horse has split ear in two !!!!!!

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brownie57

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my friend has seen a lovely horse, she fits the bill in every way, but at some point in her life she has had an accident and has split her ear almost in two. It actually looks like she has 3 ears (which is quite funny!) we was wondering if the vet could sew the ear back together ?? does anyone think this would be possible or would you leave it well alone ????????
 
I really really hope your young enough not to know better...

Wounds heal. - If you 'wanted' to sow it back together it wouldnt work and besides I dont think you would find a Vet willing to do it.

Unless your showing I doubt any marks will be lost!!!!
 
I would leave it alone.

If it was done a while ago, and it isn't causing the horse any problems, why would you try to stitch it back together now? Just because people think it looks silly? A vet should have stitched it at the time of injury (unless is was born like it).

To stitch it back together a vet would need to cut away healthy tissue in order for both sides to be stitched together and heal. I wouldn't want to do that (and I am sure a vet won't) if the horse is not suffering for it. If the horse is bothered by it, then by all means see what a vet can do about it.
 
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yes it is such a shame for the horse, she looks abnormal. several people in our yard think it would be possible to do, its obviously all healed up and probably happened when the horse was much younger.
 
Our old mare has something like this. It was there when she was passported at a year and she is 26 now. In the winter she is so hairy you do not notice it! In the summer the top of her ear has a V shape missing from it. It does not affect her at all and we have never done showing so it does not matter to us.
If the wound is more than a few hours old it is not stitchable. In a person you might reopen the wound and suture it but I would not think you would want to do this to a horse.
 
Wouldn't put me off, but then I do own some funny looking horses :) Definately leave well alone though, sounds as if it's not bothering her, and surgery would be quite invasive, and what with the risk of infection/further damage etc etc it's simply not worth it!
 
I know what you mean.

My mare came with a nick out of her ear at the point and yes, it does look a bit odd. We think it might of been bitten off by another foal years ago.

When I'm asked about it, I like to joke that it's a gun sight for jumping fences!;) It causes a giggle and she's not the least affected by it bless her:D:D

I'd leave well alone.
 
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If you tried to do anything with it now, I think the only thing you would achieve is a horrendously head-shy horse.

Ears (in any species) are horrendously difficult to get to heal, especially if the cartilage has been torn, as this does not readily stick back together. Those of you who have had ears stitched with good cosmetic results are very lucky!

It's a unique quirk of this horse and as it's not affecting her, why worry?
 
I really dont see a problem with having it repaired. Could probably be done under sedation with a local. It would need the edges opening up again and stitching together. Thats if i understand it correctly.
 
yes thats exactly what i thought, the split is in a straight line, it goes about half way down and looks like it would go back together, its not like there is a big chunk missing, the mare is only 8 years old and beautifully bred, and could do well in showing and dressage
 
I used to ride a pony, fizzy skewbald little thing with an arab face. He was called Chipper, he had a big V shape chunk missing out the top of one of his ears. Meant the leftover ear was a little floppy, but didn't cause any problems.

Unless you are buying her with the intention of showing etc.....why should it make a difference?? Surgery would be expensive and painful.
 
Speak to the vet and ask the question. I cannot see why you couldn't get it corrected - if you are going to do it though do it quickly before the fly season starts properly.
 
Oh for gods sake wounds can only be repaired so many hours after so you are suggesting to cut away at tissue to make clean wounds to sew togethor.

If this horse is as nice as you say leave it for somone to buy who appreciates it and isnt hung up on a small imperfection nothing is perfect and i wouldnt put the horse through this for cosmetic reasons if it is healthy ears are not the best site for wounds and healing and would be painful and may make horse head shy.

I am sure someone else would cherish this lovely horse more so let them have it.
 
They could in theory be sown together, but they would not fuse to form a single scarred ear at this point - it'd be more akin to tying a bamboo stick to a plant stem. They'd sit together, but they would never become one.

If the horse is happy, not in pain e.g. when tacked up then leave well alone. Don't fix what isn't broken and all that, especially when it's for aesthetic's sake.
 
Trinity Fox said:
Oh for gods sake wounds can only be repaired so many hours after so you are suggesting to cut away at tissue to make clean wounds to sew togethor.
Click to expand...

Your correct that a wound needs to be repaired within hours, usually because the flap needed to cover the wound will shrink back and die. This sounds like two peices of healthy tissue, which could be grafted back together. Human cosmetic/reconstructive surgery works in the same way.
 
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