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  Discussion on Knee Sores
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Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Thursday, Jun 3, 2004 - 12:12 am:

I've got the hock sore on my one gelding fairly well managed with the chilled Corona salve (thanks to Fran Cilella), but now my other gelding has come up with a new one. He's never had this problem before. He has developed open wounds, about a quarter's diameter on the left front and about a dime's diameter on the right front, just below his knee joints. The sores are at the same place on both knees. I've only ever heard of this from a co-worker whose horse has foundered. Her horse gets up first on his hind legs, then levers up on his fronts instead of the other way around. This causes sores on his knees. My gelding has arthritis in his hocks so I can't imagine why he'd go up on his back legs first. I can't figure where he's getting these sores other than from laying down.

I've taken to putting Nitrofurazone salve on the owies and then wrapping his knees lightly with 6" gauze so his knee bend isn't obstructed and wrap the top and bottom of the gauze with Elastikon tape above the knee joint and about mid-cannon so that the gauze will stick to his legs. This helps to keep the flies off the sores during the day, protects it a little at night, and, generally, keeps the dirt out to facilitate healing. I only need to replace the light bandage every two or three days. If I keep it on, the sores eventually get to where they aren't as scabby and seem to heal a bit. But, if I leave it off for that long, here come back the sores, all open and scabby. They aren't a skin problem either, they're definitely an injury of some sort.

A. Anybody have any idea what might cause this beside laying down? There aren't any other obstructions in his corral that are at that height on the fence or otherwise. His 40 gallon feed and water tanks are too high by about 4" compared to the sore height.

B. Any tips on how to prevent or treat better than bandaging?
Member:
Jerre

Posted on Thursday, Jun 3, 2004 - 10:29 am:

Laura, A friend's gelding had similar small wounds and her horse was determined to be narcoleptic. He was skinning his front legs when he would quite literally "fall" asleep.

Jerre
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Friday, Jun 4, 2004 - 12:10 am:

Interesting. I'll have to ask my vet about that next time he's out. Thanks, Jerre.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jun 4, 2004 - 7:55 am:

Laura, how did these wounds develop: Did they cme on slowly or did they just suddenly appear? If this method of getting up is because somewhere he is painful, you might try some phenylbutazone to see if it allows him to get up more normally.
DrO
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 9, 2004 - 11:56 pm:

They suddenly appeared. One night he was fine, the next morning I noticed a little blood on his left canon bone. He was bleeding from this open sore or "gouge" on his front knee. The other knee was also scourged out but not as deeply so it wasn't bleeding. I doctored them a little, they started to scab up and then two or three days later, the right knee was worse. I've been doing the light wraps every day for a little protection from the ground and the flies and they seem to be healing up. It'll be interesting to see if they open up after they heal and I leave the bandages off.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 8:06 am:

I have seen such wounds on horses attempting to get out of a stall, Laura. Is this a possibility? I would put spray furacin rather than the ointment because it will last longer and tends to toughen the skin rather than soften it like the ointment.
DrO
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 10:29 pm:

Good tip on the furacin. I use it pretty regularly on the superficial boo-boos that can't be bandaged for healing and to keep the flies off. No, both the horses can freely leave their 12' x 12' pipe stalls out to fairly substantial corrals. Ben's corral is about 70' x 30' with wood fencing. The horses have separate areas otherwise Ben would beat Strat bumpy every opportunity he'd get. I'll go with the furacin, Doc. Thanks for the advice!
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