# Fat leg from an abscess?



## RustyBucket (Nov 24, 2012)

Sounds odd to me as well. Definitely get a second opinion. Did you hose the leg?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

i didn't hose the leg. I was thinking of icing it for about 20 minutes in the morning, and sweating it at night. I bought some Poultice as well, although i have no idea what it does or how it works. Farrier is coming out Friday to check the hoof, and depending on what he says, I will get a vet to come out quickly thereafter.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Certainly sounds like abscess symptoms. Often horses will come up looking like they've broken their leg, when it's just a nasty abscess. 

Poultice the hoof and soak it at least twice daily in hot water with epsom salts, to try and draw it out. In the meantime, book an appointment with your farrier, who may be able to cut it out depending on how deep it is. 
I had a horse with a slightly rotated pedal bone which created a club foot, due to an untreated and deep seated abscess as a yearling.


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

*HuH*



RustyBucket said:


> Sounds odd to me as well. Definitely get a second opinion.


 Yah, I'm thinkin maybe not an abcess. Strain or sprain, I would hose it or ice it fer sure.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

lymph node infected? cellulitis ? did you wrap it ? sweat it ? nitrofurozone plastic wrap then leg wraps.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

Since it showed up after working and is so high up, I'm think more like a sprain also.
I would do hydra therapy. That at lease won't cause any negative reaction. Did he give you any antibiotics?


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

You need to get your farrier in, let him search for the abscess then poultice the foot until the hole runs clean.

The swelling develops as the blood circulation is disrupted by the swelling within the foot. Fluid that is normally moved back up the leg by the horse moving around is trapped in the leg - it will go once the inflamatino dies down in the foot. Please don't lavethe abscess to work it's way out via the topof the foot as there is always a risk that it will track to the bone possibly infecting the bone and causing permenant damage.

Here is a cheap and easy poultice boot that will last several days or more whenthe horse is turned out.


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

I hope it isnt a bowed tendon. Got luck with what ever the situation is.


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## 6W Ranch (Aug 23, 2012)

Tnavas, that's a great boot idea! I posted a poultice tip last night on Resolve Wound facebook page. Here's what we add to a poultice, and it really helps. 

For soft tissue injuries, or leg swelling, a few additions to a store bought poultice can make a big difference. Add epsom salts, 1/2 water, 1/2 oil, plus a little bit of liniment gel. Don't add so much liniment that the mix heats up while wrapped. The idea is to cool the leg, and it doesn't take much liniment to cool. Baby oil works well, as it's inexpensive. Adjust until you have a thick paste. To apply, wet hands and pack it on the leg. This works great for hocks. Wrap poultice with wet feed sack (trimmed), then cotton padding, then vetrap. This is a great 12-24 hour poultice for leg swelling and injuries.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

6W Ranch - Thank you - us Kiwi's have to be a bit resourceful as we don't always have things like poultice boots to buy.

The boot lasts several days and is easy to fit on any horse - and you don't mond if it does get wrecked as you can get them so easily.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Oxer said:


> I haven't ever heard of abscesses that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and within the same day, began to cause swelling in the leg. I would assume that an abscess in the hoof would make the horse lame for DAYS before it would finally work it's way into the leg. What do ya'll think?


Completely depends on the horse. Some are stotic enough they don't show discomfort - just intense pain.

As far as the leg 'swelling' - if it's stocking - yes. The horse won't use the leg and will stock up from the inactivity.

Is there heat in the hoof? Digital pulse?


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

I don't know how to check for if the hoof is hot or not, i also don't know how to check for an elevated pulse within the hoof (might have to google that one)... would the be heat radiated through the coronet? Or through the bottom of the hoof? The farrier will be out friday. We've been having some pretty bad weather lately, so i haven't been able to do much with him in the last couple days. I'm going to give the pultice a try tonight (wish me luck!). 
I genuinely believe that it's not a tendon injury. I am leaning more on the side of either a strain/sprain, or an abscess. I'm really anxious to hear what the farrier thinks.


