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 Regular
Posts: 56
Location: Savannah, Tennessee | I've read two different schools of thought on this....
One which I've always heard is to soak in epsom salt, then continue with the drawing salve, diaper, duck tape..boot.
I started reading some articles because I am dealing with a stubborn abcess and it is saying not to soak because it weakens the hoof wall and allows for more soft areas to introduce bacteria. Just putting drawing salve, poultice, epsom salt mix and pack the foot and then continue with diaper, duck tape and boot.
Would love to hear what others do that works.... |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
  
| All the vets I speak to say to soak.
I soak mine in Epsom salts with a hint of iodine so it looks like a weak tea. This way any new bacteria will be killed. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I've always soaked at least some. I've also put Icthamol on the sole and heel bulb, or put some liniment along the coronary band to increase blood flow. I've also used a pack of DMSO & Epsom Salts.
I've also not soaked and kept them turned out and they've come out just as quick most of the time. If you think about it, if they're in the dew or the mud their feet get soft anyhow. The turnout helps get things moving in the foot.
I'm sure the warm water feels good at least, and it probably takes some of the soreness out. |
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Regular
Posts: 56
Location: Savannah, Tennessee | I've had him going out until today, the mud just keeps sucking the boot off and getting mud in his foot, so I left him up... This morning he now has an abcess on his left front as well as right front
He is pretty fresh off the track, within 3 months..and we pulled his shoes to just let him be a horse until spring...and that was not a good idea..both feet got bruised and now we are dealing with the abcesses. He does have shoes back on now.
I am doing daily soaks, then drawing salve, poultice pad, diaper, soft boot. It's been a week on the right front and still struggling with the abceess, his sole still has that spongey feeling spot up by the toe, now same on the left.
Edited by Poohb10454 2016-01-21 1:59 PM
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| If I think it is coming up the white line, I put a soaked piece of Animalintex pad on the coronet band and wrap, changing twice a day. Had better luck with this than soaking. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| I would pull shoes and leave him barefoot. Soak with Epsom salt and a little iodine(weak tea in color). You can also make you a DMSO/iodine mix and paint it on the coronet band twice a day. I never bother with a boot unless the abcess has had to be drilled out. Seems like a lot of horses coming off the track have crappy feet! |
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| Poohb10454 - 2016-01-21 1:58 PM
I've had him going out until today, the mud just keeps sucking the boot off and getting mud in his foot, so I left him up... This morning he now has an abcess on his left front as well as right front
He is pretty fresh off the track, within 3 months..and we pulled his shoes to just let him be a horse until spring...and that was not a good idea..both feet got bruised and now we are dealing with the abcesses. He does have shoes back on now.
I am doing daily soaks, then drawing salve, poultice pad, diaper, soft boot. It's been a week on the right front and still struggling with the abceess, his sole still has that spongey feeling spot up by the toe, now same on the left.
Are you sure it's not Seedy Toe? Especially coming off the track, they tend to have long toes and low heels. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | I never soak anymore. Just clean it up real good, put a drawing salve on it, bandage once a day and let nature takes it's course. |
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Regular
Posts: 56
Location: Savannah, Tennessee | FlyingJT - 2016-01-21 3:14 PM
Poohb10454 - 2016-01-21 1:58 PM
I've had him going out until today, the mud just keeps sucking the boot off and getting mud in his foot, so I left him up... This morning he now has an abcess on his left front as well as right front
He is pretty fresh off the track, within 3 months..and we pulled his shoes to just let him be a horse until spring...and that was not a good idea..both feet got bruised and now we are dealing with the abcesses. He does have shoes back on now.
I am doing daily soaks, then drawing salve, poultice pad, diaper, soft boot. It's been a week on the right front and still struggling with the abceess, his sole still has that spongey feeling spot up by the toe, now same on the left.
Are you sure it's not Seedy Toe? Especially coming off the track, they tend to have long toes and low heels.
Actually no, I'm not sure. I'll look into it though. He is Thoroughbred too and they have bad feet usually anyway and coming off the track is worse. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3534
Location: Stuck in a cubicle having tropical thoughts | The last one I soaked, it was a fight the first day to soak it because he was scared of putting his foot in the bucket. After about 3 soaks, it broke just a little and you could tell he had immediate relief and started putting some weight back on it. The soak must have felt good to him because he would practically put his foot in the bucket himself and stand there un-attended for 20 minutes soaking while I'd clean stalls.
I had a filly get kicked in the shoulder once and it caused an abcess. I used a towel and brought epsom salt and used the towel to soak it and it helped the abcess bust out within a few days.
I personally use epsom salt on myself in the bath when my body is really hurting and it really draws the pain out and makes me feel better. I figure if it makes me feel better, the horses must feel better also. |
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 Quarter Horse HIstorian
Posts: 2878
Location: Aubrey, Texas | To the above poster, I just dealt with an access and found it a lot easier if I put his foot in the bucket first, then added the warm water/Epsom salts to it. Twice a daw, that drew the access out in two days- |
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Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | cheryl makofka - 2016-01-22 10:14 AM All the vets I speak to say to soak. I soak mine in Epsom salts with a hint of iodine so it looks like a weak tea. This way any new bacteria will be killed.
Where could you get iodine? |
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| skye - 2016-01-21 9:56 PM
cheryl makofka - 2016-01-22 10:14 AM All the vets I speak to say to soak. I soak mine in Epsom salts with a hint of iodine so it looks like a weak tea. This way any new bacteria will be killed.
Where could you get iodine?
The vet is where I got mine |
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 Double Standards Don't Fly
Posts: 1283
Location: At the barn | Soak, pack with Ichthammol over night. Repeat until it burst. |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | There is a full thread at the top of this forum on linaments, abcess and such. All the answers you are looking for have been posted.My thoughts are if you have a facility that allows you to soak by all means soak. Otherwise I would use the formula and keep the horse up in a stall if you have one be ready with a boot if you have a full blow out to protect the hoof from the elements ie snow mud ice. |
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