Splint Bone Fracture - Treatment

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lozza_cook

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My horse has a splint bone fracture although it is in line and therefore doesn't need surgery. My vet has prescribed:
- 3mths box rest
- 3 weeks anti-biotics
- 2 weeks of support bandaging

I managed to get my vet to agree to turnout in a very small paddock area for 2 hrs a day but now worried that maybe it isn't the best thing to do and my vet only agreed because I asked him. If he won't stay absolutely quiet I will of course stop him going out and put him on Box Rest 24/7 but just wondering if anyone has successfully healed this injury with allowing their horse a little bit of quiet grazing in a restricted space?

Also how long did people do support bandaging? I was considering bandaging for longer than 2 weeks...

Any similar experiences - good or bad would be good to hear.
Thanks
 
hi,

I bought a 3 year old and within 24hrs he had been kicked and almost completely shattered his splint bone quite high up near his knee.

We were devistated but he was operated on and they took a bit of bone from his sternum and did a bone graft. He was then on box rest for 2 months remaining bandaged at all times. He was kept in for so long as it was through the winter and the ground was not favourable.

i can honestly say that it has not caused us any issues (touching wood like a mad woman!!) and he is out competing regularly. In fact i would go as far as too say its the least of our worries as being such a big boy he is super accident prone!

I have to admit that we tend to stick very closley to our friend caution when it comes to recover as I would rather only do it once.

You will know your horse and how he would react either kept in or out in a small sapce.

Best of luck and keep us informed of his progress.

xkx
 
My daughters pony was kicked in December and fractured her splint bone, she was never lame on it and didnt require surgery. She had a wound over the area and it was middle of winter so, she was box rested for 3 weeks, and on antibiotics for 2 lots of 2 weeks in all. After 3 weeks I turned her back out in her normal field, she was fine.
Looking back I think she could have gone straight out with no box rest had there not been a risk of dirt getting into the wound. She's a sensible pony in the field and is not one to gallop about. In fact, if my other horse had not had the very same injury then I doubt we would have realised that she had fractured it.
She didn't have any support bandages. She came back into work with no problems, just a slight lump over the area, much the same as if she had a splint.
 
I have had to do the same thing in the past for a horses who was supposed to be on box rest, despite being sedated she still boxed walked & vandalised her stable!
So she ended up being put in a large cattle pen & she was much quieter in there so got more rest than she did while on so called box rest.
You know your horse best so do what you think is right for him.
I have also had a horse suffer a broken splint bone as a 4 year old, she's still sound now at the age of 29 so I'm sure your boy will be fine.
 
my mare had surgery on her leg this time last year and then had 3 months box rest have never looked back but i would air the side of causion and if the vet says box rest then box rest it is as he is the expert in saying that i don't know your horse
 
You could ask for some ACP which should help keep him in a state of karma
smile.gif
 
My mare had surgery a couple of months ago. She was then box rested for 2 weeks and then turned out and I started ridden walking. Really speedy recovery and no problems at all since.
 
Thanks everyone - glad to hear about the speedy recoverys. Very encouraging.
smile.gif


I would love to know how he did it as although vet said he was probably kicked - its strange that there is no open wound!

Off to buy some stable toys to keep my poor boy amused!
 
Mine has just had surgery to remove splint bone fragments, came home on Friday, is box walking and won't eat 'cos he hates being in. Knowing what he's like my vet said she'd like him in for 3 months but at a pinch she'd settle for 10 days. I've got ACP for him but he's permanently stressed and I didn't think you could give it to an already excited horse. HELP!
 
Hi, Haven't posted on here before but just wanted to add my encouragement along with the others.
My boy (TB) had a similar injury (fracture and bone fragments) in January, he eventually had 14 weeks box rest and is now absolutely fine. He ended up needing acp every day for the last 6 weeks which was scary as he kept threatening to jump out over his door.
When it had worked on him I was able to lead him out on a lunge to graze in hand which he so enjoyed, bless! but with hindsight it was worth all that as he has a lump left but doesn't seem to have left him with any long term problem and is loving life again.
All best wishes with yours.
 
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