Nail in hoof
Nail in hoof2007-11-24 21:18:44
Last night I was coming back from a ride, and I felt my horse start limping. I got off to see what was wrong, and there was a nail in my horses hoof. When I got back to my barn the owner helped me get the nail out. We cleaned it but is there anything else I should do? Last friday he got his Tetanus shot.
Answers:Poultice it with something like hot animalintex and a short course of antibiotics. Puncture wounds can look small but are a haven for infection and in the sole of the foot, it's exposed to mud, manure etc. Just keep it clean and covered and if it gets worse, you might need to get the farrier to dig out the foot in case it needs to drain.
keep it clean, I would soak some cotton in beatadine, apply it to he hoof and wrap it to prevent infection.
I don't know what else needs to be done, if anything, but having been around horses all my life, I know that hoof/ foot injuries can be very serious and should not be taken lightly. They can lead to lameness or even death if not dealt with. I would definitely call your Vet and ask them about it. Just call and see what they say, better safe than sorry.
mix some petroleum jelly and some maalox together until it's a creamie white and pack it on and it will heal it in a day or so this stuff really work's for just about anything rashes sore's anything try it out
When in doubt, call the vet. Puncture wounds can lead to bad things; if you can't be 100% certain you got ALL foreign matter out of his hoof, it might heal around it, and then you'll end up with an abscess. If he got a tetanus shot a week ago you probably won't have to worry about tetanus, anyway. So flush the hole daily for a few days- I've used hydrogen peroxide for that purpose, but some people will tell you only to use water, it depends on what your horse's owner wants I suppose- and keep a close watch on it. It may heal up just fine, and if not, you'll need to get the vet out to take a look.
Just to be on the safe side, call the vet out. There is no way to tell from looking at the outside of the hoof if the nail went into the coffin bone, or any other vital structure. If an infection were to set in, it could lead to laminitis/founder. Although it's good he has a recent tetanus shot, antibiotics are most likely warranted.