One of my horses cut her leg to the bone:keep it covered or open?

Question

She is registered AQHA and someday I would like to show or sell her to someone that will show her. This is a nice little mare but she already has a few scars and is in no perfect condition. Last Friday she laid down to roll and put her foot through our fence cutting her cannon bone and another spot on her heel bulb of her left hind leg. At that time about 3/4in of bone was visible. But on Tuesday morning when I last changed her dressing the bone was already covered with flesh again. Now - most people have told me to keep a firm wrap on the injuries to keep them clean and keep her from getting bad proud flesh (and that is what I had planned to do). But other people have told me that letting the injury get more air and dry out would be better for her.
I will be changing the dressing this evening - cleaning with betadine, applying a little nitrofurozone, a light non-stick guaze pad, and vetrap. Should I try not wrapping it? Im scared its too wet still and it will get dirty.

Answer 1

It would be worth it to have a vet look at it. It would be a lot cheaper to have this treated then having an infection treated.

It sounds like you are doing the right thing.

Keep it covered to keep germs out.

Answer 2

The horse needs a Vet. Most equine vets make house calls for obvious reasons. The problem with a laceration that is straight to the bone can be...Bone Death if the bone dries out it dies, Bone Infection this is something you want noting to do with it is torturous on the animal and extremely difficult and sometime impossible not to mention expensive to cure, Soft tissue damage Muscle, Tendon, Nerve if any of these are affected of dry out you are looking at a crippled horse. Keep the wound covered, and contact a vet ASAP this baby needs medical intervention. I am not trying to be rude or harsh but I did notice this message was up last Friday and I just worry that the more time goes by the more damage may be done. Just remember that it is less expensive if you treat her now, then if you wait until it gets bad.-Good Luck

Answer 3

Recipe for minimal scarring: Clean twice daiy or more with peroxide, then water. Then cover with Cut-Heal by Cutter, then dust with pickling lime (used in the kitchen for canning).
Cover with a non-stick gauze and wrap with vet wrap.
I had a filly skin her sock -s craped all the skin off the lower leg - and it was nasty. But I cleaned it and pulled the skin back, and did what I told ou to do above. No scar unless you looked really, really hard.
It would be good to let it air out for a few minutes daily before cleaning and re-medicating before rewrapping. But this does work.
Also, a good remedy for proud flesh - Preparation H mixed with meat tenderizer. No kidding.

Answer 4

Keep it covered with a clean sanitized dressing and make sure it is changed 2-3 times a day. If it startes to dry out use a anti-bacterial ointment. Once it granulates (begins to heal) to about 1 cm below the skin (making sure it is not infected and healing well) then leave it uncovered but dry, if there is any moisture surrounding it cover it again. monitor as necassary for any drainage (making sure it is not green, yellow or pusy as this is indicitive of an infection). Consult your vet anyways..
DO NOT RIDE HIM/HER YET!
Good luck

Answer 5

You need to contact your vet--if the cut reached the bone, you could end up with a bone infection, so she probably needs to be on oral antibiotics for a while. And the vet can give you the best advice about how to care for the wound to prevent bad scarring.

In the end, you'll earn back what you pay the vet in the higher price you can ask when you sell her, and she'll definitely do better in the show ring if you can minimize her scarring.

Answer 6

I think it is stupid how some people are so rude! This person might just not know what to do with a wound on horses. that doesn't mean they are neglectful.
I suggest keeping it covered. If you want to keep it dry, just change the dressing more often. I would not recommend leaving it open until it is completely healed. Also, if you think it's necessary, call your vet just to check. But I think if you keep an eye on it and take care of it, it will be fine. Just watch out for signs of tetanus and other things like that.

Answer 7

You could try taking the dressing off for a few minutes at a time and watchin' her to make sure she doesn't get it dirty..other than that, I'd keep the dressing on it until it dries out a little or she could get an infection from gettin' it dirty..

Answer 8

SEE A VET. NOW. I can understand wanting to do first aid yourself but with a cut to the bone I would sorry that tendons etc. had been hit. Don't risk infection, Call a vet!

Answer 9

First she should see a vet-second I hope she has a tetenus shot as it breeds in horse manure-I had a dog who cut her leg and died from it because my vet didn't give her a shot-one of the signs is rapid healing of the cut-always be safe and not sorry how much is she worth to you that you don't want her vet to look at such a deep and awful cut-

Answer 10

You already asked this question a couple days ago and it sickens me that you have not yet contacted your vet.

SELL YOUR HORSE!!! YOU DON'T DESERVE HER!!!

What you are doing is animal neglect and I hope your horse is taken away from you. Call the vet if you have a heart. Call the vet if you have a damn conscience. What is the matter with you?!

My trainer/barn owner has been working with horses for over 30 years and even she wouldn't try to heal a cut to the bone without first contacting the vet. Get a clue!!!!