Gutted, poor old horse. What else can I do?

[Fools Motto]

These are classic signs of DSLD Degeneration of Suspensory Ligament Desmitis. I can't believe your vet doesn't know about that. Unfortunately it is not curable and you can only keep them comfortable. Research in the USA found the degeneration is in all connective tissue all over the body but is more visible in the fetocks due to some of them dropping, so it is now called ESPA, Equine Systemic Protoglycan Accumulation.
Info here http://www.dsldequine.info/
More warmth will help to old boy. He does look a sweetie.
Does the owner see him every day or at all? Perhaps if he is faced with the sight of him, he may take more interest. I hope the meds work for him. Well done you for caring for him,
{{{{{hugs}}}} for you and him {{{{hugs}}}}

Thankyou. I never knew any of that.

 

[beeswax]

If you want the boy out with yours again asap - you are going to have to clean that wound and tetcin spray it so it heals quicker and doesnt go bad, if you dont, it is just going to go bad and possibly become very bad (you know what i mean). Try with the owner instead of talking to him about things, try asking him if he minded if you did this and did that but with his permission and then you just took control, maybe he thinks you are telling him how to do it, rather than offering to do it because you have the time (whether you do or not is neither here nor there) and want to be helpful etc etc, he is a man after all, remember how you acted when you wanted something from a man/your dad/husband etc when you were younger, it still works.

 

[dunkley]

It sounds as if an abcess has burst, well and truly. The trick now is to keep it clean, which I appreciate will be easier said than done. I have had similar, large wounds in the past, and was told (vet) to keep hosing it, cleaning it to the extent that it bleeds. Sound absolutely brutal, and TBH, I felt awful, but it needs to heal from the inside out, or you will just trap germs/c**p inside, and be back to square one. It can be a slow process. I still maintain that the treating vet needs to give owner a reality lecture.

 

[Honeylight]

Can't you get the vet to telephone the owner about the horses condition? Have you explained your predicament to the vet?

 

[muff747]

These are classic signs of DSLD Degeneration of Suspensory Ligament Desmitis. I can't believe your vet doesn't know about that. Unfortunately it is not curable and you can only keep them comfortable. Research in the USA found the degeneration is in all connective tissue all over the body but is more visible in the fetocks due to some of them dropping, so it is now called ESPA, Equine Systemic Protoglycan Accumulation.
Info here http://www.dsldequine.info/
More warmth will help to old boy. He does look a sweetie.
Does the owner see him every day or at all? Perhaps if he is faced with the sight of him, he may take more interest. I hope the meds work for him. Well done you for caring for him,
{{{{{hugs}}}} for you and him {{{{hugs}}}}

Also meant to say, my gelding has all the signs but his fetlocks haven't dropped. Feeding -wise, they recommend as low sugar diet as possible. I note you're on a farm, (is it a dairy farm) so I would imagine the grass is fertilised and rich? My gelding was crippled with this problem when on rich grazing so if you can, treat him as a laminitic, i.e. very low sugar diet and restrict grass intake. Soak any hay/haylage and no carrots or apples. Feed Speedibeet and no grains just high fibre and yes to oil. If teeth are a problem for him, soak a large bucket of grass nuts overnight as a substitute for forage and keep any feeds fairly wet. I feed mine Ready Fibre Mash and the "Extra" one has oil added. Good luck

 

[liveryblues]

Im glad it sounds a bit more positive I hope you can keep that wound clean. I think its very unfair of your family member to burden you and you sound very under appreciated. I am sure you have enough on your plate without banging your head against a brick wall with regards to family member! You can choose your friends but not your family as the saying goes! ( mores the pity as I have a few family members I would defo not choose!)
Anyway... a MASSIVE well done to you for looking after the old boy xxxx