Update on my Injured Gelding - Leg Wound

3Beasties

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Thought I'd do an update following this thread - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...ng-Vibes-Going-Spare-*Warning-Graphic-Photos*

This is what I found 43 days ago -
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which progressed to this -
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then this -
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followed by this -
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Many bandage changes, gory moments and mini meltdowns (me not Charlie!) later and the main wound is looking really good, it seemed to take a long time to 'fill in' but now that it has the wound is looking smaller each time I change the dressing

Yesterday it was looking like this
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He had been allowed to go out in the field for a few hours each day but sadly he has now developed a pressure sore which has been getting worse over the last couple of weeks so he is now back on box rest to restrict movement in the hope it will start to heal. Vet more concerned about this now
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If it doesn't start improving soon we will be going commando (ditching the bandage all together!) which is quite worrying but also a bit exciting too!

I couldn't have asked for an easier patient, he is happy in or out, has not needed sedating apart from on day 1 and has been so good about being poked and prodded etc. Sadly he has lost loads of weight and muscle despite 8 'feeds' a day so he's not looking his best at the moment but if need be he can have the Winter off to give him a chance to build back up!

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AmyMay

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Bless him for being so brave about it all.

The wound is looking really good, it's such a shame about the pressure sore - they can be difficult to avoid though in some circumstances.
 

Lolo

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We went cold turkey on massive pressure sores (they covered pretty much the whole cannon bone), and they did heal up nicely with mega applications of manuka honey.

His knee has healed up so nicely!
 

calmgirl

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If it's any help- my horse fell on the road and opened her knee. I was using intracite (sp?) gell with those expensive orange / white foam pads for wounds, secured just at only the top end with asda human pink elastoplast type tape right round, stuck to the hair well and not tight. Wrapped the lot front to back with a big stable bandage pad and secured with a 5m knitted stable bandage, round the forearm then figure of 8 over the knee - leaving that bone at the back at the back of the knee practically uncovered, finishing down the cannon. Took practice and refining but stayed on.
Good luck with him x
 
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3Beasties

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If it's any help- my horse fell on the road and opened her knee. I was using intracite (sp?) gell with those expensive pads,

I know exactly which expensive pads you mean lol :cool3: :rolleyes3:

secured just at only the top end with asda human pink elastoplast type tape right round, stuck to the hair well and not tight. Wrapped the lot front to back with a big stable bandage pad and secured with a 5m knitted stable bandage, round the forearm then figure of 8 over the knee - leaving that bone at the back at the back of the knee practically uncovered, finishing down the cannon. Took practice and refining but stayed on.
Good luck with him x

Thanks, will give that a try!
 
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We usually do a figure of 8 bandage and splice a hole in the back every other layer to avoid sores - this is when we are doing muckle big Robert Jones's though.

The original wound is looking good!
 

Tash88

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Thanks for updating us, I have been wondering how he is getting on. Its healing beautifully and you both seem to be coping well; I'm not usually squeamish but I think I'd struggle with that; but ultimately you just have to get on with it I guess. No advice from me re: pressure sores but going 'cold turkey' and taking the bandage off should be the best thing for it, I agree with Lolo that manuka honey is brilliant stuff! At least now it's cold you won't have the flies buzzing around it so much either if you remove the bandage.
 

Tarte Au Citron

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Wow that is looking so much better! I'm actually surprised you're still bandaging going on that picture, it's looking super clean and for lack of a more technical term..'filling in' well :)
 

3Beasties

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Wow that is looking so much better! I'm actually surprised you're still bandaging going on that picture, it's looking super clean and for lack of a more technical term..'filling in' well :)

Do you think I should push to take it off? I was quite surprised when he suggested it as just assumed it would need to be on till completely healed!
 

jj4y

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It looks to be healing well. Shame about the pressure sore though.

My lad's wound wasn't quite as big and was higher up, but we didn't bandage at all after the first day.
 

I.M.N.

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That looks a lot better than I was expecting as I scrolled through the pics, I would of had a few meltdowns too! I've found linseed meal very good for weight gain and condition, and it's cheap too.
 

Slightlyconfused

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Its looking fab....i second the intrasite gel, the vet used it on our bots huge leg wound first off then used the equi med dressing. Maybe ask the vet about using the gel on the pressure sore? Its what is used in my sisters care home for their residents with pressure sores.

Also I don't think it would be a bad thing to go commando as it is looking well covered.
 

muddy_grey

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My friends horse had a very similar injury last year. He then got an almost identical pressure sore that was so bad you could see the tendon. Initial injury was in Sept last year and you wouldn't even know it had happened now. His leg was left uncovered as the pressure sore was awful. We did put him on straw though as shavings could stick to the wound.
Hope it continues to heal well
 

Shazzababs

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Had a similar injury on a the back leg of my previous horse many years ago.

