Horse fractured nasal bone-experiences pls??

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Venevidivici

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Hi,I know that the treatment is often just to leave to heal but would you insist on an xray,for peace of mind,to see the exact extent/position of the break? (Been diagnosed by vet's clinical examination). There is no exterior wound/contusion whatsoever-face is spotless. I am a little concerned about any possible soft tissue damage that may interfere with breathing/eating. He is breathing ok,chewing haylage but is then spitting mushy lumps of haylage out. It was a local,on-call/emergency vet-I don't have the faith in him that I have in my 'main' vet,at a further away practice.
 
I should add,emergency vet looked in his mouth and said teeth&jaw fine(he certainly has no pain in either of those). Horse was bleeding a little from one nostril. Suspected fracture involves about 2 to 3inches length of nasal bone&is about an inch or so below eye level. Bleeding stopped,though started up a bit again after some haylage chewing,then stopped.
 
Our 2yo (rising 3) has had a very similar thing last week. Initially one evening we noticed bleeding from one nostril, then a small soft swelling about an inch below his eye which was slightly warm but no external wound. There was still some bleeding for the following 4 days which gradually became less and became more serum like. He was slightly subdued but eating fine.

The initial vet (whom I don't have a huge amount of confidence in) came in the morning after the bleeding started. She wondered about sinus infection but I was fairly convinced that wasn't the initial cause as there hadn't been any discharge, she then said he had probably bumped his face and recommended bute for a couple of days but didn't think it was necessary to do anything else.

The bleeding continued and the swelling reduced leaving a small dent that feels soft in the middle so I contacted the senior vet who came out. He said he has probably has a fracture and will have a headache hence him being subdued. He also said to monitor it but that the best course of action is not to do anything else and not to x ray as he is not showing any symptoms to necessitate it. The main risk would be a sinus infection developing so he has put him on a preventative course of antibiotics.

We have kept him in just to prevent the risk of further damage but he is now much brighter so we may try and turn him out again soon. All the bleeding has stopped but the indentation is still the same and likely to remain there according to the vet.

Apart from the antibiotics it would appear my vet thinks similarly to yours.
 
Thank you eventingmum-that is very helpful and has made me feel a bit more comfortable about it! He's eating fine today,(no quidding),and will let you touch the area so will continue with the danilon and see how we go. No more bleeding:)
 
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