Winter weather conditions often contribute to an increase in cases of lameness in horses. Horses that are pastured in wet and muddy conditions often develop small cuts and wounds on the lower limbs which can easily be missed. Bacteria and other pathogens may gain entry, resulting in minor infections that may go unnoticed without careful daily examination. These small infected areas may result in lameness.
Applying a poultice to an infected hoof
Horses that are pastured in wet, muddy conditions often develop small cuts and wounds on the lower limbs through which bacteria and other pathogens may gain entry causing infection.
Horse owners should be alert for any incidence of unexplained sudden lameness in their horses and should carefully inspect each horse's limbs and feet regularly.
Veterinary consultation is recommended in any cases of lameness. Trimming away surrounding hair before careful cleansing of the affected area with warm antiseptic solution and cotton wool swabs will help determine the extent of the infection. If the wound is away from joint, poulticing may be used to draw out any deep seated infection.
If a poultice is applied too close to a joint there is risk of drawing out the lubricating fluid from around the joint; which can have serious consequences. Most horses require stabling during the treatment for lameness.
If the horse is not vaccinated against tetanus, the veterinarian will give an anti-tetanus injection, as the pathogen causing tetanus, Clostidium tetani, is a soil-borne organism and may have gained entry into the body through the wound.
Ideally all horses should be routinely vaccinated against tetanus.
If the horse has unexplained sudden lameness and a wound cannot be found; the injury may be a puncture wound. This type of wound can be quite common if plants with thorns are in the pasture area. In addition, nails, sticks and rocks can cause puncture wounds.
With a puncture wound, the affected area will be quite painful, inflamed and hot; all of which will worsen if untreated. Oral antibiotics may be given if the veterinarian is unable to remove the foreign object in the puncture wound and the area should be poulticed.
Pus in the foot of a horse is another condition that may occur during the muddy winter months when the risk of bacterial infection tracking into any small puncture wound is heightened. Pus in the foot is usually easily recognised and is a common cause of lameness when a bacterial infection of the vascular layer of the internal hoof wall is caused by a penetrating foreign object.
Treatment requires the application of a warm poultice to draw out the infection. Tubbing the foot is another precedure that will help drawn out the infection. Tubbing requires the horse to stand with the affected foot submerged in a bucket of saline solution for approximately 10 minutes twice daily. This technique is often not easy to achieved with many horses.
Learn more about treating Infections in Horses