The 'old school' vet I had a t the time told me to coat it in Manuka honey when it got to the stage you are at, to prevent the scar tissue being proud (and ditch the bandage). Worked really well for him. I don't have a digital picture of how the wound eventually healed, but the visible scar was tiny, which was amazing as he started out with 126 stitches as well as an open bit that couldn't be stitched.

Something worth considering if you are looking for alternative options.
 

Tarte Au Citron

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Do you think I should push to take it off? I was quite surprised when he suggested it as just assumed it would need to be on till completely healed!

No it shouldn't be on that long at all, its very good for a wound to be able to breath and dry off. I would ask the vet about taking it off personally, i mean if he's allowed out a bit i don't see why the bandage is still on, both times Oreos done similar injuries the bandage always came off before she was allowed to be turned out.

But each case is different :) For example this time round Oreo's bandage was on for 10 days, the time she injured her hind leg 2yrs ago it was on for much longer.
 

3Beasties

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Thank you all, will speak to the vet regarding leaving the bandage off, at £30 a dressing the sooner it's off the better!

TAC he went out basically from the beginning (limited space and only an hour here or there) as they wanted him moving on it but as the time out has increased I think the pressure sore has got worse!

Sounds like I need to order some Manuka honey, can any recommend any? Am I right in thinking it comes in different strengths?
 

Tarte Au Citron

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Thank you all, will speak to the vet regarding leaving the bandage off, at £30 a dressing the sooner it's off the better!

TAC he went out basically from the beginning (limited space and only an hour here or there) as they wanted him moving on it but as the time out has increased I think the pressure sore has got worse!

Sounds like I need to order some Manuka honey, can any recommend any? Am I right in thinking it comes in different strengths?

It's funny how different vets recommend different things :p mine wanted complete box rest for the first couple of weeks to limit movement on a similar but smaller knee injury.

You do get different strengths of manuka honey and as far as I'm aware (not really tried it) the higher the number the stronger/better it is, and thus more pricey lol!
 

Spring Feather

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I don't know if you were a member on here 3B when one of my horses sustained a similar injury? I can post piccies if it's of interest to you. I do photo diaries of any injuries so I have all the dates. I only bandaged my boy for a few days and then left the leg naked for the rest of the healing time. I stabled him for the first 3 or 4 days and then he was turned out 24/7 as usual. I had no infection or setbacks, all healed well and now all you can see is a bald area at the old injury site. I wouldn't leave a bandage on for this long but you are following your vets advise; mine wouldn't advise the same as your vet so I didn't go against my vet, he was totally on board with how I was handling the after care of my guy.
 

Princess Rosie

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God love him, he's such a good lad and you're doing really well with the wound it is looking a lot better. Once it has healed I can highly recommend neem oil for getting the hair to regrow, it stinks to high heaven but we've been using it on a WB who had a 2yr old very bad injury on his hind leg and had no hair and it has started to regrow hair since using it, it's a little sticky up but looks so much better and very impressed with the stinky stuff. Best of luck on his continued recovery. x
 

3Beasties

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Only just seen your reply Spring Feather, I would be very interested to see the photos :)

Thanks Princess Rosie, had never heard of Neem oil for hair regrowth but will give it a try if he needs it!


Following a conversation with the vet on Friday afternoon we removed the bandage. Vet is hopefully back out tomorrow so he will hopefully be happy with it and won't want to re-bandage!

This is it today -
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Spring Feather

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The wound looks soooo much better already!

Anyhow, sorry for the delay but I've finally had time to upload the photo diary of my guy.

30th October 2007 the day he did it

October30thCruise002.jpg


A week later, the last day he had it wrapped.

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7 days later. No wrapping

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2 weeks later. No wrapping

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2 months later

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One year after injury

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16 months after injury

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SF - that healed fantastically! I don't think I would have had the guts to leave the bandage off of that from so early! Possibly a week or so later but it clearly worked very well!
 

Spring Feather

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SF - that healed fantastically! I don't think I would have had the guts to leave the bandage off of that from so early! Possibly a week or so later but it clearly worked very well!
To be perfectly honest I was pretty nervous as the tendon was still visible at that point and he was living out 24/7 again by that stage.

3B I used hydrocortisone directly in the middle of the wound, but not touching the skin. This allowed the skin to grow back around the wound and to stop any proud flesh occurring, but it looks like you are beyond that stage now and yours will heal up nicely now.
 
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