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Avoid Inaccurate Diagnosis Which Can
Delay Proper Treatment
We've noticed there is little information online about hoof
abscesses. Often hoof abscesses are improperly diagnosed,
which delays proper treatment and may worsen the horse’s
condition. Learn what a hoof abscess is, common causes of
hoof abscesses, symptoms, treatments, and how hoof abscesses
affect the hoof. Find out what symptoms to look for, how to
reduce the pain of hoof abscesses and how to help with recovery.
Are Both Shod and Unshod Horses at Risk?
Abscess can occur in shod and unshod horses. Abscessing is
a common occurrence in the hoof transitioning from shod (and/or
neglected) to barefoot. Abscesses are considered as part of
the detoxification process of an unhealthy hoof to a healthy
hoof.
What Is A Hoof Abscess?
A hoof abscess is a purulent inflammation of the corium, where
the pressure produced by the accumulation of pus between the
corium and the hoof causes the horse extreme pain and usually
accompanied with swelling of the affected leg and noticeable
lameness.
Traditional education dictates that hoof abscesses
occur when the horse has pierced the sole with a foreign object
- that is, the abscess occurs through infection from the outside,
or can be the result of a bruise when the hoof impacts a rock
that is larger than the area between the sole and the ground.
Causes of Hoof Abscesses
Although there are several explanations for what causes of
hoof abscesses, they rarely arise due to external causes.
What I believe to be typical causes of abscessing are incorrect
trimming, neglect, and many other common situations that domestic
horses encounter, including and most notably, shoes.
Flare, in my opinion, is the leading cause of
abscesses and white line infection. Flare typically leads
to separation. So in the case of a hoof-wall abscess, what
occurs is that an opening, (caused by separation of the white
line juncture between the wall and sole) allows dirt, manure,
urine (debris) to begin making an assent up the laminae between
the hoof wall and the coffin bone (leaving a trail of dead
tissue) and erupts when it arrives at soft tissue - the coronet
band.
When areas of the sole or wall are allowed to
become overgrown (and/or shod) dirt and bacteria can become
trapped under the overgrown areas. Eventually, these areas
can become infected. The pockets of infection become abscessed
and surface, sometimes at the back of the hoof. When the hoof
begins to heal with natural trimming, the new circulation
often triggers abscesses that have been dormant in the hoof
for months or years.
When contracted hooves start the restructuring
process, sole and heel abscesses are to be expected. They
are predominantly found in the area of the heels and bars,
and sometimes also in the frog, especially near the tip. Also,
excessively long bars which have grown over the sole cause
pressure points which later develop abscesses. Abscesses can
even develop in areas where shoes' clips are located, and
near the rearmost shoeing nails.
I've read several other explanations by hoof
care experts, such as that the corium or lateral cartilage
areas, which have been compressed for an extended time, die
off. After circulation is returned to these areas, (transitioning
the hoof to sound) the dead pieces of tissue are removed from
the living tissue and carried to the outside by pus. But I
can’t speak to that and have my doubts that this situation
actually occurs.
Hoof Abscesses Are Often Misdiagnosed
Horses suffering from an abscess (or multiple abscesses) may
not exhibit pain/lameness. However, typically abscesses are
an extremely painful process. Symptoms displayed by the horse
are often misdiagnosed as founder, navicular, or other “mystery
lameness”. Many suffering horses are started down a
traditional path of “corrective” shoeing (which
more often than not is done to correct the hoof ailments caused
by the shoes in the first place) and eventually put down.
Relieving the Pain of Hoof Abscesses
Booting the horse to give it relief from the pain of an abscess
as it is surfacing is beneficial, but may slow the abscess
from erupting, so time out of the boots is critical for healing.
Sometimes a hoof abscess cannot be found, for
example if it is deep in the heel/frog/bars region. Traditionally,
cutting away a large part of the sole or frog and applying
bandaging and leaving the horse in a stall was often prescribed.
However, it is this practitioner’s recommendation that
the owner should wait for the abscess to find its own way
to the surface. Abscesses likely happen in the wild as well,
and hooves heal from them without humans digging around in
the hoof with their tools.
After a Hoof Abscess Erupts
Once the abscess has erupted and drained, bandaging is not
necessary. To speed up the healing process, allow movement
at liberty on soft ground to increase blood flow into the
hoof.
Epsom Salt soaks can help. Poultices may be
helpful if one can determine the abscess location. It may
take a few days, but the pain will begin to diminish as soon
as the abscess has erupted and pus/liquid has drained.
For several days after the eruption, the affected
area can be sprayed with one-percent iodine once or twice
a day or the hoof can be soaked in a warm Epsom Salt bath
once a day.
There is a plethora of natural treatments that
can be beneficial, but it’s important to note that natural
hooves with normal circulation (and therefore good blood supply)
are very regenerative.
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A hoofwall abscess about 3 months
after erupting at coronet band.
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How the Location of an Abscess
Affects the Hoof
Dorsal abscesses erupt either at the coronary band or just
above the heel bulb.
Solar abscesses erupt through the sole, can
be much more painful than a hoofwall abscess, and take longer
to heal.
The hoofwall abscess that has tracked its way
up the interior of the hoofwall, will leave a trail of dead
laminae in its wake. So keep in mind that there is no attachment
of wall to coffin bone, below the abscess lesion. As the lesion
grows down the hoofwall, the closer it gets to the ground,
the area of wall below the opening will chip out. This is
a normal occurrence.
It's important to mention the type of abscess
which starts in the heel or frog area, especially in a shod
hoof or a hoof that has run forward, (long under-run heels)
makes its way up the back of the hoof and erupts above the
heel bulb. Judging from the lameness I see prior to the eruption
of a heel-bulb abscess, I believe that this type of abscess
is the most painful. Owners often don’t notice the eruption
lesion because we typically don’t look at the back of
the hoof, or more commonly, if it is noticed, it’s mistaken
for a wound caused by an outside source. Eruptions at the
heal bulb should be treated with a mild iodine and will heal
within a very short period of time.
The sub-solar abscess affects the area between
the coffin bone and the sole. It will become inflamed and
filled with blood. This type of abscess can be incredibly
painful and can reside beneath the surface of the sole for
a very long time. They can be small, or they can be very large
taking up residence under the entire sole. I believe these
types of abscesses can have a variety of causes, which all
lead to flat soles: shoes, or too much time between shoeing
and trimming, neglect, or flare, etc. (Note: Shod hooves are
typically flared to some degree.)
Sub-solar abscesses are often misdiagnosed as
founder because the symptoms appear to be the same. The abscess
may not be discovered until we trim to it and it erupts and
drains. When that happens, depending on the size of the abscess
the horse may feel instant relief.
Pictured at left is a sub-solar abscess after
it revealed itself. This took a few trims to get to. Notice
new sole tissue developing. This horse had been previously
diagnosed as a founder case and was lame for many years while
in shoes. (So she was used as a brood mare.)
While transitioning out of shoes, she remained
lame and was in boots. Once the abscess opened and drained,
the hoof could finally begin to heal itself. She was well
on her way to a new life of soundness, until a vet was called
in who advised the owner that natural trimming causes abscessing.
The horse was put back into shoes.
More Information about Healthy Hooves
My hope is that this information can help you reduce the risk
hoof abscesses or diagnose and treat them more quickly. Visit
my blog for more information on horse hoof health or see
other articles and resources on this
website.
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