Dawson was a bit ouchy at the start of this week and i wasn't quite sure why, i was thinking he was just a bit sore from the hard ground or something. I checked on him all week and he wasn't getting worse but wasn't getting better either. The BO suggested an abscess so i pressed all along his sole with my hoof pick, his heel bulbs etc.. no pressure points.
Last night his leg was swollen up to his hock and he was quite sore with heat coming out of his heel bulb. So i soaked his foot in Epsom salt and after one soak i brought it out and the abscess had blew. I got new water and salt and soaked it again since there was still pus coming out of it.
2 abscess in a month? not impressed. It is a different leg so i know its not since i didn't get it all out the first time. So now im wondering why? I've been looking up everything i can find last night and this morning.
I've found out the type of abscess he blows are called "Dorsal Abscesses" : they blow either at the coronary band or above the heel bulb. They are suppose to one of the most painful but heal within a very short period of time.
"However, new findings by natural hoofcare professionals indicate diet imbalances as being the most likely source of chronic abscessing." is a quote i found on a site. Right now Dawson is being fed 2 liters of hi fat, hi fibre, twice a day, along with 1/2 a cup of flax twice a day, and Nutriquin vitamins.
Another reason i found that is a possibility, is incorrect trimming. There is a few things about his feet i don't like so im wondering if this is enough to be causing the abscesses.
It is said that abscesses will blow out of the weakest spot, so if each time they blew out of his heel bulb, then it must be saying something about his heels being weak?
Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:29 am
