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  Discussion on Stone bruise w/ heat?
Author Message
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Monday, Nov 10, 2003 - 1:03 pm:

Hi, My horse came up extremly lame 8 days ago on his right front foot. I had the vet out and she said he was very sore in 2 spots near his heal. She said to soak in epson salts 2x a day. She said it was a stone bruise maybe an absess. I then asked her if it was an absess why doesnt she drain it. She said she would prefer it to come out the heal on its own if it did absess?
Any way 8 days later. He is not lame or in any pain, however he has heat in his hoof and heal. Because of this I am continuing to soak once a day. My question is can just a bruise cause heat?
Also if this is an absess why is my horse now not lame and why wont the absess come to the surface. My vet is great this is the first time I am a bit confused.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 7:15 am:

I cannot answer the questions specific to your horse without looking at him Katrina. In general small sole bruises do not cause heat and abscesses do not heal themselves without draining. But perhaps your horse really hit is foot hard? You might get heat and no abscess.
DrO
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 8:55 am:

Thank you Dr O,
It is very possible he hit his foot hard as we were riding in extremly rocky mountains. He is barefoot and has ridden in these areas many times without problems. However this time our trail turned into a river and the horses could not see where that were putting there feet, so it is very possible. Your answer helps alott.
Because he is not lame anymore, chances of an absess are slim? Am I right? I will continue to soak 1x a day for the rest of the week, just to be sure, he loves it so much anyway, it puts him to sleep.
Thank you again Dr O
Katrina
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 - 8:29 am:

Not neccesarily, I have seen horses with a history that sounded like an abscess, I get out there and things look Ok, only to have the horse become lame again with an abscess that required paring out. Usually this all happens pretty quick.
  • Two separate problems?
  • Did the immune system get the problem under temporary control?
  • Did the abscess have a small exit to drain that then became replugged?
I don't know and this does not happen often.
DrO
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 - 11:57 am:

Thanks again Dr O. I think I am going with the immune system temporarly under control. I really do think there is an absess simmering away. I check his feet thorouly and havent seen a tiny exit hole yet. He has a soft mushy part on one side of his heal that is sore. I am sure its in there somewhere. Its kept clean dry and wrapped after soaking incase in pops. I just think that if it was a bruise the heat would be gone by now. The ride was 2 weeks ago.
If in a few weeks there is still heat I will get my farrier to check and drain it. As my vet did not or does not want to. I did lunge him to see his movement today and he is lame at the trot. His walk is almost normal. He was not lame a few days ago.
At least now I know what I am going to do and have a plan, thanks to your advise. Will write again at the end of the month
Thanks dr o
Member:
Dommay

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 - 12:08 pm:

Hi there,
I too, just found out my QH has an abcess.
2 Sundays ago I went to the trainer to ride him. When I arrived I did not see him, then noticed him shoot out of the pasture shed running/playing and then noticed him go down on the right front.

Pulled him out of the pasture to clean him up and noticed he could not make the right turn w/out limping now. The trainer and I did the flexions on him etc.. and he was negative for any type of bending we did on him. Trainer also mentioned this was the first he heard of him being lame. I believe him, because I saw the horse run fine and then go down.

Wondering if he hit a stone in the ground or what??
Trainer said he has been soaking him daily in epsom salts and the farrier was due yesterday.
Trainer pared away as much as he felt comfortable with but wanted the farrier to do the rest.
He said it was an abcess and he wanted the farrier to pare it out to drain.
I called and left a message on his status today and have not heard back yet.

My main concern is if my horse will heal correctly and how long it will take before his training can begin again. I do not want to push him in anyway and want him to heal properly.
My trainer seems to be on top of this and wants to see him well also.
Any advice is appreciate.
Dom
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 - 12:57 pm:

Sounds like your trainer is doing everything right.
This is my first absess in all my years of horse ownership. The article explains alot. The pain is supossed to go with in a few days of draining. As for healing . I dont know. All horses are different. I would think it would not be long with correct care.
Member:
Dommay

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 - 1:12 pm:

Thanks and this is my first bout with an abcess!
Anything concerning the feet scares me!
Again this site is wonderful. I feel like I have all the answers whether in the articles or by asking those more experienced.
Dom
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Thursday, Dec 11, 2003 - 7:52 pm:

Dr O,
Update and a few questions.
My horse has been doing great. No apparent lameness unless under saddle and then its an ocassional limp. I finally got my farrier out today. I was not there. The barn called and said he had a corn which he parred out. I did a search but didnt find out what I want to know. I havent seen the hole or how much was removed . I will know in the morning. Do you treat this as an absess? Should it be wrapped ? Is a corn pussy like an absess? Whats the difference? How do you know and find out if its a corn?
Sorry about so many questions but this is new to me.
Thanks in advance Dr O
Katrina
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Dec 12, 2003 - 6:06 am:

A corn is a bruise at the heel: the article on bruises and abscesses explains how they occur and they should be treated like a bruise. Your farrier must have seen a reddish/yellow spot in the heel and may have found what caused the earlier lameness. If there is sensitive tissue exposed by the paring out you will need to bandage.
DrO
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Friday, Dec 12, 2003 - 11:05 am:

Thanks Dr O, I did not realize it was the same as a bruise. He did not par out much. I think he must have been looking to see how deep it went. After trimming the sole slightly, you can see all the pink areas. Poor guy it was badly bruised. No more mountain climbing in the rocks on my barefoot guy any more. I feel so bad. Hopefully I will get my old macs for xmas.
Thanks again ,
Katrina
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Monday, Feb 9, 2004 - 5:45 pm:

Just an update. When my farrier came today he said that my horse had absessed thru the sole? How can that be I thought it had to come up thru the corrinet. He had parred a baby sized hole last trim. But I was told by the barn he was just looking. Is it possible that he got the absess last time from the sole and it healed with my soaking.? He said there is still soft tissue. (I let him trim the sole this time). The old macs are working great. He has no lameness. I am clueless to feet injuries or problems as in all my years never had foot problems with my horses. Thanks Katrina
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 10, 2004 - 7:39 am:

Your farrier is suggesting that the abscess found a drainage hole out the bottom of the foot and yes soaking may have helped this.
DrO
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