Author: Kate Kiger

closeup of a brown horse's two front hooves

Equine hoof abscesses: A real pain in the foot

Abscesses are a commonly seen hoof problem and cause of severe lameness in equine practice. An abscess is a pocket of purulent material (pus) trapped in the hoof, caused by bacteria that penetrates the protective, hard, keratinized epithelium of the hoof wall/sole. The bacteria can penetrate the hoof through a defect in the hoof wall […]