Need Help! Abscess STILL Hasn't Popped!

Tami · 04-10-2007, 07:56 AM

4 weeks ago Madrid came in one night with a big crack down the center of her RH hoof, and would not put any pressure on this leg. Initially it was thought there was a fracture in her pelvis (because her leg looked so clean), after getting a 2nd opinion, she was diagnosed with an abscess.

For the past 4 weeks, I have been soaking it with warm/hot epsom salts, using animal-lintex, walking her, she went through 2 courses of antibx, and still nothing. Her coronet band is very swollen, like it is going to pop, yet nothing has happened. She is putting more pressure on that leg/hoof and walking around and I have been letting her out (she was getting very hyper in her stall). I am in close contact with me vet, he says keep doing what I'm doing. Is there anything else I should or should not be doing?

Blistering Winds · 04-10-2007, 07:58 AM

have you had xrays?

swollen coronet band doesn't always mean abscess...you could have a break in the different bones in the hoof.

BettyBootsy · 04-10-2007, 07:58 AM

I would say it's time to call the vet and have it checked out. They can drain it if thats what it is.

luvs2ride79 · 04-10-2007, 08:05 AM

Have your vet x-ray and ultra-sound her to make SURE it's an abcess. If it is diagnosed as such by your vet, after those two tests, then have him dig it out to relieve the pressure and speed the healing.

If your vet won't do the above tests, or says they are unnecessary, find a new vet.

Tami · 04-10-2007, 08:33 AM

X-rays have not been taken yet. I was thinking that should be the next step. I just wondered, how could it be a fracture if she's able to put weight on that hoof now and is walking better. Also, how would they dig it out? There is nothing on the sole. It is clean. It is all around her coronet band, where the swelling is.

Blistering Winds · 04-10-2007, 08:36 AM

They can slice into that cornet band and break the abscess.

As for the break...you would be suprised how much weight a fracture can handle....

tbtrainer · 04-10-2007, 08:37 AM

Tami, just wondering if you've had her on bute? There are many vet and farriers that say bute will slow down an abcess.

The animalintex will soften the area on which it is applied, that may be why the coronet band seems soft and ready to pop. Also the soaking will do the same. As much as I love Animalintex pads, maybe it's time to try something different.

I would rub Icthamol on the coronet band and see if that will help speed things up.

Tami · 04-10-2007, 09:01 AM

She was on Bute the 1st week, and has not been on anything since. Where do I get Icthamol. By the way, I just called and made an appt for her to be seen in an equine clinic. They can't get her in until next Thursday (remember I live in a rural area, the vets here are large animal, not equine, so this equine vet who normally does not take in new customers is willing to fit me in-he's the closest to me). Perhaps then I will have a solid answer to what is going on. Would you all recommend me keeping her in her stall or keep letting her out. She's definitely better and and using that leg when she walks, and goes stir crazy in her stall.

tbtrainer · 04-10-2007, 09:11 AM

Personally, as long as she is not three legged lame, I would go ahead and turn her out for a few hours, the movement might really help if it's an abcess. You can get Icthamol either online or at your local tack shop. It's a pretty widley used product, I would think your tack shop would have a jar.

I'm hoping for the best!

JBandRio · 04-10-2007, 09:22 AM

It's time for an xray of the foot to see what's going on in there and make sure it hasn't invaded the coffin bone space.

04-10-2007, 07:56 AM	#1
Tami Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 453 Images: 40	Need Help! Abscess STILL Hasn't Popped! 4 weeks ago Madrid came in one night with a big crack down the center of her RH hoof, and would not put any pressure on this leg. Initially it was thought there was a fracture in her pelvis (because her leg looked so clean), after getting a 2nd opinion, she was diagnosed with an abscess. For the past 4 weeks, I have been soaking it with warm/hot epsom salts, using animal-lintex, walking her, she went through 2 courses of antibx, and still nothing. Her coronet band is very swollen, like it is going to pop, yet nothing has happened. She is putting more pressure on that leg/hoof and walking around and I have been letting her out (she was getting very hyper in her stall). I am in close contact with me vet, he says keep doing what I'm doing. Is there anything else I should or should not be doing?