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## updownrider (Mar 31, 2009)

Tnavas said:


> You need to get your farrier in, let him search for the abscess then poultice the foot until the hole runs clean.
> 
> The swelling develops as the blood circulation is disrupted by the swelling within the foot. Fluid that is normally moved back up the leg by the horse moving around is trapped in the leg - it will go once the inflamatino dies down in the foot. Please don't lavethe abscess to work it's way out via the topof the foot as there is always a risk that it will track to the bone possibly infecting the bone and causing permenant damage.
> 
> Here is a cheap and easy poultice boot that will last several days or more whenthe horse is turned out.


I would never ever "tie the shoe lace firm around the pastern". (And leave it on for a few days). There is no way to guarantee that would not harm the pastern.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

Okay i went out tonight and soaked the hoof in warm water and Epsom salt. got it reeeeally dry, packed it with pultice, and wrapped the hoof up. I believe i felt a pretty resounding pulse in that artery (yes, i googled it!). I kept going back to the "healthy" leg and feeling the same point and felt nothing, then i'd go back to the injured one and could clearly feel a pulse. So we're assuming that the pulse is a result of the possible abscess? Do they [horses] ever get the digital pulse when there's a different kind of injury to the leg?


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

updownrider said:


> I would never ever "tie the shoe lace firm around the pastern". (And leave it on for a few days). There is no way to guarantee that would not harm the pastern.


Read the instructions *PROPERLY* before making silly comments

1 ALWAYS bandage the leg in a support bandage that *COVERS THE PASTERN *as well (THIS PADS THE PASTERN SO THERE IS NO PRESSURE - FIRM DOES NOT EQUAL TIGHT)

2 Tie the shoe lace firm around the pastern *TIGHT ENOUGH TO SECURE THE BOOT BUT NOT TO INJURE THE PASTERN*

I have been using this type of poultice boot for more than 20 years with absolutely *NO PROBLEMS*


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## updownrider (Mar 31, 2009)

Tnavas- I will continue with my non-silly safer wrapping practice (cotton, gauze, vetwrap and duct tape), which I've been using a lot longer than 20 years. By the way, I can read very well and you do need to shout at me in childish bold red font. 

Oxer- Laminitis is something that will cause a horse to have a bounding pulse in their foot.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

updownrider said:


> Tnavas- _I will continue with my non-silly safer wrapping practice (cotton, gauze, vetwrap and duct tape), which I've been using a lot longer than 20 years. By the way, I can read very well and you do need to shout at me in childish bold red font. _
> 
> Oxer- Laminitis is something that will cause a horse to have a bounding pulse in their foot.


Pot meet kettle? I fail to see how your response is any less childish, even lacking the bold red font. To each their own on the chosen method, but it doesn't make Tnavas' or your own any more or less appropriate of a suggestion.


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

Tnavas said:


> 1 ALWAYS bandage the leg in a support bandage that *COVERS THE PASTERN *as well (THIS PADS THE PASTERN SO THERE IS NO PRESSURE - FIRM DOES NOT EQUAL TIGHT)


 I have used a version of this off & on for years & never had an issue. I for one thank you for put this out there for others to consider as a good using method. :wink:


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

updownrider said:


> Tnavas- I will continue with my non-silly safer wrapping practice (cotton, gauze, vetwrap and duct tape), which I've been using a lot longer than 20 years. By the way, I can read very well and you do need to shout at me in childish bold red font.
> 
> Oxer- Laminitis is something that will cause a horse to have a bounding pulse in their foot.


No problem with you using your system but I do object to you making remarks that are rediculous and lacking working knowledge. 

As you have not used this system then you cannot comment with a sound working knowledge, just speculation.

The instructions are very clear - Tight enough to secure the boot but not to injure the pastern. Duct tape can and does chafe the pastern as I have seen this happen on more than one occasion especially when the abscess takes a long time to drain.

Decades of Kiwi's have used the inner tube poultice as we don't always have access to poultice boots to buy, I used to use your system (for over 25 yrs) but find this better, far more economical - easy to put on and take off and very hard wearing. 

The pastern is well padded as part of the support bandage, it is also covered by the bandaging from poultice itself - therefore has not to date caused me any problems and since my filly had an abscess in three feet at the same time proved that it really works - it also doesn't leak and they don't knock the toe through it even when turned out.


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