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Discussion on Stitches in or out for light riding?
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Member:
Jerre
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Posted on Friday, Jan 9, 2004 - 5:08 pm:
I have a long-awaited and eagerly anticipated clinic that begins on what will be Day 14 of a stitched full-thickness skin cut just behind and slightly below my mare's left front knee. The cut was approx. 2 inches long. There has been no infection. Today (Day 7) the sutures are dry and clean, as they have been every time I've looked. She's on the last day of penicillin 35cc 2x/day.
The clinic will not be vigorous, but there will be riding at trot, but not for long periods (maybe 10 minutes at a time with numerous breaks). I will be free to pull up, of course.
The vet who did the sutures (within a few hours of the cut, which was very clean, due to lots of snow) said stitches could come out about Day 10-12 and the clinic would be OK. The senior vet, who was out today for rebandaging, said 14 days minimum before stitches come out. He is always conservative about recuperation and I didn't ask him about riding because I feared he'd outright forbid it. I know, that was chicken on my part.
The horse is not lame and there is no heat or swelling. She is in a small paddock.
So, finally, the question: Should I have the stitches out before the clinic (Day 12 or 13) or ride in the clinic and have them out after (Day 17). If I ride with stitches in, should I bandage?
If necessary, I could keep to a walk for the purposes of this clinic. I know the clinician very well and am confident she will not pressure for any imprudent performance. However, I've committed several hundred dollars, the clinician is only available a few times a year, and the clinic is perfectly suited for where we are in our training.
As always, I appreciate and value any advice,
Jerre
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 10, 2004 - 6:17 am:
Jerre,
Do call the senior vet and explain how important this clinic is for you.
He can't guarantee you that the stiches won't open before day 14, he's already told you that, and he will not tell you "go ahead, we'll re-stich if you rip it apart".
But ask him whether there's any risk other than the skin opening again and whether that possibility would have consequences serious enough to keep you from participating in the clinic.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 - 10:03 am:
I usually keep sutures in 14 days also. Horses who often have a lot more tension on the suture lines than other species so take a few extra days as tiny gaps that form actually have a small amount of second intention healing. This takes longer.
Christos has good advice concernig yor questions: much depends on how well it has healed and the veterinarians last visual assesment has the best chance of being most accurate.
DrO
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Member:
Jerre
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 15, 2004 - 11:51 am:
Well, I got busted. Made an appointment with the junior vet, the one who did the sutures, to have them out on Day 12. But the senior vet saw the schedule and said, nope, too early. But he said it was OK to ride in the clinic this weekend, just watch to see the cut doesn't pull badly apart. Then the stitches will come out Monday, on Day 17. So, after not riding for a month, between the holidays and this injury, I'm "ready" for the clinic. Oh well, at least if I need it, I have the excuse that we have to walk because of her cut. BTW, my horse has been totally sound with no swelling, so the healing looks great.
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Member:
Warwick
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 15, 2004 - 12:10 pm:
Jerre R
I'm intrigued! What kind of clinic is this that you can keep to a walk?
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Member:
Jerre
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 15, 2004 - 12:28 pm:
Sue, it's a clinic on introducing the young (or sour) horse to the bit, preparing for dressage for horses that have been started with natural horsemanship methods. I'm sure there will be trotting and cantering also for those who are able, but for this, there's a whole lot that can be done at walk, if I find I need to stay that slow. There will also be a lot of ground work.
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Member:
Warwick
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 15, 2004 - 12:38 pm:
Thanks for the explanation - it sounds excellent. Hope all goes well and have fun!
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 15, 2004 - 2:22 pm:
Jerre,
Removing the stiches would have been very irresponsible of the young vet, but it's your mischief as well. You should not trick young professionals into false decisions. Naughty boy.
Wish you both to get the most out of this clinic.
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Member:
Jerre
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Posted on Friday, Jan 16, 2004 - 10:51 am:
 Hey, Christos, I'm a girl (but not a very young one!)
With the vets, it was more a case of competent professionals agreeing to disagree. The junior vet is quite experienced, and she made the original assessment and timeline. (she's also a rider and the senior vet is not).
Anyway, it's a moot point, since when I went out this morning she'd torn off her bandage, the cut was about half open and already starting to granulate -- must have started under the bandage. No lameness, heat or swelling. What's left of the stitches will come out on Monday.
So, off to the clinic with great anticipation.
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Friday, Jan 16, 2004 - 12:04 pm:
Oh, it's ok then, grown up girls are meant to be naughty and mischievous...
I hope the clinic is already proving to be a marvelous experience.
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Member:
Norto
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Posted on Friday, Jan 16, 2004 - 5:03 pm:
Last year my mare fell crossing a creek and cut herself above her knee on the inside of her leg, needed about 12-15 stitches. She was due to run a 30 mile endurance race 6 days later. My vet checked her the day before the race and said run her, however, I had asked for advice on a horse site and was just about roasted for even thinking of racing her. So I called to pull her from the race and the race vet happened to be there when I called. He had me describe her cut and agreed with my vet that she could run. We raced and won.
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 17, 2004 - 5:49 am:
Linda,
Above the knee the skin is a lot less stretched than below. Try to pinch some skin below the knee when there's weight on the leg. You'll find it impossible, whilst above the knee it is fairly easy.
Personally, with stiches below the knee I'd limit movement to a quiet walk on hand for the two weeks following stiching. I'd try to limit turnout running around and wouldn't ride the horse for one more week, and I wouldn't compete for one week more.
But that's just my opinion.
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