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Post by racaille on Sept 15, 2012 16:12:31 GMT
Got a call from the club this morning saying that Racaille was unable to walk. Got there double quick and everyone said his leg was hugely swollen and his tendons like a banana etc etc and that they hoped it wasn't a fracture ......
But I thought that although his lower leg was filled there was no localised swelling and on balance, especially the way he moved and the fact that he was clearly under the weather with a fever, I thought it was a foot problem and that an abscess was a possible diagnosis.
The duty vet was called and he was of the same opinion as me and when he tested the foot R nearly climbed the wall! But thought he pared away at the hoof he did not find an abscess and thinks that for now it is a general infection that will localise within two to three days....he did not give antibiotics as he wanted the infection to 'ripen'.
So R is poulticed until Monday when I will get my own vet out - or should I call my farrier instead? And should I get all his shoes taken off now that his front right is off?
And what is the prognosis if it is an abscess?
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Post by solomon on Sept 15, 2012 16:37:30 GMT
No vet I know gives anti-biotics for hoof abscesses. Prognosis is good as long as cause is straightforward. Poulticing definitely best approach. Hot tubbing too very helpful. Hope he is better soon. So painful for them.
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Post by dannyboy on Sept 15, 2012 21:37:55 GMT
What a telephone call to get! Hope he's fitting fit soon. x
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Post by racaille on Sept 16, 2012 16:47:54 GMT
He is a lot better today, his temperature is right down again and he's perky and standing straight.
I've decided I'll get my own vet out tomorrow as he'll probably want to give him a tetanus booster anyway and I'll get the farrier out later in the week - or sooner if Mr D'Arcy signs Racaille over to him.
Much happier!
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Post by brigadier on Sept 17, 2012 17:06:14 GMT
phew thank goodness. Usually they show signs of lameness before there is a great deal of leg swelling and fever so it must be a pretty rampant abscess. Poor lad. If the foot can be pared to reveal a track of pus it is better than if it is left, but really it depends where the pus has tracked as to whether it can be got at. My favourite abscess vet always carried on paring until he found something, but then of course it took weeks for the hoof to grow back so the aftercare was a nightmare. The tubbing with hot as they can stand salt water and poulticing seemed to work wonders though and a good scrub with hibiscrub (the pink hospital disinfectant) was beneficial. After the abscess ran its course I would plug any hole with a bung of cotton wool smeared in stockholm tar and change this everyday tubbing and scrubbing in between. I know the use of stockholm tar for this use has received some criticism but I personally think its because the users didnt ensure the wound was clean and clear before plugging it thus trapping infection. If doing lots of tubbing smear the heels with vaseline or other barrier or youll end up with cracked heels which is really painful for the horse.
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Post by ernieburt on Sept 17, 2012 19:59:19 GMT
Farrier is best, if he can find it, and generally no antibiotics as they then tend to re occur. If still puss after poultice (wet) 5 days then (dry) 5 days call the vet.
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Post by racaille on Sept 17, 2012 20:09:43 GMT
Thanks for that Brig. I'm in the inbetween vets thing at the moment as my own vet came today and is not sure it is an abscess. R was as he always is, cheeky and curious, and it was hard to make him believe that on Saturday R was seriously under the weather! When he checked his foot, there was some tenderness but nothing like the wall-climbing pain that we saw on Saturday. Trotting him up showed no lameness at all! But my vet did spot that R's hind legs were filled, which I had put down to being boxed, but he said it can also be a sign of infection. He came rather down on the side of an injury to the foot, rather related to a concussion lami (and he was very sweet as he used a lot of english words in an enquiring way  ) which would result in the release of gut toxins in the way stress can do. He gave R a big shot of anti-bios and then said in English: We will have to wait and see. By Wednesday we shall see if he is really better and then I will get my farrier in to have a look, remedial shoeing with plaques (across the sole) is what the vet recommended but I will see what the fabulous Francois says. Anyway, today R is very perky and renamed Lazarus!  |
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Post by racaille on Sept 19, 2012 12:12:39 GMT
My farrier came out today and put R's shoe back on, with a leather plaque to protect the sole as so much has been pared away and underneath is packed with swabs and Stockholm tar. He agreed with my vet that if it would have been better left alone and thinks it probably isn't/wasn't an abscess.
Now R has to have a month off to allow the hoof to regrow. Club not happy so I will be fetching R home tonight and I think that given he wasn't working at all there I doubt he'll go back. At least I'll be able to manage him as I like.
