Saturday, March 21, 2009

Hooray for Hoof Drainage!

Never in my life did I ever think I'd be so happy to witness an oozing infection. But that's how I felt yesterday when Jennifer, my vet, took a paring knife to the sole of Wally's sore hoof. She'd reviewed the xrays and then used the hoof testers to pinpoint the precise spot to begin her excavation in order to open up the abscess in Wally's sole.

She didn't have to dig far.

After just two or three dips and pokes with the tip of her knife, an eruption of the foulest black goo bubbled to the surface. I could smell it from three feet away. The force with which it oozed was evidence of how much pressure had built up inside Wally's hoof. Stuck inside the confines of the hoof wall, the infected material-- primarily old blood that had collected from a severe bruise-- had no place to go. So it had just sat there and brewed for a couple of weeks.

Of course, immediately after the carving caper, Wally was even more sore. But Jennifer packed the incised area and wrapped his foot.

I must admit, today Wally is already walking better! He seemed to feel healthier, too. My sister, Jill, told me that Wally had been prancing and dancing inside his big covered stall all morning.

I've been doing some dancing myself. This is all such a relief! I'm still keeping my fingers crossed, but it looks like Wally is on his way to recovering from The Abscess From Hell. When the day finally comes that he gets his shoe back on and I'm able to saddle him up for a ride, I should hold a party. But what exactly does one wear to a Farewell to the Abscess shindig? The wardrobe would have to include plastic gloves and Vetrap. And what on earth would we have for food? One of those chocolate volcano cakes, where fudge trickles down the sides of the cake, somehow seems appropriate. Party favors are an easy choice: hoof picks.
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If you have any suggestions or thoughts, just click on "comments" below!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulation Wally, you are on the road to soundness. Like I had said in an earlier letter to you, that H.T. was lame for months and it took several for it to come to a head and blow out of his sole. He was up very high and didn't pop out at the cornary band. It just keep going downward and it took four months to end. You are so lucky, we actually Wally is, since his pain will just about be gone in another day. Just keep that sole dressed and keep out any more dirt and grim from infecting it and you will be golden in no time. Lucky Wally to have ended it so fast. I am very happy for the both of you. Marion and H.T.

Anonymous said...

That's good news!! I'm so glad Wally's on the road to recovery. Give him a hug for me!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindy, another letter about H.T. You said about the abcess being black gold when it drained. He's another great example of black gold. H.T. had to have colic surgery in oct of 2002. After his surgery for a retro-flexed pelvic flexor, it took about two days for his first bowel movement. And now we always refer to it as black gold. He still will have a little trouble with his tummy at times. Once they have colic surgery, the vets refer to them as having a glass stomach. Very sensitive to everything. So, that my black gold. Marion and H.T.

Anonymous said...

That's great for Wally but now I'll never see my beloved Chocolate Lava cake the same way...thanks ;)

Erin in TN

Cindy Hale said...

What? Gee, Erin, you mean now your beloved chocolate lava cake will remind you of an oozing abscess? Ha!

Wally is already so much better. Today he gets his shoe back on but I'll still have to keep his hoof immaculately clean and packed, just like Marion said. So we're still not back to normal. But we're getting there!