Hock Injury

[BellaKis]

I wonder can anyone help me, I am just a but worried. A friends pony went out in a new field came in sound in the morning and by the evening when it came to turn her out she was very sore on her back leg and her hock was swollen, we hosed it down and left her in with stable bandages on etc. That evening we had to get the vet up cos she was in a lot on pain and was stressing herself, he gave her some painkillers and a small seditive to calm her. The next day she was a much happier pony walking much better but the swelling hadn't gone down. Anyway monday she finished her course of bute tuesday evening she was starting to get sore on it again. Went up this morning and where she has had an old cut (prob about 5 weeks ago) on her hock - it had reopened and all this yellow/orange puss was coming out of it, she was walking absolutely fine and the swelling has gone down. So we thought it must have been and infection, and we have polticed it. Anyway since that I have been told that I shouldn't have polticed the hock cos it can cause more damage than good

I have rang the vet and he didn't seem at all fazed that I had polticed it, he just wants me to but some antibiotic powders in her feed for a couple of days. I am just rather worried that I have done the wrong thing and was wondering if anyone can help?

Thanks x

 

[Foxfolly]

My horse had a wound that penetrated his hock joint and he was straight into the vets for full anaeshthetic and flushed out joint, was hospitalised for 2 weeks!!
He was slightly lame when he came in from the field and within 30mins was pretty hopping lame!

I think if it had penetrated the joint capsule in your friends pony she would have been a lot more lame right at the start, like mine was.
With any injury near a joint you do have to be careful, if it has penetrated the joint capsule, there would be a bubbly liquid oozing from the wound. I am sure the vet would have checked for this when they first saw the pony. If the vet is happy and the pony seems less lame now its been poulticed and burst i would think she would be OK.

Good luck!