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  Discussion on Horse with ongoing abscess and lameness
Author Message
New Member:
Salir22

Posted on Thursday, Sep 23, 2004 - 1:24 pm:

Hello-
This post might be long to explain the exact course of my horse's lameness. My horse got 4 new shoes on 8/4 and was lame in all 4 feet immediately after. 3 feet got better but his right front developed an abscess which was rather nasty and took until 8/20 to come out and it involved almost the entire sole. Since the horse was not getting any better after abscess was draining I had x-rays done on 8/23 which showed no noticable underlying causes for his lameness (such as founder, P3 fracture, etc). My new farrier put a glue-on shoe on the foot on 8/31 despite there still being a lot of sensitivity to hoof testers over toe region. At that point horse was still Grade 3 lame but able to move around a bit in a small grassy paddock. Horse has been getting better (progressing to Grade 2 lameness) but has still been Grade 3-4 going downhills. 9/17 I noticed there was more heat in the same foot and an increased pulse. Horse is still Grade 2-3 lame on straight but 3-4 downhill and uphill. I called farrier who has been keeping a close watch on him, but farrier wants to wait to take shoe off until Sunday, hoping it might open a track on the coronary band. I always thought gravels were more tramatic than the abscess draining out the sole, as it weakens the hoof? Is this true? My second question, could there be something else going on like a low grade founder? Should I have new x-rays done? I've talked to my vet yesterday and he just wants to take a conservative approach and wait and see. Should I get another opinion? I don't doubt that the problem will eventually be resolved but I'm getting frustrated with seeing my horse suffer so much! Please help!

Thanks
Jennifer
Member:
Deggert

Posted on Thursday, Sep 23, 2004 - 1:40 pm:

Jennifer
I would go with your gut and get a vet who is interested to come look at him. Believe me, I will never let a lameness go again because others thought it would get better. Have him seen asap
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Sep 24, 2004 - 8:16 am:

Hello Jennifer,
You will get your questions about proper abscess care answered at Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Topic Hoof Abscesses, Bruises, and Gravels. Concerning founder I have not seen it as a complication of the abscessing foot but it might occur in the oppisiste foot if the horse maintains too much weight on it for too long. That said, I have not examined your horse and cannot say whether it is foundering or not. Perhaps founder was the initial problem and now one foot has abscesssed?

If you are worried something is being missed and your vet will not address these concerns, yes I would get a second opinion. This is a pretty involved history for a sole abscess.
DrO
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