Horse Hoof Problems! Bleeding Frog!

Question

I noticed that our broodmare was limping really bad, so I brought her down to the barn. I picked up her hoof and started to clean it out. In one of the little holes next to her frog is a little wet spot, I started digging around, and now it is bleeding, what do I do about that? Thanks!

Answer 1

Does the hoof SMELL?  If no odor then it's not thrush, it's probably an abcess.  Wash it out with hydrogen peroxide, then pour some iodine in it and pack the hoof with some absorbent wadding (Cotton, etc) and wrap the hoof with vet wrap.  Do the same thing until the hoof sole starts to clear up and mend, daily.

IF it is smelly then that's thrush, you still need to clean the entire sole of the hoof, then pack the abcess after the hydrogen peroxide, iodine and hit the rest of the hoof that's not bleeding with thrush buster, wrap the hoof up and redo it again tomorrow.

Answer 2

is this working?

**EDIT...sorrry about that...Yahoo was taking a 'coffee break' and it was annoying me!!

Sounds like a puncture or maybe really bad thrush...but you should be able to smell and see that. Could also be an abscess rupturing. Which is more likely than the thrush...if you don't smell it or see it. Clean the hoof and soak for about 15 minutes in epsom salts and warm water. Use the soaking salt water and a toothbrush to scrub and clean the area. Look for anything that might still be stuck in there.

If it's an abscess...which it really sounds like to me...do the epsom salt soak twice a day. While you are doing that...call the vet and get his advice on how to treat it. Or call your farrier and have him look at it.

For abscesses...I do the salt soak, then put 10% iodine on it and in it...after I have widened the hole. DO NOT do this if you don't know how. You can really hurt your horse. Call the farrier or the vet to handle this.  I then make a bandage out of vet wrap to cover the bottom of the hoof and wrap it up to the fetlock.  Then cover the vet wrap with duct tape...only on the hoof area.  This hopefully holds up until the next soaking.

Also, if this is a ruptured abscess the limping should be drastically reduced because the pressure would be draining away.

Answer 3

im really no expert on this, but is it possible you injured it picking it out?

Answer 4

Get the farrier out asap.  In the meantime, keep it clean by restricting where the horse goes.  Any infective material is already most likely deep within that opening, so topical treatments will be of little value...soaking in Epsom salts will help while you await the farrier.

Answer 5

It might be an abscess. Have your farrier out asap.  

Answer 6

In serious cases, thrush bacteria invades the sensitive

layers of the frog. It is common in these cases to see bleeding

of the frog as well. If this happens, you should move your horse

into a clean, dry area and use an antiseptic foot wash with

Betadine solution or a foot soak with warm Epsom salt water. If

bleeding still persists, apply a temporary bandage.

Call your farrier or vet and get some advice.