How to take care of an abscessed hoof

I went to The Dollar Store to get Epson Salt, diapers (24 lb size) and duct tape.  I brought scissors with me out to the barn.  I got Red out of the arena and took him into the main barn.  The water was HOT.  I ran a bucket of hot water and mixed in Epson Salt and put Red's hoof in it.  He let me know he thought it was too hot so I let it cool off a little while I made a mat out of duct tape.

Dr. Schneiter said to lay tape side by side overlapping just a little, with sticky side up.   Make it about 15" wide.  Next, lay the tape going the opposite direction, covering the entire surface.  Again, start another layer going in the other direction (same as the first).  I then "framed" the entire surface to make it even on the edges. 

When the water had cooled slightly, I put Red's foot in it.  He wanted to pull it out but I said "NOOOO....leave your foot in the water" and God bless him he did.  He is such a good boy and is such a pleasure to be around.  He kept his foot in for quiet a while.  It was raining, cold as it could be, and blowing hard.  It was COLD in the barn. 

Poor darling was shivering - even though he had his blanket on.  He was so good though.  I took his foot out and dried it with towels, put the black nasty stuff in the hole and on his bulb as instructed by Dr. Schneiter and then put the diaper on.  I sat his foot down on the towel and then got the tape mat and molded it around his hoof, wrapping tape around it but not tight.  I gave Red a snack of grain in his bucket.  I asked Edgar if he could stay in the main barn but it was full.  I told him he was shivering.

I took Red out and poor guy, he stumbled several times on his boot.  I put him in the arena and good grief, it was blowing HARD and was really COLD.  Bless his heart, Edgar came up and said he was going to check on a stall in the stallion barn and he came back and said I could put Red in there in the second stall.  I took Red over there and let him eat.  Edgar took out the old hay that smelled moldy and put Red a big stack of bahaia hay and I added a good size chunk of Tifton and a big flake of alfalfa. 

I went and got Red's antibiotics, a bottle of water and his syringe.  I added water to the half way mark and then dumped in the 10 tablets and shook to dissolve the tablets.  I tried to get Red to hold still and his head was going up so I stepped on his leadrope and shot the medication a little at a time into Red's mouth.  He was good about it.   I hugged him up and left. 

The barn area was flooded and ankle deep in some places.  Rain was coming down and it was 42 degrees when I got in the Rav.  As soon as I drove away from the barn it dropped to 40, then 39 and 38.   It is now:

Currently At 8:11PM

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37°F

RealFeel®

18°F

Winds: ENE
at 18mph

Rain

Humidity: 95%
Dew Point: 36° F

Pressure: 29.93 in
Visibility: 6 Miles 

 

Ugh...way too cold.  Margaret said it was sleeting a little up there in Jasper.   I am cold and I am in the house!  I am so glad Edgar found a place for my boy.  I am not so worried about him now.  

 

Margaret will be coming down in the morning and we are going to doctor Red together.  She has some kind of salve to go on his foot that is really good at drawing out the abscess.  I have never had a horse with an abscess so I am learning.  

 

I now have quiet a First Aide Kit.

 

It has:

 

Vet Wrap

Banamine

Ace

2 tubes of Bute

Furazone

Diapers

Epson Salt

Duct Tape

Scissors

Iodine solution 

Thrush treatment from Dr. Sherwood

I believe I need a few other things.  Maybe cotton balls, more gauze and vet wraps, etc.  I do have several potions for feet issues like Koppertox.  I need an eye ointment for Sarge.  He has had eye issues before and the ointment clears it right up.