This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Wounds / Burns » Wounds: First Aid Care »
  Discussion on Heel bulb scrape
Author Message
Member:
nadia

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 10:41 pm:

Hi, Dr O,

I went out to see my horse tonight and found a heel scrape/cut on his right hind.

I had been thinking that he had a mild case of thrush as he had been favoring the foot the past week or so. At that time, I had put some betadine on his frog for about a week and it was a definite improvement. I then noticed he was favoring it again within the last week. I cleaned his foot out last night - put betadine on it again. Tonight, I noticed a flap of skin/hoof when I picked the foot and found a scrape. I rinsed the heel with water and applied Derma Clens cream. I did a search on this site on my Blackberry and my search results were not what I was looking for (I have a related question to that later). I found an older post that said he should be in a dry lot or stall, no shavings as it would get more bacteria in there. I swept his stall shavings into a corner as I am hoping when he does go, it will drain towards the pile and soak it up.

I am wondering though if this could have been an abcess that finally blew? He has been somewhat favoring the hoof the past month or so. No heat, but just seemed very irriated at putting the foot down at times.

I read the article on bandaging the coronary band and I think I need to clean it, apply some goop, cover it and use electrical tape to keep the cover in place.

Questions:
1. Should I soak his foot in anyway, or just rinse it off?

2. Is Derma Clens ok to use? I have nitrofurazone ointment and another triple antibotic ointment as well.

3. I have some gauze pads that I can use to cover it - that ok?

4. With the electrical tape on, can he go out in his pasture, or better to keep him up? He has a stall with an attached paddock. It is somewhat wet/muddy due to the rain we have been having.

Thanks.
Member:
nadia

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 10:48 pm:

Since the scrape is on his heel bulb, and he has low heels (it's always been a problem - TB), I assume the elec tape will have to be wrapped somewhat on the bottom of his hoof, so is it best he stays in his:
a - stall
b - attached paddock
c - pasture?

Thanks again.
Forgot. On my Blackberry, I couldn't find anywhere to enter my userid/password. Is the web page different for these devices? There are buttons to join the site, and a search bar, but that's all I see.

(My eyes are tired, so I may be missing it.)
Member:
nadia

Posted on Friday, Jul 18, 2008 - 9:17 pm:

Great. Went out tonight to check his foot. I foolishly did not tie a release.knot to the rail. Calm night, no wind, he's a calm guy. Learned my lesson. Somehow got his foot over the top of the lead rope, pulled back, freaked. He kept pulling, ended up falling down, which fixed the rope under his leg. Because his hooves have beeb soft (lots of rain, mud here), he managed to split the sulcus on the bottom of his foot. There was quite a bit of blood at first. I was able to rinse it off, poured some betadine in and around it (not excessive, just a good splash). Put a maxi pad in the bottom of a Davis boot. Gave him 1 gm of bute as he seems to be smarting. Put some cream on his scrapes.

What have I done wrong or right? I have been using a release knot all the other times, just got lazy today. Murphy's Law...
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 21, 2008 - 7:45 am:

Hello Nadia,
To give you good advice on the questions you raise I would need to see your horse. First considering the use of electrical tape this is used in cases where injury to the coronet has split the skin wall junctions and where there is an advantage to bringing the edges of the wound together. It is unclear you have such a condition. Taking your other questions one at a time:
1) If a gravel I would recommend it be cared for as described in the Gravel subtopic in the article on Abscesses .
2) I am uncertain what is in the Derma-Clens and recommend the ointments in the article on First Aid Care.
3) Gauze will certainly work well to cover most wounds if used with something to keep it from sticking aggressively but without seeing your wound I am uncertain if it is indicated.
4) If the wound can be kept clean and dry in the pasture I don't know any reason not to turn the horse out. Otherwise the horse needs to be kept in.

Looking at some of your other posts, I am uncertain why you would have to take away the shavings from the stall if they are clean and dry.
DrO
Member:
nadia

Posted on Monday, Jul 21, 2008 - 10:52 am:

I now have a bigger problem than what started (see later posts). When I had done my initial search on the site, it had said shavings could help get more bacteria and dirt in it. While I start out with clean shavings, it will end up getting dirty overnight. I know that the pee and poop will still be there without shavings, so I wasn't sure if it made sense (I guess I thought it did the other night). The gauze was not protective enough - so decided to use the boot. Shavings are no longer an issue.

I have him in a Davis soaking boot with a maxi pad in the bottom about 2/3 of the day. I take it off during the day to let it air out. He is walking on it fine. I am thinking about using a baby diaper with duct tape to fully wrap the hoof for next week. Should I be putting anything in the crack/tear? Dry Cow or betadine or nothing? I do rinse it out with water twice a day.

The new sole tear is sort of parallel to the ground. What are the next steps? Does the flap have to be pared off before he can go out again?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008 - 10:21 am:

For full skin thickness wounds I recommend any of the preparations in the article on long term wound care Nadia. For full horn defects in the wall or sole the article on abscesses has our recommendations. I am uncertain which you are dealing with or how deep they are.
DrO
Member:
nadia

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008 - 12:53 pm:

I'll take a picture in the next few days.

Thanks!
Member:
nadia

Posted on Friday, Jul 25, 2008 - 11:57 am:

This is from yesterday. I tried to pull apart the sole, but my fingers end up being in the way. It actually doesn't seem too deep. He has been cooperative in letting me rinse it out every day. He seems to feel great, no lameness.
Member:
nadia

Posted on Friday, Jul 25, 2008 - 12:07 pm:



The sole is torn from the center near his coronary band down the right side of the V.
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