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Alright so Weds. night through Thurs. night it DUMPED rain. Ro's in a smaller paddock so most of it is goopy mush or standing water. It can be slippery. Weds. afternoon I went out to drop his grain off and he was fine. Fri. afternoon I went out and he's lame, right foreleg - swollen fetlock + heat.
I have zero experience with this (of course) LOL. Checked hoof, didn't see anything alarming. Felt around his fetlock, there is a small scab from something - not sure what it was, he gets banged and scratched all the time. I cold-hosed the area for 20 minutes yesterday and turned him out in a small area to get him out of his slippery-ass disgusting paddock. Couldn't find any signs of him getting it stuck in something. Left him out for 45 minutes and then had to put him away for the night.
The barn owner offered we move him to a different paddock with more space, more cover and less mud. I am heading out shortly to clean the paddock up and get him situated, check on his condition. Plan on cold-hosing another 20 minutes and turning out. I am hoping it is not worse.
Anyways, what should I be looking for, what else can I do for him and when do I want to call a vet? I don't think it is stocking up w/ heat and I am wondering if it could be an abscess...
WHYYY MEEEE?! |
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Is it back or front foot?
If front, it sounds like he could of hit himself with his back hoof.
You said there was a scab. Is it a bad scab?
Other things to look out for (especially with the conditions) Would be Scratches and Thrush and potentially abscesses.
Its quite common for an abscess to present this way, fetlock swelling and all. Usually tell tale abscess sign would be a kind of hobbling lame. Many times the horse only putting pressure on part of the hoof.
How lame is he? Very mobile with slight limp? Quite mobile with moderate limp? Kinda mobile? Putting pressure on just the toe or whole hoof? Three Legged Lame?
Anything in the three legged lame category would require a vet visit ASAP. |
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If you have someone else who could help you, I'd suggest doing a flexion test. Swelling could be due to injury in fetlock or from swelling from injury further up the leg pooling in the fetlock.
Lead him in a straight line away from whoever is watching for lameness. Pick up the hoof on the leg that seems sore. Hold his hoof so that his fetlock is flexed more so than the other joints for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then walk him off in a straight line. If he's limping harder, fetlock is the issue. If not, try knee with same method. Try shoulder.
If none of those worse the lameness, it's probably an abscess. Try using a hoof pick to test his hoof for abscesses.
This is the method the vet I work for uses. 99.9999999% of the time they did something to their knee or fetlock if it's front leg or stifle if it's back leg. He probably slipped and strained a tendon or something, my idiot does that every time it rains >_< |
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Front hoof. He clips himself all the damn time. Scab didnÂ’t appear to be bad but IÂ’m heading out now and will do a good look over. It was the size of a dime or penny. IÂ’ll get pics and video if I can.
Would the lameness progress with an abscess? When I was out on a Monday, I could have swore he was favoring that leg but no one else saw it so I shrugged it off. Saw him Weds but just for a quick second to drop something off and give him a pat. Then Fri the swelling, heat and moderate limp. |
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How would I test for abscesses using a hoof pick? |
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Abstract Dunes said:
How would I test for abscesses using a hoof pick?
Use the flat part of the hoof pick, not the pointy part, to push down on the sole. If he jerks hoof, tosses head, or gives any other indication of pain, you found an abscess! Or if there's a squishy spot. |
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Thanks!! Will check while IÂ’m out. |
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Yes lameness could absolutely progress with an abscess. It will get worse and worse until it pops.
My boy has had a couple, and he'd usually get to hobbling lame before it would pop.
This was my boy with his last abscess:
https://youtu.be/gnhZ64Kz4rY
You cant really test with a hoof pic unless the abscess is close to the sole. The abscess in this video blew out at the heel. |
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*hugs* Feel better soon Ro! |
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Poor dude can't catch a break. Get better soon Ro! ❤ |
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Fog Early followed by Afternoon Showers
