This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Joint, Bone, Ligament Diseases » Joint Infection, Joint Ill, and Septic Arthritis »
  Discussion on Another Injured Horse!
Author Message
Member:
Pirie

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 28, 2003 - 3:22 pm:

Hi Dr O,

I just don't believe what has happened so far this year. After years of never needing the vet near the horses except for vaccinations they now all seem to be competeing with each other as to who can get the worst illness!

Firstly a friend's horse dies of tetanus (she did not know she had not been vaccinated) then my 4yo gets a huge impaction colic and has to go to vet hospital for a week. Now the foal (the one who caught and survived Botulism last year) has rolled, got her back legs stuck under a gate, lacerated one back leg 3 times from hock to fetlock and since this did not seem to be enough as the cuts appear to have missed all major structures, also got a small cut on her other fetlock that has penetrated the joint. Arrgh! She is currently under anaesthesia having the cuts cleaned and the joint flushed.

The surgery is happening about 4 hours after the injury and the foal had seemed to be sound on the leg that had the penetrating joint injury. Could you tell me what her chances are for making a recovery from her latest catastrophe?

Do you also have any suggestions for a less stressful hobby than having horses?!

Best wishes, Michelle.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 29, 2003 - 8:45 am:

The prognosis for recovery from the wounds with early aggressive treatment is good, however it is the blunt trauma that you do not see that may result in arthritis, this is hard to evaluate and only time will tell. Motorcycle racing?
DrO
Member:
Pirie

Posted on Thursday, Jan 30, 2003 - 2:32 pm:

Hi DrO,

A quick update on the illness prone foal! The cuts on right hind have missed all the major structures but are down to the bone. There is too much flesh missing to attempt to suture them so they are being dressed daily for a week and then left alone for 7-10 days before another dressing change. They think she should recover from this but obviously there will be scarring. They were also telling me that she might get bony sequestra as the periosteum is missing in long strips but that even if these form they are fairly easy to deal with, they just delay healing.

The joint on the other side also seems to be OK. The saddest thing is that since the earliest sign of septic arthritis is pain the poor little foal is not allowed any pain killers. Aww!

The update today said that the wounds are as good as they could hope for and that she is sound in walk. Or perhaps that is she is equally sore on both of them!

Motorbikes are the only reason I'm allowed to have the horses. My other half has a motorbike and since they are expensive and dangerous he can't complain about my expensive, dangerous hobby. And at least mine are cuddly. I'm just hoping that they have all now decided that the foal has won the "what exotic illness can I catch next" competition and they return to their usual good health.

Michelle.
Member:
Pirie

Posted on Monday, Apr 28, 2003 - 8:20 am:

A quick update on the foal (who is now just a yearling) Her back legs have finally healed with 2 hairline and one big, wide, bald scar. She has never been lame, fortunately, and is otherwise OK.

I wanted to ask about the bony thickening she has been left with on this leg. Above the fetlock on the cannon bone for about half of its length the leg is enlarged. All of this enlargement is over the sides of the bone itself so I'm assuming it is a response to the damage to the periosteum? Can I expect this thickening (which is bony hard) to go down at all as she grows? Currently the bottom of her cannon bone is twice as wide as the top.

Also she has a small amount of swelling in the tendon sheath of her other back leg. This is the one that had the punctured fetlock joint. She really is sound which is why I haven't done anything about this but it has been present for about 3 weeks and isn't going away. Do you think I should be bandaging her while she is in her stable?

Thanks for your help, Michelle.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Apr 28, 2003 - 10:24 am:

Hello DrM,
Yes this will remodel to a more normal appearance. Since this is fairly acute swelling I would try several weeks of wrapping to see if it could be made to go away.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC