Pastern injury

springgrass

springgrass

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Hiya, I'm hoping to get some
Advice and reassurance!
Around 4 weeks ago my boy came in from the field with a scrape injury to his left hind pastern. He wasn't lame in it initially but it quickly swelled up and he became very lame. I called the vet who examined him and promptly informed me it could be a 'life ending injury'. To say I was shocked is an understatement!
We got him off to the clinic for X-ray and bone tap, luckily neither showed anything nasty! So looks like it's just a little flesh wound that's infected. He came home the next day and was on box rest for a week which he hated and stopped eating (nightmare when trying to get anti-biotics and bute into him!)
Vet came a few more times, each time more pleased with his progress and has now 'signed him off'. (I'm going to get him back out tomorrow)
The problem is he keeps getting lame on it. He's only turned out in the 'poorly paddock' at the moment but came in tonight hopping. It's hard to keep wound clean when he goes out...when he stays in it swells up and he becomes stiff and depressed (he's an old boy-18ish).
I'm concerned it's still infected, which is why I'm hoping the vet will give more anti-biotics tomorrow, and the initial worry was that the infection will spread to the pastern joint fluid. I'm worried sick!
Has anyone dealt with a similar injury?
How long will this take to heal?
Have enclosed link to a photo taken about 4 days after injury happened.
If you've got this far, thank you!!
 
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It could be that the mud etc is irritating the wound. I would hot tub it, as in stand your horses leg in salty warm water for as long as you can, then cold salty water, do this for 2-3 days. This helps to draw anything out of it that may be lurking. I would also keep him in and hand walk him until it has scabbed over. Vetsalve is a good product which helps healing and would protect it from muddy conditions, but personally I wouldnt put him out until its well on its way to healing. If he's sound enough to ride then do so and keep him stabled. My horse seems to take 2 weeks to have things like this heal over.

Vet if your still worried after this.
 
Thank you for your reply. The mud is a concern...it tends to try to scab up over night but has shavings, and sometimes poo stuck to it so I clean it with diluted hibi scrub and the scab comes away. I guess I could try bandaging again (I thought this may be stopping it from scabbing over).
I think I will keep him in and try what you've suggested....hopefully it won't take much longer to heal over :(
 
Sack the Hibiscrub, it destroys the new skin cells that are growing, slowing down the recovery and I wouldnt bandage either, your just keeping it moist and things like this need air to dry up. Ask your Vet for some Vetsalve, google it so you know what it is. It works wonders, its sticky and pink but it really does help if you want to protect against mud, etc.

As for the bedding, try your best to have a good shavings bed as clean as possible. Salt water is so healing and it does dry up cuts etc. Hope it heals well, good luck..
 
Really? Oh how annoying :( vet advised cleaning with hibi scrub twice a day. I have Steroid cream to put on the wound as developing proud flesh...I can't remember what it's called.
I'm going to try the salt water...thanks for the advice!
 
Your welcome its what Ive done over the years with my horses when they have suffered cuts. Would be interested to know what the steroid cream is. Dermagel is also good to put on cuts too as a barrier against debris.
 
These sorts of injuries are worrying but if its being bathed twice a day the wound isnt having chance to settle down and dry up if you know what I mean. Ask your Vet if you need anymore antibiotics just to be on the safe side re infection, having been out in the muddy conditions. Be interested to know if your horse will enjoy having his foot tubbed. Mine did, think she found it soothing. Meant to say you may need to change the water more than once when you do this if it gets dirty from your horse's hoof underside. I always did it whilst she was tied up eating a net.
 
I hope he'll enjoy it...he's very tolerant, bless him. Will be something different for him anyway as will no doubt hate the box rest again.
I know what you mean about the washing twice a day, I feel it does need to just dry out more now and develop a CLEAN scab.
 
If hes ok to do so then I would try hand walk him for say 5-10 mins say morning, lunch time and tea time. Breaks it up for them. I work evenings so easy for me when I had to do it, my mare was on box rest for a long time with a tendon injury, when she could be turned out I didnt due to the dreaded mud undoing all the healing. They do get used to it, and if its a nice dry surface i.e concrete, then that will help the healing. Stops the leg filling too. Best of luck!
 
Izzwizz said:
Your welcome its what Ive done over the years with my horses when they have suffered cuts. Would be interested to know what the steroid cream is. Dermagel is also good to put on cuts too as a barrier against debris.
Click to expand...

The cream is Fuciderm and appears to being doing diddly squat!!
Here's the wound today before the soak...I think it looks worse!
 
I would google Fuciderm for its uses!
The tissue in your pic looks like granulating tissue, its pink which looks good, so long as theres no pus underneath.
I think you will find an improvement when you salt water bathe it and leave it to dry out, out of the mud until a good scab covers it and its healing.
 
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