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Discussion on More Abcess Fun
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Member:
Stevens
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Posted on Monday, Apr 3, 2006 - 3:53 pm:
My 14 yr old qtr horse has been gimpy on and off for the last 3 years. He had a complete lameness work up at a vet hospital where the most likely suspect cause, after x-rays and sonogram, was a small bone spur on his coffin bone. We did a steroid joint injection to absolutely no effect and have settled on increased joint supplement and varying doses of bute with varying decreases in lameness.
Throughout this time, I've suspected that he's had some abscesses. Everytime I soaked his foot, he did improve relatively quickly (a couple of days) and the farrier could never find any indication of entry on his sole to pare out. We never had anything rupture at his coronet band either.
This all changed last week; he was very gimpy after getting shoes on Monday with heat and an increased pulse. The farrier pulled the shoes, the horse was much improved (no heat, regular pulse) but the next morning was classic abscess 3-legged lame, heat and increased pulse. Back to the soaks we went. Again, he improved quickly, but still no sign of drainage. I had the farrier out, again, and we were looking for somewhere on his sole to try to get some drainage (my regular vet was not available that day) when we noticed what looked to be a gravel eruption/site on his coronet band.
Since I had just soaked his foot, it was hard to tell if there was any real drainage. There certainly was not any black stinking pus that, believe it or not, I was hoping for. The bottom line is that the horse is quickly improving and actually looking pretty good.
Once an abscess turns into gravel, should there be a distinct drainage of pus? Could I have just been "lucky" and the darn thing drained while soaking? I'm continuing to apply a drawing agent and wrapping the wound.
Thanks for any thoughts!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:19 pm:
Yes when gravels pop out at the coronet, you will see drainage. And, yes you could have been lucky that the abscess drained out at the bottom. I do find it unlikely that a abscess has smoldered for years however, could the abscess have been on top of your chronic problem?
DrO
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Member:
Stevens
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:37 pm:
DrO,
I didn't mean to imply that I felt this single abscess was the root cause of the chronic problem. This poor guy has issues to say the least.
What type of drainage should I be seeing at the gravel? I'm certainly not seeing anything black and overtly stinky. I'm seeing a swelling at the coronet band above where the hairline should be, but not any real hole/compromise from which anything could drain. I'm resisting the temptation to lance it.
It looks like the outer skin has split away from the top of the hoof at the hair line, but the skin underneath is greyish and there is not any "open" wound/raw flesh.
The localized swelling/bump was pretty much flat after a couple of days of ichthammol and wrap. I switched from ichthammol to nolvasan for one wrap and the swelling returned so I'm back to ichthammol. This swelling is along the hairline and is about 1.5 inches long and maybe .5 inches tall.
Thanks for your help.
Chris
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 6:40 pm:
Usually foul smelling and watery appearing puss. If this swelling is very painful to the touch this may be where it is coming to a head.
DrO
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Member:
Stevens
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 9:35 am:
Thanks! I still don't have any explicit drainage yet. It definitely looks like a blister (the word I couldn't think of yesterday). I'll keep on with the ichthammol.
If there's no change in the next day or so, I'll have my vet back out.
Thanks again.
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Member:
Savage
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 3:43 pm:
Chris I had something similar with my horse, I took one of those neck coolers, the ones that you soak until they swell. I soaked it in a bucket of hot water and epsom salts ( not to hot to scald him though) then tied it loosely around the pastern letting it sit on the top of the hoof and took him for a walk, I did this for two days and while walking the abscess burst open and drained down the front of the hoof. Might help 
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Member:
Stevens
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 6:01 pm:
Linda,
Thanks for the suggestion! I have a similar wrap thingee that might work.
I called my vet's office today and they said this wasn't unheard of.
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Member:
Savage
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 7:57 pm:
Chris you're welcome! Have patience, my horse had abscess's that took days and days to come out then out of the blue "burst-o-rama"! and life was good again.
While your brushing him soak the wrap and put it around his pastern, then before you go for a walk re-soak it and off you go . Keep us posted on how he is doing
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