Puncture Wound in Sole of Foot

[skint1]

Our ex racer Bella picked up a puncture wound in the sole of her left hind yesterday whilst being led from the field to the stable ready to tack up for a lesson. Apparantly she literally took a funny step and then there was immediate swelling and heat through the whole pastern/fetlock area.

My daughter is beside herself because initially she thought tendon/ligament so she hosed it down and then boxed her before calling the vet this morn. Because Bella was in considerable discomfort and my daughter was so upset she didn't pick out her feet and thus did not notice the wound in the sole. The vet found it this morning and told her off, so now she is even more upset.

It seems it is a deep wound as there was some blood and Bella's on box rest and being poulticed and on anti-biotics.

This really is a one off for my daughter, anyone who knows them will tell you that horse is the centre of her world and she takes excellent care of her and does not normally miss a trick. I told her that none of us are perfect and all she can do is learn from it.

Anyway, my question is, has anyone's horses experienced this type of injury? Is there anything else we can do to help recovery, and how long will it take to heal?

 

[AmyMay]

You have my sympthies.

My horse is currently on a month to 6 weeks box rest for something similar.

My advice would be to follow the vets advice to the letter to ensure a successful outcome.

 

[skint1]

Thanks Amymay.
She'll be in the next 7 days but after that the YO is talking of making her a little pen out in the field so she can graze but not run about on it, but she will need a boot to wear to keep it all clean. So I need to invest in a good one.

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks Amymay.
She'll be in the next 7 days but after that the YO is talking of making her a little pen out in the field so she can graze but not run about on it, but she will need a boot to wear to keep it all clean. So I need to invest in a good one.

And is the vet happy with that arrangement?

 

[Pilib]

Yes, about 4 weeks ago my thin soled ex-racer pulled the front shoe off and managed to put the toe clip through the diagonal hind. I found him in the field with his foot so high it was almost in his sheath. I thought he had broken his leg.

Managed to get him back to the stable. Called the farrier (as he had shod him that morning) took off back shoe and washed mud off foot. Cue blood spurting (and I mean SPURTING!) everywhere. Put the foot in a bucket with hibiscrub. Then applied pressure with some gamgee, a further thick pad of gamgee and bandaged. Called vet and they came out within 20 mins. They didn't change the dressing as they were happy with what we had done. Horse had 3 injections and a 5 day course of bute and antibiotics.

At vets advice I kept the foot poulticed for 7 days changing every 2 days, shoe went back on after a week horse was sound. (as the horse is flat footed the shoe helped) I kept poulticing and bandaging for a further 7 days (turning out in a small paddock when dry) and as he was sound on the advice of my vet he started work again.

I realise I have been very, very, lucky as the toe clip hit an artery or vein (can't remember which one spurts and which one pumps!)

So fingers crossed for your horse too!

 

[skint1]

And is the vet happy with that arrangement?

hmm, I am assuming so, but perhaps I will speak with the vet when I see them tomorrow just be sure as I wasn't there when this was all discussed.

PilB, gosh that sounds awful, I am glad he's ok and recovering well.

I think Bella is also quite flat footed. Bella has had about 5 abscess (in different feet) since we bought her 2.5 yrs ago but had none for at least a year, we just don't know how this puncture thing could have happened to her.

 

[Pilib]

I was worried that an absess may develop but although the foot has been warmer than the others, nothing has developed and the vet has given him the all clear to work again.

It was pretty horrific, I've never seen so much blood! but was surprised how little there was in the dressing the second day.

Good luck with your horse. I certainly found that a little turn out did my boy the world of good as he gets very stiff when kept in. I covered the foot in duck tape and only popped him out for when dry for a few hours, although he was more or less sound by then.

X

 

[LittleSoph]

My cob has just come off of three weeks box rest after a abscess as the result of a puncture wound in his frog. I think he was fairly lucky that it went in at an angle, meaning it didn't damage anything vital, and it didn't go in too far... from what the vet said, it could have potentially been a whole lot worse.

However, he was on box rest for three weeks, hot poultice, bute and antibiotics for the first week, dry poultice second week and then just cleaning it regularly for the third week. He went out in the field at the weekend and is having his shoe back on at the end of the week and coming back into work next weekend.

I think everyone's given good advice, and it seems your vet has too, so just stick to that and I'm sure the mare will be fine in good time. I hope she and your daughter aren't too traumatised by the ordeal, we all make mistakes sometimes and these things happen.