Turnout boots to help bedsores heal- on fetlocks, knees, hocks

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katiebell

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Hi there,
I'm butting in here because googling topics like mine I came across this forum so often and got the impression it's the right place to ask for opinions. :)
I have an American Mammoth donkey gelding who has been on packed dirt and old rubber mats since he was a foal until he came to me 6 y o last September. The former owners have treated his sores as caused by flies. Funny how it never seemed weird to them that he had them in winter too...
Anyhow, so his bedsores are chronic and will open up again and again although nobody else here at our home has this problem. So I need them to be protected, hopefully only until they heal up really well. But worst case scenario I have to protect them most of the time.
Our longears are kept in a dry lot or paddock with run in shed and are on pasture for two hours a day.

He has them on fetlocks, knees and hocks. For his hocks I ordered hock shields from the US. For his fetlocks I ordered bedsore boots (stall sore protection boots) from Cashel. For his knees I have some German made neoprene ones, which do not hold up on their own but hopefully will with the bedsore boots below them.

I would like to know if anyone here has longterm experience with protecting fetlocks, knees and hocks.
Next year when we have to order more sand for the dry lot, we will order one with smaller grains or what you would call that. But until then (and who knows if that helps anyway) he will need protection to make those sores heal.

Any input? :)

Jennifer in Germany
 
Get some medical grade manuka honey - really good stuff for healing chronic sores. Also look into proper pressure dressing pads and bandage on, something like alevan or gel based is what we use on bed sores in the hospital patients
 
mynutmeg said:
Get some medical grade manuka honey - really good stuff for healing chronic sores. Also look into proper pressure dressing pads and bandage on, something like alevan or gel based is what we use on bed sores in the hospital patients
Click to expand...

Thank you! You misunderstood me though. I have no problem getting them to heal, but once healed I need to put boots on to prevent them coming back due to the existing damage inside the tissue.
So trying to make myself clear (not my native language): I need to protect the fetlocks, knees and hocks from the ground after everything has healed or the sores will come again. The underlying tissue has changed and will very likely always remain vulnerable.
"So I need them to be protected, hopefully only until they heal up really well." With healing well I meant from within, not only closing up. They close up nicely and look pretty unsuspicious, but need at least a prolonged time (as in months I would say) if not forever of protection from the ground.

Hope this made sense! :o
 
No, it's over 500 square metres, if that gives you an idea. He will roll wherever he wants, so putting down straw in one spot wouldn't work. Also, all four of our "folks" would use it as a loo then. :rolleyes:
 
If the area is equivalent to this;http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00cjyaTLndCQqU/20m-X-25m-Marquee-Tent.jpg, I don't quite understand why you can't put straw down to cover a section large enough for them to lie down ? Surely, it'd be like stabling on a hard surface without bedding ?
The 2 hours spent on the paddock would be taken up with grazing rather than resting surely, so it seems detrimental to have them spend 22 hours a day with a surface so unforgiving that it causes sores, being the only option on which to lie down.
 
horserider said:
spend 22 hours a day with a surface so unforgiving that it causes sores, being the only option on which to lie down.
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This isn't what OP is saying Horserider. The sores were caused before OP had the donk and the other animals are fine. The skin integrity is compromised due to previous pressure sores and therefore vulnerable. In humans we would use a pressure relieving mattress and I think OP that you are doing something similar to prevent reoccurrence.

I am a bit confused however, if you are protecting his hocks, knees and fetlocks already what are you asking for? I think you should contact, for example, woof wear to get some ideas. The only other thing would be to cut up a neoprene thick winter wetsuit to protect his legs but not something he could wear for any length of time!

What about that compression suit that the Australian racehorse wore?!
 
horserider said:
If the area is equivalent to this;http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00cjyaTLndCQqU/20m-X-25m-Marquee-Tent.jpg, I don't quite understand why you can't put straw down to cover a section large enough for them to lie down ? Surely, it'd be like stabling on a hard surface without bedding ?
The 2 hours spent on the paddock would be taken up with grazing rather than resting surely, so it seems detrimental to have them spend 22 hours a day with a surface so unforgiving that it causes sores, being the only option on which to lie down.
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No, the area we have is a larger area. They spent 22 hours per day in it, it's their living quarters. They are not restricted to stalls. They have a run in shed, and a hay feeder on rubber mats that is under a big roofed area. The ground apart from the hay feeding area is sand. We don't have any hard ground to lie on.
ETA: the problem is not that he is lying down in a favorite spot and that rubs his sores. It's lying down in general for rolling, going down on his knees when playing etc.
Would I put straw down it would end up being a pee and poop spot. Nobody would lie down there as they have numerous favorite nap spots to choose from. And I repeat: we do not have hard ground. It's just his predisposition now.
 
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Nicnac said:
This isn't what OP is saying Horserider. The sores were caused before OP had the donk and the other animals are fine. The skin integrity is compromised due to previous pressure sores and therefore vulnerable. In humans we would use a pressure relieving mattress and I think OP that you are doing something similar to prevent reoccurrence.
Yes, exactly. Thank you. :)

I am a bit confused however, if you are protecting his hocks, knees and fetlocks already what are you asking for? I think you should contact, for example, woof wear to get some ideas. The only other thing would be to cut up a neoprene thick winter wetsuit to protect his legs but not something he could wear for any length of time!
I'm looking for experiences with protecting over a long period of time. I am not already protecting apart from tape (breathable bandaid type). I have ordered the boots I mentioned but they're not here yet. I don't know if they will work out at all. Looking for experiences, as I'm sure there are more people out there having to protect the legs during turnout for various reasons. :)
Woof Wear does not have any kind of boots that would be suitable, at least not on their website. Can't find any that would protect the front of the fetlock, nor a knee boot that can be left on (only one suitable for riding on their website). The one kind of hock boot they offer does not hold up (which is why I ordered the hock shields).

What about that compression suit that the Australian racehorse wore?!
Click to expand...
Never heard of that one. I would expect in general to deal with rubbing and too much heat when using leg protection for a prolonged time. Hoping someone here has experience.
 
I think Katie that you aren't getting the responses you are looking for because, once healed, people, in the UK at any rate, would tend not to have anything on long term because, as you say, of heat and rubbing.

One thing I'd say though is that we do try to avoid sand getting into sores/grazes. Do you have any where you could keep him, having washed out the sores with whatever your vet recommends, off the sand until the skin has closed this time? Somewhere that is all rubber/grass?
 
Tickles said:
I think Katie that you aren't getting the responses you are looking for because, once healed, people, in the UK at any rate, would tend not to have anything on long term because, as you say, of heat and rubbing.

One thing I'd say though is that we do try to avoid sand getting into sores/grazes. Do you have any where you could keep him, having washed out the sores with whatever your vet recommends, off the sand until the skin has closed this time? Somewhere that is all rubber/grass?
Click to expand...

I keep the sores covered until they're healed (with treatment and padding and that breathable tape). After they're healed I keep them covered with the tape or otherwise they will open up again over time, due to the longterm damage of the tissue.
No sand gets into them. :)
 
To add: I'm hoping for experiences of people who have, out of a gazillion possible reasons, have or had to protect fetlocks, knees and/or hocks for an extended period of time.
Not necessarily because of bedsores.
 
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