The Summer of 2004 was pleasant and cool and WET!  As a result we treated a record number of sole abscesses.

Why so many?  The increased ground moisture resulted in increased hoof moisture.  Horses with separation of the white line, seedy toes, or deep cracks had enhanced opportunities for attracting dirt and bacteria deep into the hoof.  Horses with traditionally tough soles had softer soles.  The end result was abscesses.  An abscess can be sterile, resulting from a sub-solar bruise or bleed, or infectious, either from dirt and bacteria wicking up into the foot through wall defects or from puncture wounds.

Horses usually present with a gradually worsening lameness in one foot.  The foot may be warm, and the digital pulses are usually increased.  Hoof testers are used to localize a tender area, and drainage of the pain-causing fluid buildup is attempted.   Many abscesses drain out the coronary band instead of the sold.  This is often referred to as gravel as it was once thought that a piece of sand or stone had traveled from the sole upwards, but it is just pus working its way out through the path of least resistance.

Treatment for abscesses, regardless of the cause, is soaking in an Epsom salt poultice to draw fluid to the surface, pain relief if the animal is very sore, and drainage of the fluid if possible.  After drainage occurs, most horses return to their previous level of soundness in one to two weeks.  Keeping the draining tract clean and protected is important to prevent more contaminants from entering the deep hoof.

Many horses, particularly those with sole bruises, benefit from a shoe to lift their tender sole off the ground for a few weeks.  

Can abscesses be prevented?  No, but daily picking and inspection of your horse's feet will alert you to any early signs of a problem.