Little Foal - Big Injury

[Tia]

Well yesterday was a little "exciting" here - you know, the type of "excitement" that you really could do without!

My daughter's little 5 month old foal had rolled and become bizarrely caught in part of a hay feeder. Freak accident.

My vet is 3,500 miles away in Europe so no help to me. Wound couldn't realistically have been stitched at the time therefore we are having to deal with an open wound. Thankfully vet's wife was at home so I whizzed over to their farm and picked up an anti-tetanus shot and some penicillin for the little guy.

His wound is being packed with Furacin, he's on penicillin shots, broad-spectrum anti-B's and bute. He was pretty chipper this morning and we are hopeful that he will pull through this. He's penned in for a few days in a large shelter so he can still move around but in a calm and quiet way.

My 11 year old daughter is pretty worried about him, as this is the foal that she worked really hard to save up for, and bought with her own money. I tend to remain on a positive even keel unless I start to see things that I am not happy with.

Anyway, here is this mornings photos (pre-cleaning); looks slightly better than it did yesterday. The yellow gooey stuff is the Furacin.

 

[Cahill]

i really hope it mends ok for you and your daughter.it must have been a terrible shock to find a wound like that.

 

[EMWSanctuaries]

Jes*s that's one heck of a wound there. Thankfully foals heal very fast, we had a 12 month old feral pony slice open her chest to the bone, couldn't get a hand on her, she had to cope with oral AB's and no Tet cover, she healed with no scar!...Only advice is to feed the immune system well, plenty of probiotic... no other advice really, lets hope it heals well.
emw.

 

[aimeerose]

Poor baby,

I cant honestly see the vet doing anything differently from what you have done - looks nasty and swollen but hopefully as the swelling subsides it will be able to close over more, and the Anti-B should keep it clear of infection.
May be get x-rays once the swelling has gone down?

Hugs to your daughter - she is lucky to have a mum who can deal so calmly and efficiantly with something like this, particually in the event of a vet on another continent (sp)!.

 

[Tia]

Yes that's always been my experience too, so hopefully this little guy will heal as well as other wounds I've had to deal with

.

Yep a bit of a shock but what can you do eh. Injuries are pretty infrequent here thankfully, but we've had a couple of freak accidents with youngsters over the years. Bubble-wrapping them might not be such a bad idea.....

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

christ. looks painfull. hope it ok

xx

 

[Tia]

Yes I emailed a photo of the injury to my vet yesterday and he called last night to say that this is the way he would have dealt with it too. He's back on Friday so if foaly goes downhill then at least vet will be able to come and re-assess.

 

[Tinkerbee]

Jaysus


was NOT expecting that


poor wee thing, thats one heck of a cut :O

hope he heals soon

 

[Tia]

I know it does look painful, but he really doesn't mind at all with me fiddling around and cleaning it out. He has a nice purple bandage on today and he has been perfectly behaved with re-dressing the wound. He's a little star in my eyes.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
was NOT expecting that

[/ QUOTE ]

Neither was I when I went out to groom him yesterday....

 

[reynold]

good luck with him - horrible wound

 

[PapaFrita]

Ouch! What's that white thing running down the middle of the wound? Your poor daughter; I can imagine how worried she must be for her baby!

 

[Tia]

Thank you. Yep pretty nasty.

 

[Tia]

Digital extensor I imagine....or some other inner-working.

She is worried; although she tends to remain calm as I always do - I guess I rub off on her.

 

[Tinkerbee]

must have been such a shock

and poor daughter, fingers crossed for the lil dude

 

[Tia]

Well I went over to make sure he was okay. Brush in hand, looked over one side, nothing; looked over the other, big nasty wound. He was totally unfazed by it, was completely sound as I led him out of the field to attend to it. He was more interested in munching on the nice grass. I think, if he survives, he might just be one of those thoroughly special horses.

 

[Chex]

Aw, poor wee man!! I think I'd be sick if I had to deal with that

.

 

[PapaFrita]

Oh, I did wonder if it was that but it seems so close to the surface!

Calm definitely rubs off on people

 

[Tia]

Well, for once, here's a wound which doesn't look quite so bad in real life. You would - if you had to you would manage it just fine.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Goodness, that is nasty, amazing he was still sound!!! I think he has been very lucky as seems to have just missed the tendon. Fingers firmly crossed that the anti-Bs and Bute do their job and get that swelling down and stop any infection. ***Big hugs to your daughter***

 

[mitchellk]

goodness I feel quite queezy! I hope that he pulls through, porr little guy. Hugs all round

 

[ThomasTank]

Goodness me !!

Do you have any arnica you can give him ???

 

[lilym]

poor little mite

on the bright side i have seen much worse injuries heal very well in youngsters, and also my old TB cut himself in a similar place exposed that tendon as well and healed very well indeed. positive vibes being sent.

 

[Foxford]

Poor chap, he does sound like a little trooper. I hope he pulls through.

 

[madhector]

Poor fella, what a nasty injury. Foals do seem to heal remarkably well, fingers crossed everything is ok xxxx

 

[MillionDollar]

Oh god

poor guy, and poor M! Really hope hes ok and it heals very quickly.

 

[_jetset_]

Poor little boy... As someone else has said, foalies heal really quickly so hopefully in a few weeks time he will have really improved.

 

[Honeypots]

Oh crikey...what a slice, poor chap!!
Hope he mends well.x

 

[Halfstep]

That looks awful. Poor foal. Sounds like he is getting the best care possible and he has every chance of a good recovery. Fingers crossed for you. What a horrible thing to find.

 

[elles]

Ouch! Fingers crossed it begins to heal nicely.