Nursemare With Abscess

LKR · Postby **LKR** » Mon May 10, 2010 5:30 am

Had to put a mare down Saturday who had a 30 day colt on her. Got a nursemare yesterday who came with a chronic abscess in her left front foot. They said they had done everything to get rid of it to no avail. It really hurts her. What does anyone out there recommend for a situation like that? She hurts like heck. I usually soak with epsom salts mixed with 35% peroxide and then wrap it with a bunch of ichthamol. It had worked every time for me, usually within 3 or 4 days they are greatly improved. I plan on getting the barefoot trimmer who has helped with 3 of these chronic cases to get over them to look at her foot also. It breaks my heart to see her hurt like that. LShe is letting the colt nurse in spite of it so she deserves to get over this once and for all.

Laurierace · Postby **Laurierace** » Mon May 10, 2010 8:55 am

I use animlintex that has been wetted slightly with hot water. Then put a thermacare heated pad on top of that and wrap with vet wrap or a diaper. Cover with duct tape to reinforce. Ichthamol around the coronet band. You might want to get xrays. Best of luck to you.

LKR · Postby **LKR** » Mon May 10, 2010 9:27 am

She is not my mare. She came from a "top" tb farm here in Washington. Supposedly, this all started when she was returned 2 years ago by a person who leased her for her foal. She was in bad condition when she came back and her feet looked like they had been trimmed with a hacksaw. I will suggest x-rays if I can't get it to come around. I am supposed to stand all the expenses on the mare for trimming, worming and general upkeep.

ratherrapid · Postby **ratherrapid** » Sat May 15, 2010 8:37 am

if your horse still has the problem, and, if it's an abscess she should be walking better by now, two possiblities--

1. will resolve by locating and popping.
2. unable to locate, or you locate and pop, but lameness continues.

Initial treatment should be hopefully locating and popping and treatment with epsom salt paste and a boot. if you fail to locate, 75% of the time the epsom salt paste and boot will resolve because you've created--by digging into the sole--enough of a channel to allow drainage, if you use the salt paste and 24 hrs. in a boot.

If initial treatment fails, my thing is to get more aggressive, and then even more so, if necessary, in locating and resolving. At times, you simply are unable to locate, and in that instance your alternative is to let the horse continue limping till it resolves in 2-3 months, or to dig into the sore area even going to the soft tissue (laminae)--not into it, but to it). As you get closer to laminae as you dig into sole with the hoof knife you may need a vet and anesthesia. Many vets are very good at digging abscesses, but also may be hesitant to go as far as up to the soft tissue--I find it's ok to dig out a large area close to the soft tissue IF thereafter you bandage and keep the foot dry to allow keratinozation in a couple of days. Usually such aggressive treatment will resolve, but not always. Serious abscess or unexplained limping needs vet attention or someone who knows, or just let the horse limp. they'll survive and it will resolve eventually, if its an abscess. --main thing with a new abscess--and you're is other than new--give it 48 hours before treatment, and then be very aggressive or its likely to linger.