Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Healing Misty - Ongoing abscesses and frustration

I was so concerned about Misty's right front foot because of the exposure of that soft subsolar tissue.  And indeed that foot took a long time but once the abscess stopped draining, and the sole started thickening and hardening up, she was much more comfortable on it.










However, her left foot, which seemed the better foot before because the abscess was so much smaller, has become the bad foot.  The small abscess which seemed to cease draining initially opened back up a few days later and it has drained continuously for the last 3 weeks.  Shortly after it opened back up, I put her on a course of SMZ antibiotics because I was really concerned about the abscess affecting the bone.  I have not retaken radiographs yet, but I think my concern is well warranted given the prolonged draining.  I'm very very concerned that the infection is now involving the bone inside because despite the draining, she is still so sore on that left foot.  The left foot is also the one that has the heel crack from and old abscess.  There is a chance that the crack which is growing out well, but getting sand packed in it, is also contributing to her discomfort.








A few days after I started her on antibiotics, she had a very bad couple of days.  She was extremely painful somewhere.  I was suspecting colic type pain as she kept laying down, would be comfortable and eat, but then suddenly have a spasm or something that was extremely painful. 




Either gas colic, or potentially an ulcer.  The other potential was recurring laminitis, but I was really hoping that wasn't it.  I treated her like both a gas colic and ulcer.  I stopped her bute completely, and started her on a few doses of gastrogard (super expensive med!!!!), then switched to ranitidine.  She is currently getting ranitidine twice a day and will continue for probably a few weeks.  As soon as she got the gastrogard, her pain stopped, so I'm thinking ulcer.  But she had been eating in the lawn that day and could have overdosed on clover.




Her right front was her good foot for about 2 weeks, but just a few days ago, she suddenly seemed more sore on that one too and now she is draining an abscess at the coronary band again.  Though this one seems to be behaving normally...once the abscess started draining she did seem a little more comfortable on that right foot again.

I am frustrated that she cannot become comfortable.  Battling these abscesses is really depressing.  I knew this was what was likely to happen, but I thought she could work through them.  I'm still working on it and she is still fairly cheerful, but I wish we could get back to those good couple of days she had right after she arrived.

3 comments:

Shirley said...

Are you soaking her feet? I'm thinking booting her for a half hour at a time with a cider vinegar /water solution will help clean up the abscess. Also, what about booting her with Soft Ride boots as she is healing?

Kara said...

I have been soaking both front feet in Epsom salts and iodine solution every day. She seems more uncomfortable in soft ride boots than without. She is in soft sand all day unless I let her out to graze. Even in soft rides, they end up becoming filled with sand. I think the sand provides the best overall support for her whole hoof, and it is a really good surface to lay down on, which she does often. She takes care of herself pretty well.

Linda said...

Kara, I'm just reading about your journey with Misty. You haven't written in a few days, so I hope it's going okay. I admire what you're trying to do for her.