04-10-2007, 07:58 AM	#2
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,979 Images: 831 Blog Entries: 17	have you had xrays? swollen coronet band doesn't always mean abscess...you could have a break in the different bones in the hoof. __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.

04-10-2007, 08:05 AM	#4
luvs2ride79 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,289 Images: 38	Have your vet x-ray and ultra-sound her to make SURE it's an abcess. If it is diagnosed as such by your vet, after those two tests, then have him dig it out to relieve the pressure and speed the healing. If your vet won't do the above tests, or says they are unnecessary, find a new vet. __________________ "To be an equestrian in the classical sense is not just to be a rider. It is a position in life." --Charles de Kunffy EquineFriends.com2HotToTrot.com Anti-Slaughter and PROUD! StopHorseSlaughter.com I've Been Snowballed!**

04-10-2007, 08:36 AM	#6
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,979 Images: 831 Blog Entries: 17	They can slice into that cornet band and break the abscess. As for the break...you would be suprised how much weight a fracture can handle.... __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.

04-10-2007, 08:37 AM	#7
tbtrainer Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 6,399 Images: 354	Tami, just wondering if you've had her on bute? There are many vet and farriers that say bute will slow down an abcess. The animalintex will soften the area on which it is applied, that may be why the coronet band seems soft and ready to pop. Also the soaking will do the same. As much as I love Animalintex pads, maybe it's time to try something different. I would rub Icthamol on the coronet band and see if that will help speed things up. __________________ Guess What??? SPLAT! you have just been snowballed! More than once even... I have been NOEL'ed and Blessed In His Name "I've been Goosed!" Splatted, Goosed and Noeled, oh my! *In my experience, the best way to slow down a runaway horse is to bet on it...*

04-10-2007, 07:58 AM	#3
BettyBootsy Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,258 Images: 87	I would say it's time to call the vet and have it checked out. They can drain it if thats what it is.

04-10-2007, 08:33 AM	#5
Tami Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 453 Images: 40	X-rays have not been taken yet. I was thinking that should be the next step. I just wondered, how could it be a fracture if she's able to put weight on that hoof now and is walking better. Also, how would they dig it out? There is nothing on the sole. It is clean. It is all around her coronet band, where the swelling is.

04-10-2007, 09:01 AM	#8
Tami Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 453 Images: 40	She was on Bute the 1st week, and has not been on anything since. Where do I get Icthamol. By the way, I just called and made an appt for her to be seen in an equine clinic. They can't get her in until next Thursday (remember I live in a rural area, the vets here are large animal, not equine, so this equine vet who normally does not take in new customers is willing to fit me in-he's the closest to me). Perhaps then I will have a solid answer to what is going on. Would you all recommend me keeping her in her stall or keep letting her out. She's definitely better and and using that leg when she walks, and goes stir crazy in her stall.

04-10-2007, 09:11 AM	#9
tbtrainer Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 6,399 Images: 354	Personally, as long as she is not three legged lame, I would go ahead and turn her out for a few hours, the movement might really help if it's an abcess. You can get Icthamol either online or at your local tack shop. It's a pretty widley used product, I would think your tack shop would have a jar. I'm hoping for the best! __________________ Guess What??? SPLAT! you have just been snowballed! More than once even... I have been NOEL'ed and Blessed In His Name "I've been Goosed!" Splatted, Goosed and Noeled, oh my! *In my experience, the best way to slow down a runaway horse is to bet on it...*

04-10-2007, 09:22 AM	#10
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,676 Images: 144 Blog Entries: 12	It's time for an xray of the foot to see what's going on in there and make sure it hasn't invaded the coffin bone space. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

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