Help/ideas please? Bit long....friend's horse in vets

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Twiglet

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A friend's pony managed to somehow nearly 'remove' his eyelid in the stable last week, and the damage is quite extensive. Vet stitched it back together the same day but he has rubbed badly, resulting in it being restitched four times now.
He was admitted into the surgery last Saturday, as it's at a very delicate stage, but he is continuing to rub the stitches out, which is doing more damage each time.

He is currently cross tied, but he is a real panicker, and manages to break free every time (from bungees, bailing twine etc). A cribbing collar didn't work, neither did numerous dressings to protect it, as he rubs through them.
He's in a lodden box at the vets with nothing to really rub on, other than his own legs or bare walls.

Last night he was sedated with two ACP, but the vets are reluctant to sedate every day or more heavily as it may cause respiratory issues.

Any ideas on how to prevent him doing himself more damage?? The eyelid has taken a real bashing and needs to be able to heal itself without his interference!

Thanks
 
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Do they not have an oldfashioned wooden cradle which stops them bending their necks? That would stop him getting his head down to itch on his legs.

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They already tried the cradle - he snapped it
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Do they do those head protectors in huge sizes that the give to dogs???

Just a suggestion, and probably no help at all!!! Sorry!
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Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately those 'elizabethan collar' type things don't work for horses apparently. Interferes with their eating etc, and can imagine rather panic inducing.
 
I was thinking a lampshade type thing, or a ring bandage around his eye, bandaged into place (would have to bandage over his eye to do that I imagine) so that when he rubs nothing makes contact with the wound? A ring banadage looks like a doughnut, when I originally did my 1st aid course they taught us how to make one and we used them for wounds with things stuck in them so we could bandage up the wound without pushing the foreign object into it . Now though they just tell us to use a rolled up bandage either side of the wound. Would have thought a ring bandage would stay in place better over an eye though. Or some sort of plastic cup over the wound secured in place with a bandage.
 
Thanks for the reply. He's had the donut bandage for 4-5 days now, unfortunately it doesn't stop him rubbing or doing the damage. He's a little b*gger!!
 
There is a specific head cover just like blinkers that you can get with full eye covers. My own pony ripped her eyelid but i was lucky that it healed perfectly (though she actually had to be knocked and held down to stitch it).
Last summer, my friends pony did the same and as she is in New york and the flies are terrible out there we got her one of those head covers - like blinkers except with a complete circle to cover the eye. This year at college we had a top class racehorse that had a corneal ulcer and we used the same sort of hood as he had a cannula inserted into his eye for administration of meds. So they definitely can be purchased - and Im very surprised your vets havent looked into getting one - or suggesting to you to buy one. they are quite useful.
 
Ali_m....will get her to give the police horse suppliers a call, could be an idea.

Glenruby, did the eye covers look like a big fly's eye type thing - mesh? The vet suggested this yesterday but claimed they could only get one from Newmarket. They haven't been particularly proactive in their approach to be honest.
 
Cant seem to finda British place that stocks those, but Im sure an equine veterinary supplies copany must do them - though they probably wouldnt have them for sale on the internet.
 
If you are stuck I would look into blinkers possibly - there are some that cover more of the eye than others. Im pretty sure they could be manipulated to provide the right coverage though.
 
Try PMing Box_of_frogs, she's been through the mill when it comes to eyes and I believe had a special guard made for her horses eye.

She may be able to help.
 
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