Would you change vet / second opinion

[JCbruce]

So I’m not sure if I’m very happy with my vets and if I should get a new vets. I also don’t want to step on my vets toes. Back round:

my 3 year old has a deep cut on his point of hock, he’s terrible for standing still and box walks I asked if he could go in a stable sized field and was told no needs to be box. So for a month now he’s been bandaged up, I’ve been doing it my self which started to become a pain tried a pressage bandage which slipped. Anyway my vet said every time you change the bandage you wash it with diluted hibi scrub, I also asked if I should be putting something on it like manuka honey but was told to just use a plain dressing. He’s had two lots of strong antibiotcs we’re not worried about any infection in the hock at this point. Any way he started to get a pressure sore which I was worried about so stared icing. I messaged my vet on the Friday had them booked to come out and they cancelled my appointment told me I wasn’t an emergency as they were rammed. I got them out on the Monday and they said the cut was not good it wasn’t healing and he needs the dead tissue cut away and may need to go horse hospital. Anyway they were able to do it at the yard, I got my sister to take the day off work to be there and they were 6 hours late I know these things can’t be helped. The vet then told me it’s possible he’s sethered his bursa after she cut it away and saw inside, he was not lame at all when it happened. He’s bred to be a competition horse. Anyway I had a different vet from the same practice come to bandage his leg today and he’s bandaged it completely different to the last vet and he has more lumps coming up on his leg. He’s not insured so changing vets wouldn’t be an issue insurance wise. Just wanted to know peoples thoughts on weather they would be happy with the treatment? Many thanks.
Ps a livery yard owner who has bred and shown alot told me she would never touch my vets. I recently moved to the area

 

[nagblagger]

Change vets !!! They wouldn't be touching mine with what you have said.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I would definitely get another vet to look. When my old horse had a huge wound on his forearm, take that as you could nearly fit your fist in, it was impossible to stitch, impossible to keep a dressing on. He needed movement to keep the the swelling down. I actually ended up glueing a dressing on so it was safely covered and he could go out. It healed beautifully with just a small scar.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would get a 2nd opinion pdq! I have no idea why the vet wanted you to wash the wound with Hibiscrub every time you changed bandage, it's horrible stuff and kills off the new skin. Nor do I understand why he wanted you to box rest.

 

[Carrottom]

Is the horse hospital the same vets as you are currently using? If not I would probably seek a referral to the hospital.

 

[Widgeon]

I wouldn't be terribly confident in them after what's happened, and it sounds like they've not treated you well either (cancelling an appointment then turning at the rescheduled one six HOURS late?). If there are good alternatives available I can't really see any reason for sticking with them.

 

[Fieldlife]

The trick to getting presage to stay up is to put enough layers of softban and Gamgee to pad it to a good tension.

My horse has a puncture wound just below hock, and I’m successfully turning out in presage.

After first 24 hours using dilute hibiscrub in wounds is counter indicated as stops heeling.

I think most modern thinking on wound management involves keeping moist with hydrogel / dermagel / surgical honey.

Second opinion sounds good. Are current vets equine specialists? And not recent graduates?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

A month and the horse is still bandaged and in a box!?

I would ask for a second opinion, if the wound is still fresh after scraping it back then I would use honey on melonin, a tonne of softban to make the pressure tight then a simple stable bandage underneath. I would turnout with this too to keep it clean.

If the wound is a few weeks old and now healing OK i would turn out without anything on it.

I certainly wouldn't be using hibiscrub after day 2 of the original wound. Salt water is far better. Clean them up nicely without being abrasive.

 

[Fieldlife]

A month and the horse is still bandaged and in a box!?

I would ask for a second opinion, if the wound is still fresh after scraping it back then I would use honey on melonin, a tonne of softban to make the pressure tight then a simple stable bandage underneath. I would turnout with this too to keep it clean.

If the wound is a few weeks old and now healing OK i would turn out without anything on it.

I certainly wouldn't be using hibiscrub after day 2 of the original wound. Salt water is far better. Clean them up nicely without being abrasive.

Is the stable bandage under the presage?

I convinced my vet 3 days in was plenty for current puncture wound. She did say turnout would make slower to heal but my horse happier in field and I prefer him gently moving.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Is the stable bandage under the presage?

Yes, sorry I meant underneath as in round the lower limb below the pressage.

 

[BronsonNutter]

The problem is a wound on the actual point of the hock (i.e. not just elsewhere on the hock) is very different to a wound elsewhere/on the non-flexy bits of the limb - every time the horse takes a step it will flex it and keep reopening it. Unfortunately 3 year olds don't like to stand still, even on box rest or small pen rest. A proper laceration over that area is a nightmare to manage. If it's still not closing after a month then it is worth having the discussion about referral for your horse - we have had these in previously to debride the wound and cast the limb, but it needs to be done *perfectly* so that the cast doesn't rub. Have the discussion with the vet who has been dealing with him, they are probably tearing their hair out too regarding your horses wounds, and if you ask them for referral hopefully everyone will be happy (including your horse).

 

[shortstuff99]

I would definitely change vet! My 3 year old had a very bad cut injury to the hock joint and did have to be stabled (3 months!) And bandaged. But the vets came out and changed the bandage twice a week and applied dermagel each time. This was after a week and a half at the vets having IV antibiotics and flushing. I wouldn't want to mess around with joint injuries.

She is now totally healed and the scarring is pretty good, she did have a small pressure sore which we treated too. She was a very chilled youngster though and didn't get stressed on box rest which helped.

 

[SusieT]

A second opinion is never a bad idea. However, be aware a wound on the hock is a very difficult thing - being still and covered is probably the best thing for it, which is difficult no matter what you do. This is a bad time of year for flies also.
Another opinion might reassure you ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Ps a livery yard owner who has bred and shown alot told me she would never touch my vets. I recently moved to the area

Try asking her who she would recommend.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Sounds like what in the old days would've been called "proud flesh"?? Which is a devil of a thing to get rid of once it's there.

Personally I would strongly advise you to get another opinion; however as someone else has said a cut on the hock is about the worst place you can get anything to happen and most vets even the most experienced equine vets will get that "sinking feeling" when you say the magic words "three-year-old with a cut on its hock"...........

I share your concerns about the different treatments offered by different vets from your practice and feel the way forward would be to seek another opinion with the long-term view of perhaps changing vet practices end of. Presuming that there IS a choice in your area.