Split Ergot?

[skewbaldpony]

Ponies got into a kicking match this morning, out of which, shetland-x (who is the one who starts it all) came hopping, dog lame. Tearful child came in to tell me, he was holding his leg off the ground.
In two minds what to do, couldn't find any major heat or swelling, just a bit of blood round the fetlock area, so got him to hobble back to the yard - he walked considerably better up to his fetlock in frosty long grass, en route - where I clipped all the feather away and found the wierdest wound I've ever seen. He appears to have exposed and split open his ergot?
Cleaning it up, it looked like either something was sticking out that sould be in, or something foreign was stuck into, a deep round wound?
Typically, I thought it odd enough to call the vet (we really must change vets, these are our farm vets and ... well...) he happily said yes that was odd, he'd never seen anything like it. Gave him an antibiotic, told me to give him some bute, and wash it with saline. And. um. Yes. That was an expensive non opinion, I must say!!!
Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'll see if I can photograph it tomorrow. He is now bearing weight on the foot, but not looking to happy about it, and he is now nibbling at his hay, which earlier he wasn't which is a real danger sign, with him!

 

[YorkshireLass]

I had a horse who lost an ergot after a hunting accident, he got tangled in wire! It took a long time for it to heal up.

I should think it is a very painful injury, rather like a human loosing a finger nail.

The majority of the ergot is dead tissue, like finger nail or hair. I would trim off anything that is dangling, or get your vet to do it, this will stop the wound being tugged at. Apart from that I would keep it clean and keep an eye out for infection or proud flesh starting. Ergot injuries are a favorite place for proud flesh. Poor wee pony!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

When horse was on full livery one of the groom clipped into the underside of my mares ergot, she was very lame and needed antib's.

 

[liveryblues]

My old boy's ergots grow quickly, I always ask the farrier to trim as i would nt want to trim too short. Farrier said i should never trim myself as lower down in ergot has lots of blood vessels and will bleed alot if trimmed to short. This is probably why he is so lame, I should think its very sore!

 

[gloshorse]

Re ergot injuries. My horse ripped his ergot on a front leg right off this week. He was so lame that my vet said we couldn't rule out anything from a fracture somewhere in the lower leg to shoulder muscle damage. However, he was fifty percent less lame the following day(just on bute). There were no other areas of visible damage or heat, although slight bloody patch where the ergot used to be. Can anyone tell me whether an ergot injury would cause enough pain to make a horse this lame (he still is a bit, but now able to move around stable)... my vet said the ergot would certainly NOT be the reason for lameness as it wouldn't hurt even though it bled? Can anyone reassure me to the contrary as it would be a strange relief?