Robert Jones

[onebigjump]

Recently my horse injured her knee by running through some fencing (she tore it open), She has had to have stitches and staple, and a Robert Jones bandage. I looked the Robert Jones bandage up on the internet and found it is supposed to have splints in it, my vet didn't apply splints and now the stitches have not held.

I am wondering if anyone would know whether he should have applied splints to stop her being able to move the joint so much?

 

[Rhee]

my experience was a severed extensor tendon. Robert Jones bandaging for 3 months. I think the whole point is the many layers form the splint and it is then moulded to the shape of the leg, hock etc
My vet did the first few rebandaging then I carried on once I knew what I was doing re the tension of the layers etc.
In total I think about 8 layers from dressing, gamgee, bandage & topped up with vetwrap.
Cost a fortune in all but despite stitches not holding due to the nature of the leg injury, little horse recovered , never got infected and is totally sound now.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Our pony had a Robert Jones and no splint. As Rhee says it is the layers of the bandage that have the splint effect.

 

[onebigjump]

Thank you for your replies, my main concern is that she is still able to move the leg quite a bit. She marches around the stable like its not even there!
Rhee did you find it easy to do the bandaging yourself?

 

[Rhee]

To be honest I loved doing it, saved me cost of a vet visits and vet supplied dressings!!!
We used miles and miles of several different banadges and padding.

Bit hairy to start with until I was confident cos she had to keep hoof on floor and knuckled her fetlock if she lifted and put it down again, until the stitched tendon started to work again (I'm using laymans terms here, I hasten to add)

Regarding the surface injury and stitches,every one of which broke down and could not be redone, we were meticulous cleaning on every dressing change, every 3 days for 2 weeks, then weekly, the wound didn't start to heal for around 8 weeks and vet was really worried about infection, but suddenly it all started to form new flesh.Still took months tho'

Old vet wanted it exposed in the latter stages, but young vet (and me) didn't want to risk it getting damaged so tena lady pads and horsey leggings became the final dressings.

Good luck with the injury, I might add, no she couldn't flex either fetlock of hock, it was bandaged to the shape of standing relaxed if you can understand that description and she found it easy to walk, in the later stages she was turned out & would canter on 3 legs!!!