Any advice/experiences please - punctured eye & fractured shoulder

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fathorse

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Please could anyone share their advice or experiences with me I am totally devestated. Sorry it's quite lengthy. Last Tuesday my 7 month old foal had a tragic accident in the field, nobody knows what happened and the field is in my opinion the safest horse environment possible! The vet came out Tuesday night & after a struggle to get the baby in from the field (she could barely walk) she was diagnosed with a punctured eye & a chip of the elbow & fractured shoulder. There is not a mark on her otherwise so definately not caused by another horse. The vet said I had to make a decision within the next 2 days if I wanted to procede with expensive, complicated surgery or leave her to heal naturally, both could leave her potentially lame for the rest of her life (or have her put to sleep which was clearly not an option). The vet came back next morning to x-ray (they took 9!) and they splinted the leg as she was bending at the knee as her tendons are too week to keep her leg straight. She was really struggling getting up and down with this and the little devil ended up bending the splint! So the vet came back to take it off completely. However she is now bending at the fetlock & literally hopping round the stable on 3 legs. After 3 vets looking at the x-rays, they are now in debate as to whether we should rush into surgery! She is on box-rest (with mum as we had only just started weaning and baby was getting stressed), on danillon twice a day & antibiotics for the eye. Although devestating, it is inevitable she has lost her eye, they said there is nothing they can do just accept it, it is starting to shrink away already. I'm gutted as she is so young.
Has anyone had any experiences with fractures? And surgery? Any positive outcomes would be greatly appreciated! I just wish the vets could come to a decision.
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Can't give you any experiences - but I just wanted to say how sorry I am to read your post.

Postive and healing vibes to your wee little filly.
 
very very sorry to hear that, you must be totally devastated. poor filly. it sounds as if she must have run headlong into something, they do such awful things to themselves.
my first thought is, could she spend some time sedated in a sling so that her leg could start healing straight? obv your vets will come up with the best thing for her. fwiw i think her mum should stay on box rest with her, poor filly has enough to cope with at the moment.
i've had a younger foal than that operated on (4 months) and he healed very well and was absolutely fine, fwiw. also, bone injuries heal better than tendon and ligament injuries, as long as they are given long enough.
really really hope this has a positive outcome, very very best of luck. *hugs*
 
God I am so sorry to hear this. I know when horses have fractures etc operated on they are sometimes cross tied and bandaged to prevent them moving lying down etc. Is this an option? Also as it's a week down the line do they thin surgery is going to be quite straight forward or complicated? Can you be referred to one of the large equine hospitals - Liphook, AHT, Rossdales etc
 
So sorry...dont have any experience with such a situation with such a youngster...but just wanted to wish you all the best and hope that whatever route is taken for her recovery is successful.
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I'm sorry I am another one with no advice or experience but just wanted to send you my sympathies for this terrible time you must be going through. I can only think though that being so young she would heal very quickly - I hope this is the case.
 
Just read this and I am so sorry for your little one what a horrible thing to happen. My 7 year old horse was kicked in the field 5 weeks ago now, the injury is not as bad as your foal but does involve a chipped lump off a leg bone. I was devastated when I found out as initially it just looked like he had a little cut on his leg. It had been done by a known 'troublemaker' in the field that had been moved to my horses field 3 days previously.

He had xrays by my vet then went to Rossdales for more xrays and to be assessed for surgery. They decided not to operate and he is on 8 weeks box rest with further xrays just after easter. I was crying and shaking and thought initially that he wouldn't get through but a lot of people on here have told me about some horrific accidents that their horses have had and recovered from, much worse than mine. Then I found out that one of the horses at my yard was kicked a few years ago and completely snapped her cannon bone. She ended up at the College and was operated on and now you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with her. There is so much they can do these days so don't give up hope. As already said on here can she go to one of the big hospitals for treatment?

Thinking of you and wishing you lots of luck x
 
Poor little thing. It's scary how horses can hurt themselves in the safest of settings.

Have your vets sought a second opinion from an orthopaedic specialist? Might be worth asking them to do this so that you can be satisfied that you are doing the best thing and know what the options are. Being young and light is definately on her side.

Best of luck with her.
 
Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and hope for my little one. I'm thinking surgery will definately be the way forward it's just so much trauma for such a little soul. I'm just worried about her quality of life more than anything, what if she will be limping around the field with a leg full of plates & screws & one eye for the rest of her life, even after surgery? And that's after months of hidious box rest, it just makes me so sad. I suppose I can only do the best I can to help her with the best recovery possible.
 
I am so amazed with the things people have told me about how well their horses have recovered, I know it's daunting now and the vet will tell you all the horrible things like how many don't make it through the anasthetic I was told all that and couldn't decide what would be best for my horse. Thankfully the decision was taken out of my hands in that they decided not to operate but it still depends on his xrays in a few weeks time as to how it's healed.

If it's of any consolation i used to ride a chestnut mare as a kid she was a retired show pony that had lost an eye and was fantastic!! you wouldn't have known she only had 1 eye and I did gymkhanas on her, she just had to have barrels etc on the side she had the good eye otherwise she would try and turn her whole head to see things, not good when you are trying to win and go as fast as possible!!!
A friend of mine was looking to buy an x race horse a couple of years ago and we went to a trainer to look at some, I liked a very dark bay and mentioned how nice he was and the trainer said that it only had 1 eye but raced just as well as all the others!!!
 
