Experience of deep muscle laceration healing time?

AnShanDan

AnShanDan

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Young horse manged to severely tear her hind quarters/rump about 3/4 weeks ago on the bottom corner of the metal gate to her field. Freak accident.

The major wound was about 25/30cm long and about 8cm deep at worst. There was a fair bit of damage to the muscle, but the vet attending got it sutured back together really well, and closed the wound. The skin has now healed amazingly well and is looking great, dry and almost fully closed.

She is sound in walk, tracking up properly and raring to go. At the moment she is being walked in hand 10 mins twice a day and on box rest.

The vets have been a bit vague about a plan for the next few weeks/months. Vet on the day it happened said it takes 3-6 months for muscle to fully heal and reorganise itself. Normal vet said this week to keep walking her in hand for a few more weeks and then reassess at the beginning of December after the physio sees her, which is fair enough.

However, I am wondering if anyone has actually had experience of a wound like this and how the recovery went?
 
I would speak to my physio asap, they may be able to help with the healing process now you are past the acute stage, totally different but when I tore a ligament in my foot my equine physio used laser therapy on me after it had started to settle, I had daily treatments for a week luckily she had a pony at livery so was here anyway, it speeded up the recovery and gave no problem afterwards, vets often forget other professionals can offer support and treatment they do not do themselves.
 
A friend had a horse that impailed itself on a fence post into its belly, really nasty. It took a good while for the actual wound to heal, but once it had, the horse was brought back into work with no problems.

I realise its not the same area, and less of a "working area" of the horse but it always amazes me how major trauma wounds like this heal. I would expect the area to always be weaker and I might consider physio taping the area when back in full work to encourage the correct useage of those muscles.
 
Thanks for the comments, I will def. speak to the physio soon.

The wound has only really looked good this week, so we have been pretty cautious with her up til now.

Good idea about the taping, I know how much my son relies on this when he has rugby injuries.
 
1986 Grand National winner West Tip had a horrific scar from a much worse injury on his quarters where he was hit by a lorry. I would say that your prognosis is good and that you should listen to the horse and work her up to, but not beyond, the point which she lets you know is far enough.
 
ycbm said:
1986 Grand National winner West Tip had a horrific scar from a much worse injury on his quarters where he was hit by a lorry. I would say that your prognosis is good and that you should listen to the horse and work her up to, but not beyond, the point which she lets you know is far enough.
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That is really interesting, thank you.

The mare has amazed me by how well she has healed, the night she injured herself we were all in shock and just grateful it was not worse.

I do think she will be fine, given time, but I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to plans, so trying to get a plan in my head for her rehab.
 
Thought I'd update this thread :)

Young mare has healed so well. She began ridden rehab end of December and went back in the field in January, 3 months after her accident.

She didn't jump til May, but completed her first BE90 last weekend with no issues at all, fab clear XC.

Her rump has a lovely big scar on it with suture marks but she can't see it without looking in her bedroom mirror, so that's fine :)
 
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