Horse got caught in an electric fence

[air78]

My poor poor boy got tangled in an electric fence today........... I don't know how this happened, so please don't ask

The fencing is taught and well maintained. 99% of it the rope stuff on permanent posts.

Anyway, he's got a large area about 6-8'' in diamiter, on the inside of his hind leg, right up the top of it next to his sheath, which is badly swollen. Some parts of it have had the top layers of skin removed so it's all pink and sore looking, the other parts are just soft fluidly looking swellings. There is no blood.

He's very sore on it, hopping lame- although he did trot when I asked him to, and it is weight baring. He's V V reluctant to move on it though. It seems to be getting steadly worse

which I'm assuming is the brusing/ swelling becoming sore.

So, I've smothered it with derma gel and given him a sachet of bute in his tea, and put one in his breakfast. I'm assuming it will look terrible and very filled in the morning after he's been stood still all night, so am going to turn him out to try to walk it off.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks for reading

 

[smirnoff_ice]

Personally if he was hopping lame, i'd have probably got the vet out. Might have done some internal damage.
Just see how it is in the morning, then get the vet if he's worse/no better.

I hope he's improved by morning though. Might have just pulled a muscle trying to escape.

 

[only_me]

aww poor horse! and you!
you should probably get some trimedizeane from the vets and start him on that for a week, and maybe bandage his legs so that he has some support?
and maybe wash the sores with some warm salty water to make sure that no infection sets in!

lol and i would keep him on the bute! but thats imo though!

 

[air78]

trimedizeane, is that the sachet antibiotics? I've got some of those, but didn't give any as it was all nice and clean (and hopefully will stay that way 'cos of where it is).

I gave the bute as it's anti- inflamatory (sp!).

That's also why I didn't get the vet though, they always give him the same percription ; antibiotics and bute- for everything LOL

Thanks

 

[kerilli]

poor lad, he prob slid into it or something.

if he's still hopping lame tomorrow, i think i'd walk him out gently in hand rather than turn out, just in case he has done something you can't see. he'll prob be so sore he'll want to rest anyway.
i think bute and dermagel were absolutely the right things to do.
i'd have a chat with the vet and see what s/he says too, tbh.

 

[GreedyGuts]

Don't give him antibiotics - there is absolutely no need if he has only grazed the skin. Something like dermagel is the best course of action.

If he is really hopping lame I would be wary about giving him bute and turning him out without at least speaking to your vet first.

Horses do the most stupid things!

 

[irishdraught]

Last year my mare did a similar thing, I think she rolled onto the fence (silly mare) and got a leg in it as we use electric to strip graze. She came in from the field with a nasty sliced wound just above her fetlock and it was very lucky it didn't go as deep as her tendons. She was only slightly lame however, got vet out and the wound was stitched etc.

Anyway, many further visits, including to cut down proud flesh (plus insurance pay out from NFU - thank you to them), you would never know it had happened.

I'd agree with GreedyGuts, personally, I wouldn't just give the bute and turn out - you may be disguising something and more damage could be done. Def speak to the vet before self-treating and if you don't like the way your vet deals with your horse (as you say they always give the same prescription - although from previous, the same prescription may have been the correct one for whatever was wrong at that time), then change them. Basic first aid is one thing, hopping lame horse is something beyond that I think.

 

[Flibble]

I would get the Vet to him. My first mare did that about 20 + years ago. She did it in the middle of the night and was a mess when we found her in the morning. Both legs even though it was wet and muddy we had to wash her legs off twice a day but still turn her out because the filled so much in the stable.

 

[Thistle]

I think you treated it the right way. I would re asses this morning after walking out in hand, then give the vet a ring and chat it through with them.

I suspect the vet will tell you to do what you have done.

Afraid I'm another who wouldn't just bute up and turn out. The ground is so slippery he may do himself so further damage.

You probably need to cold hose lots and take him for regular short walks.

Let us know how he is today

 

[Pebble101]

Mine got caught in the bloody stuff last year. He ended up with a cut near his fetlock with 17 staples in it, but I had to look on the bright side and thank my lucky stars it wasn't his tendon.

I think I would call the vet if I was you.