Im so sorry about what has happened to your foalie... no advice really on the leg front but i will say that it sounds like your baby need to get that eye out asap.

I had a punctured eye that needed removing so i know how your foelie feels. If the damaged eye is not removed ASAP she may loose the sight in her other eye. Its a condtion called Sympathetic Opthalmia and i presume its the same in animals as humans.

sympathetic opthalmia

Hope all goes well, animals and humans can live with one eye, i know!!!
 
I used to keep a horse on a yard where there was a horse with a fractured shoulder that had been left to heal.

The horse seemed to be in constant pain (happened 5 years earlier) and the numpty owners were thinking of breeding from her, scruffy little pony, nothiong special. There is no way she would have coped with carrying the extra weight of pregnancy.

A horse naturally carries most of it's weight in front.

Having seen the outcome I would either operate or PTS I'm afraid.
 
A neighbour has a pony who fractured her shoulder a few years ago. They made the decision for surgery followed by box rest. Now the pony appears completely sound and is ridden regularly. I assume she may be prone to arthritis or other problems in later years, but for now she still has good quality of life.
 
I wonder if the eye could have been saved with a contact lens? One of my mares just recently had one put in for a nasty scratch on her cornea. Amazing piece of kit!!
So sorry to hear of your foal's mishap though. If I am unsure as to what to do, I generally ask my vet what he would do if it were his horse. If she is well bred, it might be good to have the shoulder done and use her only for breeding later on to keep the blood line going. If she would be in life-long pain without the op, then your options are very limited, IMO.
 
Well I had the shock of my life when I went down the yard last night and found little one stood on 4 legs, knee locked, and leg poker straight! Still lots of swelling to the elbow/shoulder and still hopping lame but could not believe my eyes she is such a little fighter!

Spoken to the vet who is very pleased with the news and has informed me that if she had a fracture to the shoulder she would not be able to straighten her leg in this way?! So surgery may not be a requirement...so confused! I'm to get back to the vet next week with her progress.

Thank you all for your great advice & positive stories it certainly does help.
 
Can't help with the other injuries I'm afraid, but I knew a horse (4 year old) that fractured a shoulder and was left to heal naturally on field rest. It was later used as a broodmare with no problems. I have no idea on its future ridden career though, because the owners moved away and I lost contact with them.
Hope that helps and fingers crossed for your foalie x
 
HEY! that's sounding a bit more positive!! I was just thinking about her today while mucking out my box resting horse! Takes me ages so got a lot of time to think about things!! Keep us posted as to how she gets on, can you put any pics on here?? Good luck and don't give up hope!!!
XXX
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Thanks Jen, yeah I couldn't believe it! How is your boy doing on box rest? I really don't like it, it's not natural for them is it? But it's for the good of them & not forever. Do you do anything to help keep him occupied and not too bored?

Ruby has mum in with her (apart from 2 hours a day when I do turn her out ) so thats something but another worry about laminitis with mum etc.

I bet the time will fly by to Easter when he has more x-rays. If the x-rays show improvement what will be the next step?

I will try & get a piccy of them on here, do you have a pic to share? xxx
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Ok managed finally to do a proper signature!! He looks like this but in a stable!!! 3 weeks to go on week 5! Put a post on here about how to keep him amused, he's already broken his light and kicked out a 'window' in the back of the stable!! People said things like licks, lots of hay on the floor, carrots etc hidden round the stable, feed balls, apple bobbing, and a radio on. hope that's of some help!!

I wasn't working today so spent a lot of time pampering my chap and just spending time faffing in the stable, think he has finally resigned himself to the fact that he is in and that's it, though not counting my chickens and touching all available wood at the moment! Dreading the day he can come out as I already had to turn out and bring in in either a chifney or bridle and lunge line!!
How's your little girlie today?? Sounds like she has perked up a bit!!
 
Ah he's lovely...looks a big strong boy
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Ruby is doing well....still in obviously and starting to wean the drugs down abit now, will speak to the vet middle of week to see where to go next!

I put a swede on some string and hung it up in the stable the other day and she seemed to really like that!
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Hope your boy is well, if only you could tell them it's for their own good and only for 3 weeks & they could understand! xx
 
Just thought I would check your post again! Hope all is well! I may have a big strong boy, everyone thought he was indestructable, just goes to show what a fine TB with a temper can do though, thankfully it's been sold and left the yard now! Spent ages with my chap today as not working, just pootled about grooming, doing stable, cleaning tack in the stable, just little things to be with him, think he appreciates it!!! Keeping my fingerst crossed for your little girlie!!
 
Oh good i'm glad it's gone...it must be devestating knowing another horse caused it.
I would spend all my time down there pootling if I could and didn't have to work! Spending as much time as I can down there at the mo tho...not sure if I still have a boyfriend!
Mum had her shoes put back on for the first time since baby 2 weeks ago but under the circumstances haven't taken her out yet...gonna try and take her out over the Easter Break I think
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I will sit down and try and do a proper signature when I get the chance!
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