Don’t Obsess Over a Hoof Abscess

horse keep in mind that not all abscesses are created equal. Observable signs depend on how large the abscess is where in the hoof it is and how long its been developing. If caught early some horses are only slightly lame. Others may have some leg swelling up to the fetlock while others may have a bounding digital pulse and a hoof thats hot to the touch.
Horse owners that have seen abscesses before may feel comfortable identifying one and starting treatment on their own. If this is your first time with a hoof abscess or you feel there may be other complicating issues its a good idea to call your veterinarian for help.
If lameness is accompanied by a visible injury like a penetrating wound or is part of a chronic hoof condition radiographs may need to be taken to better assess any internal hoof damage.
Treating Hoof Abscesses
For uncomplicated hoof abscesses treatment starts with releasing the pressure and granting the horse instant pain relief. This is done by draining the abscess. If your horse is extremely painful sometimes a local nerve block andor sedation may be needed to safely treat the wound. For this youll need your vet.
Using a hoof knife your veterinarian will clean and trim back the horses sole which gives the ability to see 

any dark spots or tracts. These are usually indicative of where the abscess is. Hoof testers can also help narrow the location of the abscess.
The hoof knife is then used to carefully pare deeper until the pocket of infection is hit. Once opened the abscess drains although its usually anticlimactic. A draining abscess may only be a tiny wet spot or area of dark fluid that trickles down. However the horse may visibly show his relief.

If left alone an abscess will eventually rupture on
its own. However there are a few downsides to this waitandsee approach. First it prolongs pain for the horse. Secondly if an abscess is not treated it tends to move up to the coronary band or out the heel bulbs.
Manually draining the abscess with the hoof knife through the sole allows gravity to help with the process a coronary band abscess also called a gravel may prematurely close leaving some infection behind to cause a problem later.
Once drained your horse now has an open wound in his sole. While its important to protect this wound from further infection its also