Abscess leading to bone infection, surgery the next step, any experiences?

[Moonberry]

im so sorry to hear this, however it sounds like your equine practice is exceptional and preparing for all possible outcomes. In addition if they are doing MRI first they can be truly honest with you about some of the challenges in recovery if you go ahead with the surgery.

I wish my first vet practice had been more thorough as ours had soft tissue damage as well which is where we had the challenges in pain management.

A bright note on our 10 month ordeal, our patient was feeling so good yesterday she jumped out of her strip grazing. Only 90cm but she gave it a 3 stride run up, cleared it by quite a margin and then set off down the laneway at a very brisk trot. Our dear old girl is 23 and I couldn’t be happier knowing she is well enough to jump out.

So glad to hear she felt well enough for a little escape action! Must have been an awesome feeling to see her do that, even if it did require a chase down the lane

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Keeping my fingers crossed today and hoping it's better news

 

[Ceriza]

Fingers crossed for you today
Only wish we had the option to do a prior assessment by MRI 7 years ago, next month. I just had a phone call whilst my mare was on the operating table to say it had gone too far?

 

[Moonberry]

Fingers crossed for you today
Only wish we had the option to do a prior assessment by MRI 7 years ago, next month. I just had a phone call whilst my mare was on the operating table to say it had gone too far?

I’m so sorry about your mare. Yes, I’m glad we get to do the diagnostics first. Was just a real shock yesterday when the conversation flipped from being a fairly routine surgery on what the visiting vet described as minor infection in the bone to actually a far worse prognosis.

 

[Orangehorse]

Oh gosh Moonberry, that's awful. Just from a silly abscess that most horses get well within a short time. So sorry to hear this.

 

[racebuddy]

hope everything went ok xxx

 

[Moonberry]

hope everything went ok xxx

Thank you, we dropped him off yesterday afternoon. Had to hand him over in the car park and wasn’t allowed to take him in which was pretty horrid, both son and I were sat in the lorry sobbing after they took him in ? MRI is today so keeping everything crossed for good news!!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Fingers crossed ?

 

[meleeka]

fingers crossed for today x

 

[Fraggle2]

Fingers crossed for good mri results. And a ((hug)) for you as the waiting will be very hard on you x

 

[Moonberry]

Thanks everyone, heard from the hospital this morning and he’s nice and settled which is great. MRI not until this afternoon so results tomorrow am. Surgery provisionally booked for tomorrow afternoon if results are positive. Lots of waiting!

 

[Surbie]

Fingers crossed for today.

 

[Northern Hare]

Good luck today, it's so difficult to concentrate on anything when you're waiting for a phone call from the vets. I hope all goes to plan and your lovely horse is quickly back on the road to recovery. ?

 

[Petalpoos]

Fingers and toes all crossed for you. I know how awful it is when you have to wait, but hopefully it will all go well.

 

[Moonberry]

Morning everyone, well mri results are in and he has Quittor, which is apparently very rare. The vet is, however, happy to go ahead with the surgery this afternoon, with a reasonable prognosis. Thanks for all your support and fingers crossed for this afternoon!

 

[teacups]

Fingers ánd toes crossed for you!

 

[bonny]

Hope everything goes well

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Good news that you can move forward to surgery. Thinking of you.

 

[CPayne]

Hope everything goes well this afternoon.

 

[Peglo]

Hope everything goes well this afternoon. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Noble]

My mare had similar surgery, I think, they originally had concerns it was Quitter. When they opened the hoof up (over 1cm wide by the full height) no bone or soft tissue was involved, it was a simply an infected quarter crack due to poor farriery and conformation. Anyway, I wanted to say to ask about having the hoof put in a cast if possible whilst under GA, it saved me so trouble for the first 3 weeks after surgery. No changes of dressing required or concerns of dirt/infection getting in just a quick check daily for any rubs. Hope all goes well today.

 

[Spottyappy]

Thinking of you today, and hopefully it will be a good outcome with what you now know.

 

[abbijay]

I have personal experience of an abscess "going wrong" and progessing to the pastern joint. This was in my 12yo clydesdale and he was utterly 3 leg lame and obviously in huge pain as a result. Once the infection was identified in his joint he had surgery on it under GA. I was terrified as the survival rates from GA in heavy horses are (anecdotally) very poor. Thankfully he pulled through it and made a fairly rapid recovery after some further flushing under standing sedation. He did return to full work for several years and was completely sound on it for several years before a tendon injury in a different leg brought about his retirement. We did re-Xray the joint several years later and the vet was amazed at how good it looked.
A friend of mine had an issue before me with a deep-seated abscess that started to affect the pedal bone. Her clydesdale was successfully operated on to flush this out but unfortunately he did not survive the GA.
I hope yours recovers fully and quickly, I am thinking of you.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I hope the surgery goes well this afternoon. ??

 

[Moonberry]

Just had the call from the vet, he’s out of surgery and back on his feet. They’ve had to remove a lot of the cartilage on one side of the pedal bone as it was so infected, so now hopefully we can head towards recovery even if it is a long road to travel. Thanks to everyone for thinking of us and sending positive vibes

 

[CPayne]

So glad he’s on his feet. Wishing him a smooth and speedy recovery.

 

[Goldenstar]

So glad to hear he’s up I hope is a straight forward recovery

 

[Moonberry]

Another small update, he was a bit subdued over the weekend so was on colic watch for a while. Back to his normal self as of last night. Was due to go and pick him up today but started feeling ill over the weekend and I have managed to catch Covid! What timing when I've managed to avoid it for 2 and a half years! I have asked them to keep him until at least tomorrow, maybe Wednesday, as don't want to risk the drive, about 100 mile round trip, feeling lousy, or have to try and care for him until I feel better.

 

[meleeka]

Another small update, he was a bit subdued over the weekend so was on colic watch for a while. Back to his normal self as of last night. Was due to go and pick him up today but started feeling ill over the weekend and I have managed to catch Covid! What timing when I've managed to avoid it for 2 and a half years! I have asked them to keep him until at least tomorrow, maybe Wednesday, as don't want to risk the drive, about 100 mile round trip, feeling lousy, or have to try and care for him until I feel better.

Oh no, typical! Get well soon x

 

[Squeak]

Glad it's a more positive update for your boy but hope you're not feeling too rubbish.