Anyone had experience with this type of injury?

Jenarby · Postby **Jenarby** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:15 pm

My two year old TB filly came in from the pasture yesterday with a gash on her RH foot. Actually just above the coronet band to the inside of her leg. The gash is roughly 6 inches long starting at the inside quarter and running all the way to the back of her pastern. It's horizantal and runs about 1/4 inch above her coronet band. She severed an artery as well and the lateral cartilidge. She's at the clinic now with MANY stitches and is wrapped from the bottom of her foot to her hock. My question is, what should I expect to see as her hoof grows out? The location would suggest she's going to have some issues with hoof growth or issues with some type of deformity as this heal and her foot grows out right? I just want to be ahead of the game. It's early yet, I know. We still have to worry about infection and get her home safely without busting any stitches open.
I guess I'm looking for anyone who may have gone through anything like this...and would like to know if indeed your horses had problems with the hoof growing out oddly or what-have-you.
I'm hoping that the injury was high enough not to compromise the coronary band enough to result bad hoof regrowth but I'm not really sure how this will work out.

Thanks!

Pierre LP · Postby **Pierre LP** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:59 am

I had a mare who sustained a gash just above the coronet band on a hind leg during a race. Fortunately it didn't hit an artery or do any severe damage, but it did take a good few weeks before she could return to training. Six months on and there has been no problem with hoof growth.

It may be that the worse the injury the more chance there will be of growth issues. A good farrier keeping an eye on the hoof over the next couple of months is a must.

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:01 am

OH NO JEN...you mean MATTY????? The question is what did she get cut on?

Now she was cut at/on the band or above it? If its above you might be in the clear. I take it shes at Dover? ***Looking to pick up a Get Well card for Matty from her buddy Gracie.***

I'm sure shes in the best of care between the great clinics we have here and the care you and Lou provide...you'lll see how well she'll do!

Jenarby · Postby **Jenarby** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:50 am

Thanks Pierre, that' gives me hope. My fiance is a farrier and I can't say he's not concerned. I guess we just have to wait and see!

C, it's Sealy. No clue how she did it. Couldn't find ANYTHING in the field or shed. I'm just glad I found her when I did. A few more hours and she would have bled to death out there.

Oh...she's at Dr. Berthold's new clinic. She should be able to come home sunday if all looks well at the bandage change tomorrow.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:59 am

OOHH!! Dang that is Such Bad News... I wouldn't be worried about the hoof growth so much. The plates that generate that are in the coronary band itself -- and I have a mare that slit that all the way through as a yearling. The only "reminder" is a line down the outside of her hoof and she had some plastic reinforcement when she was on the track... and a custom shoe.

I would be WAY more worried about the artery. Circulation down there is not all that great to start with. Hopefully they were able to rebuild that?

Good luck!!

Jenarby · Postby **Jenarby** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:58 am

Hey Madelyn,

Yeah, it was a pretty bad day. He actually ligated the artery. Only because he said her circulation was very good to her foot. I was worried about that too but he's confident it will be fine and I trust him completely.
My concern now is infection......

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:25 am

OH MY JEN! I'm about to call Dr B's new place myself...they should be getting close to doing more surgical work. The colt I got out of NY this past winter has an umbilical hernia thats going to need fixed...but will need mesh added. Hes an on going project this colt.

Hope it all works out...shes in great hands with botht he clinic and at home with you guys.

Jenarby · Postby **Jenarby** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:09 pm

Well, my filly came home this afternoon. She looks good and is walking normally on her bad leg. They took the bandages off yesterday. The wound is not swollen or red, so all is well so far. She's on high doses of several antibiotics, antianflammatories and pain killers. The tough job now is keeping her quiet in the stall. She normally lives outside 24/7 and definitely thinks staying in a stall is no fun. So I'm crossing my fingers she bahaves herself. If she does, we have two weeks of hand walking/grazing and then the stitches come out. Crossing my fingers!

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:39 am

Such great news Jen....still no idea how she did it?

Bill and I leave to go get our colt in 12 days (WHOOHOO) I cant wait. til then a LOT of work to do here...tear down back pasture...up with all new fence (FINIALLY) Tear down old nasty tack room built back in the day and shift hay storage around, build new stall, then go get Momma and her new Boy!

You know Grace is staill down south...doing GREAT BTW, but Paula says these horses stay awake at night thinking of ways to KILL themselves! I think shes right.

Arctic Cielo · Postby **Arctic Cielo** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:23 am

I bought a 2 year old standardbred filly out of a feedlot with an injury like this. I had the vet out and all he said was "I hope you didn't pay much for her." He didn't have much hope for recovery. It didn't cut any arteries but it was deep and it started down by her frog and came up and around the coronet band. I would clean it and wrap it twice a day. Her leg healed up nice with a little scar and never took a lame step on it.
I bought her not knowing how she would turn out or if she cut any major tendons or ligaments.
As her hoof grew out she did have a stress ring on it.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:56 am

Good news, Jen, about your filly. Get her some stall toys. Can you put a playful type beside her? Too bad horses can't get into video games -- they totally absorb some young in other species :lol:

Re infection, of course you can keep it wrapped and/or the stall spotless, but air really speeds healing. One of the things I use is dollar-store medicated body powder; swoosh it on the wound a couple of times a day to keep the wound dry and flies off. Hopefully everything is progressing well.

Jenarby · Postby **Jenarby** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:47 am

Wow AC, thanks for that. It give me hope. I could care less if she ends up with a ring. THAT would be a good thing considering what could possibly happen with her hoof growth I guess.

Madelyn, for now, the vet wants her leg wrapped how he showed me. He said because of the artery he wants to keep a pressure/support bandage on her until the stitches come out. I guess a "just in case" type of preventitive. I did give her a stall ball which she doesn't care for. She's doing okay in the stall. She does get upset as we bring horses in and out but I stop by her stall a lot and rub her. She loves attention.

Here are pics from this morning during our bandage change. They had sprayed some sliver medication on the wound so it's a little tough to see.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/j ... yfoot2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/j ... yfoot4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/j ... yfoot3.jpg

And here is her wrap:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/j ... yfoot5.jpg

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:27 am

Wow, it looks GREAT..

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:48 am

Got to love that Alu-Spray! Makes your horses look like a TV dinner! lol

Jen she does look very well. Im sure before its over you will be pepering her bandage has it starts to heel and itch. She does look great. Keep us posted...and I'll see you on the 30th