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Post by solomon on Sept 19, 2012 12:21:47 GMT
Oh dear another mouth to feed! You okay with having him back?
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Post by racaille on Sept 19, 2012 12:35:23 GMT
Well, yes and no. I could do without another mouth to feed and I did think about sending Lad back but .....
At least at home I can keep a better eye on him and the teenager has promised to help (hmmmm, we'll see .........) But - even without the foot problem - I saw this coming. He's no use to the club as he's too Racaille-ish and they don't have the riders for him - all the really competent ones have their own horses.
He's going to get some lessons in manners again here, but he has been working well for the teenager this summer. I don't really believe it, but sometimes I feel that they were made for each other, she seems the only one who can ride him! That's just because she is as strong willed and headstrong as he is but also she does seem to be endlessly patient with try things that work for him and sometimes they are counter intuitive.
Going to get the osteo from Lyon to check him over when he's next down this way and we'll take it slowly from there.
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Sept 19, 2012 17:55:57 GMT
Poor R, sorry to hear he's been a bit rough. Hope you get him sorted quickly once he's home.
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Post by brigadier on Sept 20, 2012 2:17:33 GMT
Woul d his legs normally fill if left in for a day or two Rac? I know Basil's would. The gut toxin thing can be really awful and lead to a bad case of laminitis but that normally happens with a severe injury or if the horse is weak already ie ill or old. The good thing is that he is sound again and back to himself. methinks it was a cunning plan to get home again!!!!
oh and was his paddock stony? Ive seen similar reaction where it was thought the horse had really banged his sole on a big stone?
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Post by racaille on Sept 20, 2012 6:55:54 GMT
Yes, Brig, his paddock was stoney (but so are mine :  and the vet did mention a bruise as a possible cause. And yes, his legs would fill from being boxed but on Saturday they were all fat as he was brought in from his paddock although by Monday only his back legs were still a bit squishy. My vet did not think they were caused by being in as it was only the back, he thought this was more a sign of infection which he said often affects only two legs. Now he's been back here and out in the middle paddock (not with the others yet) his legs seem fine. He's perfectly calm and thrilled to be eating his hay without having to guard it - Lad seems a bit keen to beat him up so we won't be having a get to know you party any time soon. Paco just looked through the gate and said: Oh it's you. And went back to his tea. Mr T is behaving like a mini stallie, the little prat! |
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Post by solomon on Sept 20, 2012 7:06:44 GMT
Mr T such a nutter! Bless him what an a*se he is! Sooo naughty! Bet Rac thinks ahhhh!
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Post by brigadier on Sept 20, 2012 18:40:21 GMT
How many bales a week are you going thru Rac? got a bit of a herd thing going on tee hee!
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Post by racaille on Sept 21, 2012 5:17:22 GMT
Well with just three (and Mr T eats like a big horse  ) I have been rationing round bales so that they last about 12-13 days. They still get a lot but they were getting so porky I can't leave them on the bale as they don't have off buttons. This might change as winter approaches of course (am expecting hard winter). And I do have access to a little field, although it's pretty bare at the moment as there has been no rain. I'm hoping that I can still get about 8-10 days out of a bale, ie 200kg, for four. To be honest if it lasts a week I think I'm doing well to feed four nags for €38 a week. It's 'hay' but there's a good mix of grasses and luzerne in there. |
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Post by brigadier on Sept 21, 2012 10:35:48 GMT
I think thats about the same as here pricewise, Im on haylage now after two bales of dusty hay nearly put me in hospital! I feed virtually ad lib and a big bale at £30 last between 8 and ten days, will be a bit longer in colder weather as it just starting to go off in centre at moment. Im still feeding hard feed as well but really I shouldnt need to as the haylage is so good and none of them are doing the work to justify hard feed, so I really need to start cutting it down but old habits and all that.......! They are looking amazing though!
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Post by solomon on Sept 21, 2012 18:36:44 GMT
Pics please, would love to see how Sam is looking now.
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for so much hard work we thank ye!!
) which would result in the release of gut toxins in the way stress can do. He gave R a big shot of anti-bios and then said in English: We will have to wait and see.
and the vet did mention a bruise as a possible cause. And yes, his legs would fill from being boxed but on Saturday they were all fat as he was brought in from his paddock although by Monday only his back legs were still a bit squishy. My vet did not think they were caused by being in as it was only the back, he thought this was more a sign of infection which he said often affects only two legs.
