Why does my horse keep getting abscesses
Foot abscesses are very common in horses and are caused by bacteria getting into the foot forming a pocket of pus infection abscess. It is often very painful to the horse resulting in quite a severely lame animal which continues until the pressure in the foot is relieved by draining the abscess. Usually performed by a farrier or veterinary surgeon. The condition can be distressing for any owner to see due to the severity of lameness. But why does it keep happening to some horses?
There are many reasons why bacteria can enter the hoof and form an abscess. But they all relate to there being a deficit in the hoof wall either through poor structure internal disease of the horse or external factors such as injury or foreign body penetration such as a nail etc.
Standing on foreign objects such as nails that poke into the foot sometimes deeply into the structures glass stones from uneven surfaces any object small enough to enter the foot and take dirt and bacteria with it is bad for the foot and can lead to an abscess.
The environment
Wet weather and boggy underfoot conditions can soften the hoof. And therefore the protective barrier that usually prevents bacteria entering the inner structures of the foot giving bacteria a way in. Also weather conditions changing from wet to very dry can lead to hoof cracks and hoof conformational changes that allow bacteria to creep in.
It is very important for foot health that you find yourself an experienced farrier. The foot should be kept balanced with regular trimming to allow the forces of a heavy body to be spread evenly and throughout the hoof. And take the strain without causing the hoof wall to split and splay. Poor hoof care or failure to have the feet correctly trimmed regularly can lead to many other conditions that predispose our horse friends to abscesses such as Sandcrack sheered heals bruised soles and corns or white line disease where the sensitive white line of the foot the connection between outer hoof wall and sole of the foot separates due to overloading of the foot letting bacteria invade.
Illnesses
Laminitis inflammation of the sensitive tissue or laminae that hold the internal structures and bones to the hoof wall within the foot can lead to disruption of the hoof wall and capsules allowing bacteria to invade and form
