Cast on cannon bone to heal wound

K

kgj66

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 February 2009
Messages
150
Visit site
Has anyone's horse had this? The wound was a very large, open laceration down to the bone on the outside of the hind cannon bone. It healed over 6months to a certain point, but after this would not heal past an area approx. 2cm x 2cm. Vets thoughts were that the tissue was very delicate, and although bandage any knock, or rub in the wrong direction would allow it to open again.

Vet has now put a cast on to prevent movement of the skin and accidental knocks. If anyone has used this method how long was the cast on for and did it work?

Thanks,
Kate
 
I have had one of my racehorses with a cast on and you think they are not going to cope but they do and it will certainly protect the wound and give it chance to heal. If after the cast comes off and you still not happy, PM me I can give you a tel number of someone who might be able to help. Fingers crossed this works though.
 
My horse Catembi had an accident with a barbed wire fence (got his foot stuck; pulled back) & had very bad lacerations in the area on the back of the pastern. He was in a cast for a month as otherwise, every time he walked, the wounds would have popped open again.

He managed okay, but had to be on ACP as he was getting stressed with box rest & it wasn't doing his foot much good when he banged the cast on the door.

It did work, but as soon as it came off & I was walking him in-hand (as per rehab instructions) he started rearing & popped it open... luckily not too badly.

Don't be alarmed when it comes off - sometimes the leg is bald & manky looking underneath but it will look fine within a few weeks.

Good luck!

T x
 
kgj66 said:
Has anyone's horse had this? The wound was a very large, open laceration down to the bone on the outside of the hind cannon bone. It healed over 6months to a certain point, but after this would not heal past an area approx. 2cm x 2cm. Vets thoughts were that the tissue was very delicate, and although bandage any knock, or rub in the wrong direction would allow it to open again.

Vet has now put a cast on to prevent movement of the skin and accidental knocks. If anyone has used this method how long was the cast on for and did it work?

Thanks,
Kate
Click to expand...

Yes, mine did on his hind leg. He'd de-gloved it right to the bone and after a skin graft and many months the vet suggested a cast to heal the last bit.

He coped fine on it but after a few days there was blood running out of the bottom and he was v lame. Took it off and the whole thing had blown open again due to complications from sequestrum and he had to be PTS.

I must stress that this was not the fault of the cast - it would have happened sometime, but the cast just sped it all up.

Vet was v hopeful about the cast, it was just one of those things.

Hope yours makes a good recovery :)
 
Hi guys, thank you for the replies. Patterdale- sorry to hear about your horse.

Luckily she has done most of the healing already. She originally got a cast from hoof to hock but it slipped and she was unable to walk in it and got very distressed, so this was changed to a fetlock to hock cast and she has been much happier. She is turned out when it is dry and has normal movement.

It is now been on for a month; on the one hand I feel I want it off as soon as possible as i want to see if it has healed and I think shavings and dirt may have got into the cast which would be irritating (this is probably my human brain, as she does not seem annoyed at all), but on the other hand I know the longer it is on the more likely it will be fully healed.

How long did your horses have a cast on for?

I really want this to be the final treatment she has for the wound- it has been 7 long months of bandaging and although she is a very good patient I want her to be able to be a normal horse soon, not wrapped up in bubble wrap!
 
Hi, just to everyone who replied the cast is off and it worked brilliantly. The wound is now just a scar, we don't know if the hair will grow back, but at least it is not open anymore!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top