Tis the Season

...for abscesses. 

Jackson lost a shoe last week as a big rain storm was moving through.  Our farrier was out of town so I managed to pull the shoe and then put on an EasyBoot.  That worked well until Jackson broke the EasyBoot and I found him wandering around his stall barefoot.  Great.

Our farrier came up Tuesday and put the shoe back on.  He also took a look at Tuffy who was lame and in pain.  He pronounced it a probable abscess so I slapped on a poultice and a diaper and wrapped him up good with vet wrap.  He had a lovely green foot to hop around on.

Wednesday, Jackson seemed a bit off.  Not a lot.  Just a bit.  I figured his foot was sore from being barefoot and then getting the shoe back on.  I gave him some bute and some GastroGuard to settle his nervous stomach.  Jackson is a champion worrywart. 

Yesterday, Jackson was still sore.  Tuffy looked like he was getting around better.

This morning, Jackson was hopping lame.  And his manure was a mess.  More GastroGuard, more bute and a call to the farrier.  We suspected a hot nail.  Our farrier was able to come up this afternoon and pull the shoe.  It was not a nail - Jackson was not at all sensitive in the hoof wall where the nail was.  However, he was big time sensitive on the sole.  Probably an abscess.

I soaked his foot and washed his manure stained tail.

Then it was his turn to get a poultice, diaper, duck tape boot.

Meanwhile, Tuffy was walking normally so I took off his hoof wrap.  It was full of stinky abscess stuff and Tuffy walked normally with it off.  He smelled his clean hoof thoroughly, then went for a roll in the dirt, and celebrated by chasing Finessa around the pasture twice.  He came over to offer his condolences to Jackson.

Actually, I think he looks a little smug.  Flash thought so too and chased Tuffy into the donkey stall.  Tuffy felt good enough to throw in a little attitude on his way.  Don't blink or you'll miss it on this video.