” Two others that have busted open oozing puss sores in the mandible area. “…
I have a horse that’s 15. He had been sick with a severe cold. I treated him,but now I have him and two others that have busted open oozing puss sores in the mandible area. My vet says its abscesses what do you say? Treating with antibiotics now, but does not seem to be helping.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl
Crystal:
Whatever your 15 year old horse has was presumptively contagious to your other horses, and now they’ve all been afflicted. There are a lot of bacteria that can cause abscesses in the lower jaw region. Strangles is the one thought of first, and is highly contagious. The important things are rest, confinement, separation from other horses who are not sick, appropriate treatment (yours are on antibiotics), and good hygiene so as not to pass it on to another horse. Bacteria are easily spread by direct contact between horses, horses sneezing, rubbing on your clothes and then touching another horse, sharing grooming tools, blankets, or tack, and buckets/muck tubs.
Now you need to treat them and give them plenty of time to recover. Antibiotics do not work overnight, and bad infections may need more time than a few days.
“They are currently treating as if it were an abscess…”
We were in the process of purchasing horse when he stepped on a nail – the vet took x-rays but could not get a clear picture to see how far it went in. They are currently treating as if it were an abscess. My question is once a horse has had a trauma to a hoof is it more likely to suffer from recurring abscesses? He is currently being wrapped on that hoof and has a hoof type insole being held in place by his shoe and hand walked a couple of times a day – bute and smz’s. How long does it take to see real improvement?
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Calvin,
it is extremely important to know how far in the nail penetrated. If that cannot be determined, you have to assume that it did penetrate at least into the sensitive tissue of the foot (the area with the blood and nerve supply) In this case, soaking and packing of the hoof as well as the antibiotics and bute, will usually resolve a typical abscess or nail penetrating foot infection within 10 days to 2 weeks. Once it is resolved, the horse should be 100% sound, although may still have to toughen up the area of penetration. An exception to this would be if the nail penetrated into the navicular bursa, deep flexor tendon or actually into the bones in the foot. So as you can see, it could turn into a permanent problem, if the penetration was into any of these areas. I would be very cautious of purchasing the horse until all appears to be resolved, and the Veterinarian can give you a reasonably good prognosis. The owners may also be willing to guarantee the involved foot ill not recur or you could return the horse with your money being returned.
