Help! Horse hates bandages

[spotty_pony]

A bit of an odd one but our Friesian absolutely hates being bandaged as we discovered today - he is currently in box rest with swelling between the suspensory and the DDFT and Vet has said to bandage. Well I’ve managed it in the need but it was not easy - Vet scanned today and he had to be sedated to have his leg clipped and twitched too! I think he is just ticklish and in all reality has probably never worn bandaged before. He starts twitching and then picks his leg up really high. I am having to put gel on prescribed by the Vet, then cling film and then a bandage. The cling film on its own was impossible so I had to hide it inside the bandage pad. Not easy! Now to just get them off in the morning ? I realise this is something that needs some work, getting him to accept his legs being touched and used to things like this but a bit late now and I can’t do groundwork with him now as he needs to stay still. Never had this problem before in all my years with horses - any tips welcome!

 

[holeymoley]

Could you use some sort of wrap instead?

 

[Cortez]

Can you have someone hold the other leg up while you bandage the injured one? It may be hurting him, but it's really just about basic manners.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Distract him with a lick ?

 

[spotty_pony]

Yes I already have got someone holding him and have tried a leg up but he definitely fights it. I’ll try a lick, but not sure whether that will help or not.

Cortez - yes I’m inclined to agree but unfortunately now is not the time to be teaching him as I don’t want to do more damage to the leg.

 

[Michen]

I'd just twitch him tbh. But I've never been able to bandage my horse, fine getting them on but he spends the whole night kicking out until they unravel. Causes more harm than good.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If its going to do more harm than good then leave them off. If you can't bandage the limb properly you run the risk of aggrevating the injury. If he isn't leaving his stable a bandage won't make much of a difference. I get that you need to put gel on (what is it BTW?) But surely you can just rub it well into the skin?

 

[Red-1]

We had one who needed first aid while I was at work. Mr Red was not bandage-aware but was directed to Tubigrip, frozen peas and a travel boot Velcroed around the lot.

The vet said it was the best dressing he'd seen for that particular injury!

So, would either tubigrip or a travel boot, or both, work?

Alternatively, I had a mare with a wound that needed covering (vet nicked an artery when removing a protein lump, the blood was everywhere!) and we had to stick Polster dressing on. Believe me, nothing was going to move that in a hurry, it wouldn't have needed a bandage. It comes off with wiping the edges with surgical spirit.

Alternatively, would it really harm with some air to it? Open wounds (at least those that are not spurting arterial blood LOL) usually do fine with being open and cleaned twice a day, if dressing isn't possible.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I found Premier Equine stable wraps really useful. I used them post the initial bandaging phase after an operation on both hind legs.

 

[spotty_pony]

If its going to do more harm than good then leave them off. If you can't bandage the limb properly you run the risk of aggrevating the injury. If he isn't leaving his stable a bandage won't make much of a difference. I get that you need to put gel on (what is it BTW?) But surely you can just rub it well into the skin?

It’s (Ekyflogyl prescribed by the Vet, I’ve never used it before but from what I can see it’s like volterol for horses.

 

[SusieT]

I would spend tomorrow training him with positive reinforcement that touching his leg is good- horses are smart.
If you scare him now or make a big deal of it then you are likely to just end up fighting him for the next few weeks.
If you can use lots of food reward, pause before you get to the point he is upset and thus avoid risk further injury you'd probably find a few hours you can get him happy with the situation. once he realises it's not that bad he should be fine. consider if you're not getting anywhere asking vet for oral sedation for a few days while he learns it is ok.

Or leave bandage off Ask vet how essential it is.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It’s (Ekyflogyl prescribed by the Vet, I’ve never used it before but from what I can see it’s like volterol for horses.

Oh we have used that before in the yard a few years ago. To be honest I can't say it made a difference to the horses it was used on I'm afraid. But every horse is different and some take to things others don't.

We never bandaged over the top, just rubbed into the skin well using rubber gloves.

 

[spotty_pony]

He has been a lot better since I wrote this. He was a bit funny when I was cold hosing him but after 20 minutes of realising that snatching his leg wasn’t going to make it stop he stood nicely. As for the bandages, I have been taking them on and off whilst he’s eating his feed. He walked a few steps backwards and then realised he couldn’t reach his food so moved forwards again and stood still. He is very food orientated - his treat ball has been a god send so far for the box rest. I just think that on Friday he was a bit upset still from having his leg clipped and being twitched which is why he reacted the way that he did. Now he is realising that bandages are not a bad thing, he’s much better so far! ?

 

[SusieT]

Great job- food and calm perserverance without overwhelming sounds like it worked well.