Biopsy's!

[ClumsyPonyPF]

Will keep it short...

Has anybody had a horse that has had a punch biopsy done on their legs? And what was your experience with the healing process?

Thanks in advance

 

[soloequestrian]

Mine had biopsies taken about six weeks ago, to test for leukocytoclastic vasculitis, which they confirmed. It wasn't a pleasant procedure. He had five punches taken and because two of them didn't stop bleeding quickly, the vet stitched them. I think that was pointless - although it stopped the bleeding at the time, I think just dressing them would have been a much better idea. When we took the stitches out (did them myself for various reasons), one had pulled out of the skin totally and was just held in place by the scab, and the other had held. The stitched holes healed much more slowly than the non-stitched ones, partly because I had to disturb the scab when taking the stitches out and partly because they caught on whatever boots or bandages I was using. Because he has LV, and I wanted him out as much as possible, he had to wear boots or bandages. I think ideally you would allow healing to take place with as little interference as possible, and no dressings. I found Intracite was the best thing.
In hindsight, I wish I hadn't bothered and had just treated for LV anyway, but I suppose hindsight is a wonderful thing and at least I'm not wondering any more.

 

[ClumsyPonyPF]

We are still waiting for results to find out what he has. Vet has said that they were needed as nothing we try is helping, and they are even unsure as to what it is. Hopefully they will give us an answer, not sure what we will do if they don't!
We were told to leave them too now, one of ours wouldn't stop bleeding but he just bandaged them up for the night. Only things I hate now is that he put some powder on them to help stop the bleeding but that is still on his legs in parts, along with the new scabs from biopsy's and his old scabs! Finding it really hard to leave alone, as I'm just getting worried they need to be cleaner! We keep just brushing them lightly with a flick type brush to try and get the looser and flaky bits off, but doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. Just don't know what to do!