Would you ride???

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SouthWestWhippet

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My horse was kicked in the field about 2.5 weeks ago on the off hind cannon bone. The injury was quite deep and became infected (despite poulticing). I called the vet and she has had 10days of antibiotic injections plus regular dressing. She has been on box rest since the injury as she was hopping lame

the vet came out a second time a week ago to check the injury. Polly was sound in walk, the infection had almost gone, leg looked like a leg again if you know what I mean
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but the actual injury was still a bit pussy and she advised me to keep dressing the leg every 48hrs until the injury healed. She also said that if the leg was clean (i.e. injury could be left undressed) I could turn out on Tuesday with light exercise - i.e. this would have been LAST tuesday.

So I redressed the injury on Tuesday and it was 100 times better but still a bit pussy and gross so I didn't turn her out as I didn't want the dressing to get all wet and injury was still too 'open' to be left undressed. However I did take her for a walk up the road as I felt sorry for her being stuck in and she was sound in walk. I popped a brushing boot over the dressing to protect it.

Since then the injury has been healing slowly - it is still not ready to be left 'exposed' and is still dressed all the time. I've been walking my pony around every day (i.e. riding her in walk) but I have noticed that she is still a little bit unlevel in trot. Obviously she is not being turned out at all because she still has the dressing on.

So I guess my question is twofold... firstly is in normal for her to still be a bit unlevel in trot with an injury on the cannon bone? There is still a little bit of heat in the area of the injury but the rest of the leg is fine now.
Secondly, do you think I should be riding her (just in walk) or should she be staying on box rest?

I don't really want to get the vet out again as the injury is healing really well but I'm just hoping for a little bit of reassurance about her still being a bit unlevel in trot.

thanks
Jenny
 
I would do short sessions in walk as you are doing. As for being lame in trot I would imagine if the injury is still sore and you have to put a dressing on then I would think it was normal for the horse to still be lame.
 
If it is hot and still pussy, it could have deep underlaying infection which could make her lame. Which could also be why it is taking so long to heal. Can you ring the vet and get her advise without calling her out? I would be worried about her being lame still and the heat.
Can the wound breathe? I don't like keeping a wound completely covered for so long as I think they need air to help it dry out and heal.
 
I don't want to frighten you but if it is still infected after 10 days of antibiotics it needs to be looked at agiain, she might need another type of antibiotics, ... we had a horse that was kicked and the cut wouldn't heal, eventually ended up with 4 lots of AB still wouldn't heal, infection got into the bone and the leg collapsed, so if it isn't healing get the vet
 
hmmm, ok this is definitely food for thought.

I think I will call the vet on Monday. The injury is definitely healing but it is one of those one that needs to heal from the edges into the middle and from the inside to the outside and I know they can take ages. However, I have been thinking it is taking longer than I'd expect and if others agree with this thought I will call the vet to check.

thanks everyone
Jenny
 
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