The vet when she was here. I left a message on her non-emergency line, but probably won't hear back until this evening or in the morning.
We have a mini that went so lame so fast and so bad that we were convinced something terrible had happened - fracture / broken leg / torn ligaments - I had a million scenerios running through my head. A good friend of ours looked at him yesterday and found an abcess that he was able to open up. I soaked it in Epsom Salts, packed it with cotton soaked in Betadine and then duct taped a cardboard protector over it. I did the same this morning and we had the vet out as soon as she could get here. She gave him a tetanus booster and a penicillin shot and put him on antibiotics for 10 days and told me to keep soaking it - and wrapping/protecting it for a few more days.
I didn't even think to ask about exercise and walking around outside on it- should he be stalled 24/7 until it heals? and what about conditioning and working him? He is our new "B" size driving horse and he needs to get back in shape and him and I need to learn to work together and the kids need to be driving him every day too.
OH.....even today he really wasn't limping at all and we let him loose for a bit when the vet was getting ready to leave and he ran around (tore around, actually...) like he felt great. She said once the abcess drains they start feeling better right away.
I know she will answer my Q's that I didn't think to ask..BUT....I know many of you experienced horse owners have dealt with an abcess before so I thought maybe someone could help out now.
We have a mini that went so lame so fast and so bad that we were convinced something terrible had happened - fracture / broken leg / torn ligaments - I had a million scenerios running through my head. A good friend of ours looked at him yesterday and found an abcess that he was able to open up. I soaked it in Epsom Salts, packed it with cotton soaked in Betadine and then duct taped a cardboard protector over it. I did the same this morning and we had the vet out as soon as she could get here. She gave him a tetanus booster and a penicillin shot and put him on antibiotics for 10 days and told me to keep soaking it - and wrapping/protecting it for a few more days.
I didn't even think to ask about exercise and walking around outside on it- should he be stalled 24/7 until it heals? and what about conditioning and working him? He is our new "B" size driving horse and he needs to get back in shape and him and I need to learn to work together and the kids need to be driving him every day too.
OH.....even today he really wasn't limping at all and we let him loose for a bit when the vet was getting ready to leave and he ran around (tore around, actually...) like he felt great. She said once the abcess drains they start feeling better right away.
I know she will answer my Q's that I didn't think to ask..BUT....I know many of you experienced horse owners have dealt with an abcess before so I thought maybe someone could help out now.