broken leg...any hope

[tammysinnett]

My stepdaughters 20 year old Arab mare came to the barn yesterday with her front right swollen from the shoulder to the knee (arm bone?) she is bearing no weight, Vet has been out sure the leg is broke above the knee about hands length almost half way to the shoulder....he is a livestock vet, thinks we should not waste our time and put her down she has been given pain medication...my daughter is beside herself the horse has been her life long pet....if I stall this mare is there any hope for her, with antibiotics ,a cast type wrap?? We would only ask she could be a pasture mate in the end with no pain, or do you believe this break is just to hard to try and correct. OUr vet of course will refer us to another vet, and is the cost going to not even give her a good life or should we put her down... I beleive we should probably put her down but I wanted to get some horse opions why we are waiting for our daughter to arrive(they are on vacation coming home in a hour)Nothing worse to tell a person this news about their companion of life...her horse...if there was any hope I would want to offer it to her.

[madelyn]

In my opinion, if you asked the mare would she like to lay down in soft straw and head off to a permanent sleep, or go through the possible untold torture of the next few months, she would give you an honest answer.

Breaking her forearm bone is not like a little bone down there somewhere around the fetlock/pastern where there are other bones to bear weight. It's not even like a cannon bone, which can oftentimes be set in a way to allow the horse to move about. A forearm means probably putting her in a sling. And the prognosis may end up with her never being totally without pain. It REALLY depends on the break.

But as always, it is up to a human to decide on a hopefully humane solution.

[Rococoms]

Depends if it is as displaced fracture or not. If it's non-displaced, a surgery center might be able to put a screw through the fracture standing, and with the horse kept standing for 4 weeks or so, it might be salvageable.

Get the horse to a surgery center asap if you want to see if it's saveable.

[GrapDragon]

dealing with the break is only half the battle, yes there are advanced and extrememly expensive surgeries. but the vet will tell (pretty much any vet) that trying to save a 20 year old horse with a fracture in the leg like that is a losing battle. even with successful surgury there is a long recovery period and she will be at great risk for Founder. with serious injuries like those where the animal is "three legged lame" for weeks or months its the founder and colic risk that kills them. you should get a second opion first off, take her to a proper vet hosiptal that deals with large animals or specializes in horses to get a full assesment of the break. and try to remember that such decisions should be based on humane options, not personal emotions.

[freshman]

So sorry to hear about your daughter's mare. I just saw this post and I imagine some decision has been made by now.

I firmly believe that the only wrong decision in these types of emergencies is no decision at all.

From a medical standpoint, your mare's injury is generally considered catastrophic and immediate euthanasia is recommended. From what it sounds like in your desciption, it sounds much like the injury Saint Liam and Diesis suffered to their hind limbs, only in the front. Unfortunately this doesn't change the prognosis much. Even for these horses with their top expert treatment and unlimited bugets, euthanasia was the only humane option.

However, if you have doubts about your vet's diagnosis and want to explore every option, then get her to a surgical referral center ASAP. Be sure to call first and speak to a surgeon before putting the horse on the trailer--based on your description, the surgeon can give you an option and estimate about the costs that will be incurred. They should also give you careful instruction about how to splint and transport the horse so that she is not injured further.

Losing a special horse will be hard for you daughter. On the other hand, it will also be so painful for her to watch her mare suffer from her injury, ineffective treatment, and ultimately be euthanized at a a later date.

My very best wishes to you and your family, no matter what the outcome of this case.

[BenB]

A friend of ours, his seven year broodmare was having this a completely broken fore.
It took five weeks before she ever could come up by herself. Her backhip was full of wounds because of the trying to come up.
Her back feet were almost foundering
But petting taking care of the wounds was showing very nice results.
So NO operations just giving time and time again a very large stable
15x15 lot of intensive care.
Once she was up she got massage therapy and strechting the leg several times a day.
Than she was litterally taken up with four or five people step by step walking to the pasture, and now after 7 months she is in foal, galopping all around.
She only lacks musculation at the shoulder, now the hardiest thing,
her owner is diagionesed having cancer and might even not seeiing the foal a live and hopefully kicking in april.

[marg]

We had a filly that broke her leg at 3 days.We had the leg set.The leg set o.k. but the cannon did not grow as fast as the other leg and the good leg started to twist to compensate for the diference in length.We had to put her down at 2.I realize that this is a different situation .We were behind lots of dollars and she went through a lot and we made up minds that we would never do it again.I am so sorry about your little girls horse but I know that we would never go through this again.Marg.

[BenB]

The next might be important to know, keeping" Pennechip "that,s the name from the forementioned broodmare a live did cost more than just a several thousands of dollars, and there is no quarantee that another horse will becoming in a good order also.
But the difference might be she was already out of training, in a good health, particulary easy to deal with and always trying to co operate.
And already full grown.

[tammysinnett]

I wanted everyone to know we did decide for the mare to be put at peace...after several hours and pain medication it was obvious that in our situation and the mare being of 20 years she was giving up fast. After she was buried...all the horses and goats of the farm stood on her grave for two days...it moved our whole family. I just wanted to tell you thankyou for helping us keep clear minds at this time..our hearts were torn and it was hard to see what we should do...you helped me help my family feel comfortable in the decision they made.

[Mood Swings]

I'm sorry to hear that your mare could not be saved Jingles to you and your family.

[madelyn]

In my opinion, you made the RIGHT decision.. sometimes the right path is the hardest one of all.

Condolences to your family

Madelyn

[erins isle]

Dear Tammy,
I just know that you made the right decision, but it still hurts so much. Think of the good days and be glad she no longer suffers.

[wilf]

I get misty-eyed reading Black Beauty however I have absolutely NO problems with putting a horse to sleep when so much is against it and the pain is obviously overwhelming the horse. Of course you will read many stories of horses that have survived great trauma but most will have endured a terrible time and very few will return to a decent quality of life. Sometimes I think that we go the extra mile to make ourselves feel good that we did everything possible , not often is it really the prudent course for the animal. You went through the minefield of emotions that most of us horse owners have and came out sadder and wiser , welcome to the club. Your last post was a remarkable read, thanks for sharing Tammy. Best Wishes Wilf.

[jagger]

My most heartfelt condolences to you, Tammy, and your stepdaughter during this most miserable of times. Hopefully, you can find some solace in knowing that you made the right decision. When the time is right, your stepdaughter will bless another horse with her loving care.