Foot Abscess

Also known as pus in the foot, this condition is very commonly seen in horses, ponies and donkeys. Foot abscesses are generally very painful with a sudden onset. They result from a localised bacterial infection developing inside the hoof wall or under the sole, which typically develops after a penetrating injury through the sole, or by tracking up the white line (the seam between the sole and the hoof wall). Recurrent abscesses at the same location can reflect either the presence of a deep seated unresolved infection, a foot tumour called a keratoma, infection of the pedal bone within the foot or chronic laminitis.