at my wits end.... don't know what to do!

[apdan]

okay.... I will start from the beginning and if anyone has any advice on what they would do I would greatly greatly appreciate it!

About a year and half ago my mare missy put her foot thru her tin lean-to. She cut her back foot right at the joint, we got it all cleaned up and the proud flesh is gone and made it thru the winter keeping it wrapped with no frost bite! BUT anytime it starts to heal over with new skin she somehow busts it back open and then it will swell up and it's like starting all over from day one just not as bad. the first day she cut it almost to the bone.. and now it's just a matter of getting it to seal over. NOW she has a new cut on the same leg, just above the knee on the inside!!!!! We got a new horse on saturday and he went to kick my other mare and nailed her instead. So we have her seperated again but we don't have anywhere to confine her to a stall. we have tried what the vet has told us to do (we have seen him twice since this all started, and other vets), we have used a oatmeal poultice, epsom salt soaks and wrapping it........ and we have tried these for months on end, not just a couple weeks and see no improvement and give up... this is a month after month after month thing. I am thinking of trying schreiners herbal spray BUT I don't know anymore what to do! we don't even know if we will ever be able to ride her again which is sooo sad! So any advice or opinions on how to heal her would be great! Sorry about writing a book, if I would have found this site earlier I would have been posting!!!! and adivce on healing both cuts (new and old) would be appreciated

 

[freemotion]

First order of business is to determine how she keeps cutting herself. Is she getting picked on by the others? Fighting flies? Are there obstacles in her area like branches, stumps, loose fencing, etc? If there is something with which a horse can manage to injure themselves on, they will find it!

It is always a good idea to introduce new horses to the herd with a solid fence in between them until they behave themselves over the fence. Then introduce them carefully, when they are tired, and only under direct supervision for a while. One well-placed kick can be the end of a good horse.

Are you saying that the original injury, a year and a half ago, is still not healed? If so, yikes! Sorry, got nothing for you. Just a

 

[mully]

I would put a wrap on the ares and use peroxide to soak the wrap 3 times a day for about 3 days. After 3 days remove the wrap and I would let it dry for 3-4hours. Then put pine tar on the area, not thick but a nice even coat. Apply the pine tar twice a day for several weeks. This has worked for me on "bad" wounds. God Bless and best of luck !!

 

[apdan]

well as far as the old wound, she dosen't keep cutting it. It keeps breaking back open. It's like as if you cut your finger and pick the scab. Somehow she keeps picking her scab that's the best I can describe it. It's about an inch wide and goes from one side of her leg to the other right across the front of her fetlock.
and then the horse that we got on saturday is kinda new.... he's new to our house but not new to my mares. we are just keeping him and riding him for the summer cause his owner a friend is going to be gone out of the country for the summer. So... he's new but he's not new. we are using him because we can't use our missy!
Yes the original injury on her fetlock is from a year and half ago! YIKES IS RIGHT it's soo frustrating and has brought a good many nights of tears... we have owned her for about 4 yrs now and her and my mare are a good match so it sucks and she is such an awesome horse.

 

[LauraM]

Could you post a picture?

 

[michickenwrangler]

Was the original cut stitched or just left to heal on its own?

Can you rig up a portable corral with a garden charger, step-in posts and the wide plastic fencing tape? I do that for when I go camping with my horse. A 12 x 12 area would be adequate to restrict movement and still allow her to lay down if needed.

Other than that ... Maybe try something astringent to help draw tissues together like witch hazel or oak tannins.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

To me this is the down side of wrapping wounds. They don't heal with the type of tissue that can take the work so when you quit wrapping it breaks back open. Having said that a cut to the bone will have to begin wrapped but I'd ditch the wrap really soon. You need for this to heal from the inside out, what you have done before is healed the outside and not in.

No doubt she has scar tissue there now that will prevent any type of wound closure anyway so I'd suggest healing it open this time. Keep it clean and dry as possible and let nature heal it. Portable fencing is a great idea, you can keep her safe, separate and keep moving her to a clean area that would be great.

There are many products out there that are for open wound healing. I love Karaplex but it's only sold in Canada. Look around your area or ask your Vet.

 

[apdan]

I don't have any way to post a picture. my baby goat that was raised in the house decided to chew my laptop power cord so all I have is my blackberry and my work computer. he's a monster She is in a different pasture and is doing better over there, I am putting furazone on it and wrapping it to get the infection back out of it, it swelled back up when she cut open the top of her leg so I have been putting that on both so I can draw out the infection. Then I guess I will go from there and try all the ideas you guys have suggested! Thank you so much for all the input!

 

[LauraM]

Other than that ... Maybe try something astringent to help draw tissues together like witch hazel or oak tannins.

I agree. I suggest using scarlet oil.

 

[currycomb]

ditto on the scarlet oil, spray it on, leave it open to air. that will keep flies out, seems to prevent proud flesh, but keep wound flexable and helps heal