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[RC] Need advice re: healing abscess - Carla RichardsonI need some advice, please. I have a horse in training that about 3 weeks ago had two abscesses appear on his right fore. One is at the bulb of his hoof, and the other (which came out at the same time) is right above his fetlock. The trainer says he has never seen one "that high" come out before. I have never dealt with this before, have never had a horse have an abscess, so it all seems odd to me. The horse had not appeared to have any problems at all, before this appeared. When they noticed it, in the evening, the horse was a little off on that leg, and they saw the sores. When I went out the next day to see him, he was lame on that leg and his leg was a bit swollen. For treatment, the trainer cleaned both areas, and soaked in hot epsom salts, then bandaged his leg, and gave him penicillin injections for 3 days. After that, they treated both with a mixture of antibiotic, I think it was fulvacin (sp?) ointment mixed with DMSO, continuing to wrap. The swelling and lameness went away almost immediately, and we thought we had made great progress. They continued to clean, bandage and rest him. It's been over 3 weeks now, and it's not really healing as the trainer thinks it should. He's at a loss of what to do now.
Anyone have experience with this? Because I sure haven't, and I need help! Thanks. The horse is a 5 yr old Arabian gelding.
Carla Richardson
Colorado
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