Hock Injury

[Maclinda]

So before I continue, horse is being seen by vet but just seeing if anyone has similar. My boy came in from field 7weeks ago with a puncture wound to hock. Vet came out and he ended up in vet school for 10 days. Tiny fragments of bone were removed and wound was treated with antibiotics etc. During this time he was sound on walk and trot. Finally got out and was on strict box rest for 4 weeks and the wound was bandaged every 4 days. Wound healed really well but he did get bandage sores on the rest of leg.
Last week vet came and trotted him up but he was lame, didn’t seem to be pushing off of that leg. This week pretty much the same in trot and canter. Vet took X-rays but was pretty inconclusive (hock bone very slightly irregular but not horrendous) and she is going to refer to vet school.
I have been allowing his limited turnout this week in a round pen and his trot definitely seems to have improved but he is literally bunny hoping in canter with both feet rather than with one hind leg).

Just wanting to hear similar stories/outcomes while I wait on vet school getting back to me. ?

 

[Green Bean]

I had something very similar with my mare, almost exactly the same injury. Her wound was leaking synovial fluid which is quite serious. I was lucky it was found minutes after it happened (kick from another horse). Vet was called and I ended up making the same trip as you to the equine hospital. My horse was there for five days after being operated on. I had the same box rest story but checked with my vet if I could take her out hand grazing which was agreed. I went to the yard twice a day for an hour each. My philosophy was that as people are made to get up and around almost straight after surgery, this should apply to horses too (not in every instance, I appreciate that). I had the same rebandaging process until stitches were removed. I bought a Back on Track equine hock boot with hole for when she first went out as I was worried about accidental knocks when rolling, plus it has some healing properties. I then had a long rehabilitation process of walking etc. I am extremely lucky in that she made a full recovery - I put this down to quick action due to it happening when the horses were due to be brought in. Good luck