Okay, six full days with an abscess and he is walking much better! Sometimes you can't even tell he's limping unless you're really looking for it. Other times it's a little more pronounced, like on rocks or hills, etc. He even trotted to his feed bucket because he thought Faran was going to get there first lol. Our best guess is that the abscess is reabsorbing or that he blew it, but it was such a tiny hole that we didn't see it drain.... When we changed the poultice the last few days it has smelled really bad, but I don't know if that's drainage, Ichthamol or thrush? I don't think it's thrush because we're soaking it in salt water, but when keeping the hoof so soft and moist (to encourage the abscess to blow) it's possible right? It does smell like Ichthamol, but different/stronger than when we first started poulticing. So not sure if it's blown or not. We were thinking about putting a clean diaper on his hoof tomorrow and taking him for a walk to see if any drainage shows up. Don't know why, except I just really want to know if it has blown or is reabsorbing LOL!
(see how long his toe is?)
So anyway, I'm going to keep soaking and poulticing until he's not limping at all. Then he HAS to be trimmed!! He was right at the end of his trim cycle when the abscess cropped up so he's a week or more overdue. Sigh. His toes are too long. So that's where we are for now. Once again he has had no swelling or pain meds at all today and when he was grazing he was doing so more normally bearing weight on both hooves. I'm just glad he's getting better. :D So what are the best ways to prevent another abscess?? I don't ever want him to have to go through this again!
"Are we done yet?? This is getting old!"
He's so shiny!!
He's so shiny!!
Also, I was looking at this picture I took (below) and was really shocked to see how sunken his back was. I even drew lines on it to show you. Then I realized my husband is scratching Chrome's belly in this picture so that's probably why he's standing like that. Scratching his belly and neck is one of the ways we keep him happy while he stands for so long to soak his hoof.
I have noticed his back looks low before though. The picture below was taken a month ago.
He was moving his right front forward to line up with the other. That's why he looks weird. Also I was trying to mount bareback so that's why his head is up and he looks tense. His rear hooves are also further under his body than in the picture above (in the one above he has his rear hooves spread apart because he was rocking to get the scratches where he wanted them). So does he look swaybacked to you? Is it just from lack of exercise and because he likes to carry his head in the clouds? Or is that a totally normal amount for a young horse's back to dip behind the withers?
Anyway sorry for rambling on. Any advice about preventing abscesses is very, very welcome and of course comments, suggestions, advice on the rest of it is appreciated too. Thanks for being so patient guys! I know reading a daily abscess report is probably boring, but I want clear records in case this happens again. :)
Yay! I was wondering how he is doing. So glad he's doing better. Bres abscess this year didn't burst and she's just fine. I hope you are doing ok. My thoughts have been with you.
ReplyDeleteHope his abscess reabsorbed and stops causing pain. I have always heard an abscess looks better before it gets much worse, it may be ready to blow out tonight or tomorrow so just be prepared.
ReplyDeleteIt is my experience there isn't a way to prevent them, especially if you aren't 100% sure what caused it in the first place. Like you and injuries, there isn't a way to prevent all of them if you aren't in a bubble room. Good luck!
Oh Appy! I like my bubble room! Hehe, couldn't resist. :) His started out as mild limping on day one, was three legged lame on day two and three and has been getting increasingly better since then, so I'm hoping it blew and we just missed it. We will know as his hoof grows out where it was probably. Thank you all for your comments, thoughts and advice. I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeletePs his back isn't sway! It looks great. He's just grown withers now so he back is going to look lower at the front that at his rump. If his back was sway it would be lower at the middle or closer to his sexy butt. He looks great.
ReplyDeleteSuper, that's good to know that Bre's didn't burst either. Makes me feel better about Chrome's.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you don't think he's swaybacked. I think it's like you said he never had any withers so I was used to him being so straight backed. :) I can't wait until he's all grown and balanced looking hehe. That could be a few more years though. Oh well, I agree with you that he's sexy regardless of how wonky he looks at time lol. Thanks for the comments!
I feel like the queen of abscesses since Irish has had so many.
ReplyDeleteI think that horrible smell is the fluid from the abscess- it really does smell foul.
With Irish if I look carefully I will see a bit of a blowout on his heel. However, it's not unusual for him to have small bursts and then reform if the hole heals too quickly. I hate it when it comes out of his corenet band because I know it will reform until it makes it's way back. Check his heel and along his coronet band for any hole/sore etc.
Not sure how to prevent. With Irish he's just prone and any bruise will cause it. He needs shoes.
However, most horses may get one or two from a knock and not have a dificulty with them.
No- I don't think he's sway backed :) He's 3 right? 3 year olds really do look like their parts don't match up.
I also wouldn't hold off on the trim. If he can bear weight on the sore hoof it would- a trim might help get to the absscess
Teresa, thank you for the info! Up until now he has not been able to bear weight on the hoof. Yesterday was the first day I saw him put weight on it. :) I'll call my farrier and try to set something up to get him trimmed because I know it will definitely help. His toes are sooooo long.
ReplyDeleteYeah he is three. He looked so grown up when he was younger that I forget he's still going to go through wonky growth stages lol.
...just a beautiful, gangly "teenager". :)
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