not as bad as yesterday. So I let her out for a couple of hours grazing and then kept to her routine of coming in at lunch for a snooze.
She went back out but she's not quite right and I'm keeping her in the byre again tonight. She can see her friends, Zi comes and goes all night so she's not stressy at all. However, what I thought was an exit hole just looks on further inspection like a crater? In the frog.
She doesn't seem bothered with me messing / touching it either.
So, question is - do you always need either the farrier or vet to come and dig? Or do abscess find their own way out?
If she's same tomorrow I will get the vet to come look. There's no heat or swelling in that leg either, so pretty sure she hasn't pulled a tendon.
How long would you give it for coming out without any intervention? And is it possible to have a grumbling abscess that never actually appears?
Sorry that was more than one question and Cornetto for anyone who read all that!
Thanks in advance. x
 
I don't keep inside. Gentle movement gets it coming out better imho, unless the field is a sea of mud.

No to the vet and farrier too mostly because our vet would be telling me to do what I am already doing. And farrier - he only visits the island once every 8 weeks.

I would be daily standing the hoof in a bucket of hot water with epsom salts for 20 minutes (I fed my horse a bucket while he was standing there). Maybe give painkiller if hopping and miserable. And turning out to be with friends in a clean field so getting some movement and it will burst on its own. If hopping for ages, maybe antibiotics but I only did that for my old lad (aged 32) because it was a really nasty deep abscess that I was convinced gone right up (I may have slightly overreacted at the time!)
 
Frances144 said:
I don't keep inside. Gentle movement gets it coming out better imho, unless the field is a sea of mud.

No to the vet and farrier too mostly because our vet would be telling me to do what I am already doing. And farrier - he only visits the island once every 8 weeks.

I would be daily standing the hoof in a bucket of hot water with epsom salts for 20 minutes (I fed my horse a bucket while he was standing there). Maybe give painkiller if hopping and miserable. And turning out to be with friends in a clean field so getting some movement and it will burst on its own. If hopping for ages, maybe antibiotics but I only did that for my old lad (aged 32) because it was a really nasty deep abscess that I was convinced gone right up (I may have slightly overreacted at the time!)
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Thanks, its not muddy at all, but, she did look a bit fed up being out as Zi can be pushy and likes to round her up and herd her back up the yard at night (I watch them from the kitchen window sometimes late on). She just looked so relieved last night to have some peace and quiet away from him, he can be a bit over bearing (he adores her but likes to put her where he wants her). Thanks for the tip with the salts - I just used ordinary but will try and get some Epsom.
 
Frances144 said:
what about putting an electric fence between them so she is outside but not getting hassled?
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I don't have a working electric fencing set up anymore. I scrapped it when Fuz came to live here as she just seemed to go through fences for fun (unless they are post and rail or something substantial !). I'll see how she is later tonight. She's quite an interesting pony in terms of management. She's small, tank like and will do my bidding but sometimes if she doesn't quite agree and is feeling nosey you just can't contain her.
 
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If you know a homeopath, myristica sebifera is very good at getting the abscess to burst quickly.

"Myristica sebifera (also known as Brazilian Ucuba or Virola sebifera) is a prominent homeopathic remedy utilized to treat skin infections, boils, and abscesses. It is valued for its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to act as a "homeopathic knife" by promoting the natural maturation and drainage of pus."

I would give Haakon sandwiches with pillules inside!
 
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Does she have a higher digital pulse in that leg? An abscess will cause one, though like the lameness it can come and go while it's brewing.

I'd monitor and keep hot poulticing for a couplee more days, if there's no change or she looks more uncomfortable/reluctant to move then I'd get the farrier to have a look. Farriers ar my go to for an abscess because they don't tend to dig the great big hole that vets do! Abscesses are the one time that good rock hard feet are a nuisance because it's harder for the abscess to burst out so it goes on longer, and I wouldn't want to leave it unsen for too long in case it tracks backwards and infects the pedal bone - rare but I've seen it happen.
 
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After Jess’ massive number of abscesses I’ve got it down to pat, I don’t like having the vet or farrier, if you dig them out I find they take longer to heal/get back to comfortable barefoot. I just hot tub with Epsom salts once a day, as hot as they will tolerate it, and wet poultice with Epsom salts the remaining 23.5 hours a day, don’t give bute (bute is an anti inflammatory and can slow down the pop) and turnout, in your case I’d find a way that she isn’t pestered but can still move, movement helps them pop. Once popped I normally wet poultice/tub for another 24-72 hours until muck stops coming out then dry poultice for 24-48 hours for the inside to seal over and turn back out with nothing on it.
 
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Thanks all, got the vet coming tomorrow, I don't know if there's not a bit of something else going on but want to rule that out. I'll update when she's been. She's out and about right now, but she is very reluctant and really quite jerky and stiff looking. Hmm. Its my regular vet and I'm happy that she's coming as she's used to our lot and knows the set up.
 
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I hate to say it but have you considered laminitis? I know you say it's behind but I've been caught out by that before when they look wrong behind because they're compensating for a problem up front.
 
carthorse said:
I hate to say it but have you considered laminitis? I know you say it's behind but I've been caught out by that before when they look wrong behind because they're compensating for a problem up front.
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I honestly have no idea, its not something I've ever dealt with (apart from concussive on a tb many years ago). So I'm hoping she can check this aspect out as it did cross my mind. I really hope not, I will feel like I've let her down if it is as I know her history and she had the same home for twenty years until she came here - so I'll feel awful if it is. Her old owner said she'd never had it. But I will cross that bridge if I have to. I will be able to tailor an existence to suit her thankfully being at home with them.
 
@Trewsers a vet should be able to tell. If it is don't feel bad, and at her age it could be Cushings related and that's usually easy to medicate. Fingers crossed it isn't though xx
 
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