# Horrible Injury (Graphic Pics)



## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

This is Rex, a seven year old reg QH gelding. He has done a number on himself, best we can figure is he hit the wire fence, probably at speed.
This is a friend of mines horse, and they are currently at the vet, getting him stitched closed.










At the house










At the Vet


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## lamoncha lover (Mar 1, 2009)

omg
poor thinig


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

OMG!! Is that even fixable??


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

Wowza! That is not something I would ever want to see in one of mine or the boarders. Ouch! prayers for his speedy recovery. Muscle,tendon damage?


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## Rose (Dec 30, 2010)

Wow that looks really bad! I hope he recovers well.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

At the Vet, Its been cleaned a little.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

It came out really small so here is it again








I dont think there is any tendon or ligaments involved, just flesh and hide

We are hoping its fixable


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

That's darned messy and it will take quite a while to heal.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

A client's horse did much the same thing once - only it was just the left forearm, and he had sliced it on a some farm equipment in the pasture.

He healed up quite well, and only has an indentation where the forearm muscle was cut nearly to the bone.

Injuries above the knee or hock have a good blood supply and generally heal nicely.


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## sarhound (Mar 11, 2008)

If he's clean and stitched, he should heal up just fine.

My paint horse, Stitch, is named for a very good reason. He went thru a barbed wire fence right after his previous owner got him; took several hundred stitches to put him back together. Today, all he has is a slight indentation along his neck where he lost some muscle mass-- not even any discernible scarring. He also got a notch in one ear from the same incident.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Lucky it's in muscle, he should heal very well.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I am so sorry for that horse  But I have seen injuries similar that have healed up just fine. Takes some diligence on the owners part keeping it clean and what not. 
This is why I don't use HT wire or barbed wire. HT wire makes me think of a cheese slicer. 
Please keep us posted on this....


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## SDjulieinSC (Aug 8, 2005)

I have seen a number of injuries along those lines at the clinic.
They do take quite some time to heal, but have good results when owners do their part once the patient leaves the clinic.
I'm sorry that it happened and wish you a speedy recovery!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

How many times over the years on other HT forums have there been threads where people defended the use of HT and barbed wire for horses? 

There was one in HQ last week or so.

These pics should be required viewing in all such threads.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

The most horrific injuries I've ever seen have involved high tensile wire, the next were barbed wire. I've seen some nasties with no climb or sheep fence but not nearly as many.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Here he is all stitched up


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Poor soul - and poor people too


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## Knesa (Apr 14, 2011)

that looks bad but it should heal fine. my horse gouged himself on a t-post, on two seperate occations, and it healed fine.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

One of the most remarkable things I've ever seen was a horse who ripped open his chest. Couldn't be sewn. They applied Cut Heal daily. The horse healed with no scars.

Was in the feed store one day and the owner was doing something (forget what) and he ripped his arm open. I asked if he wanted me to take him to the ER. He said nope and took a bottle of Cut Heal off the shelf and applied it to his arm. He, too, healed well.


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

Four years ago had a mare that fell against a 6"x6" gate post and did the same thing to her shoulder. After the vet sewed her up with button stitches and left a drain tube at the bottom he turned to me a said......."If she lives or dies it is up to YOU, keep her medicated and moving".
Next day I took a bed sheet and put it around her fetlock and pulled that foot forward and she would "catch-up" with the good leg. In and out of the stall three times a day for a week. Then out of stall down the barn isle and back for another week....three times a day. Third week outside for a short walk three times a day. The forth week turned out in a small grassed yard for a few hours and increased intill she could be out all day. 

I NEVER missed a walking...three times a day those first weeks. I used the sheet as needed and had to PULL hard the first week, got very discourged! Today she gallops in the pasture with the rest, is ridden, never shows a hint of past trama although she has a scar and an indentation at the site. 

IMPORTANT: All through this medicine, NO grain, good hay and she had a taste of pasture. Check with your vet but mine put the fear in me about keeping her moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## bigfoot2you (Oct 3, 2007)

HOLY SMOKE!! That's horrid..............I've seen boo boo's but never one that bad...............Good luck to them!!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Sededl, I would encourage you to follow vet instructions to the letter but I will tell you that horses injured that bad require a fair amount of doctoring and we humans have a tendency to head out, treat horse and go about the rest of our business. When I was treating the injury I had, the old rancher reminded me that a horse will come to feel picked on and will develop issues and since it was his horse I was treating, we agreed it would be a good idea to go out twice a day (not at treating time) and simply spend a few minutes grooming and visiting. I really felt it was helpful in so many ways. The horse didn't only relate humans to occasionally painful treatments, it gave me ample time to review the situation from day to day so I caught problems before they became a big issue and it gave a horse on many months of stall confinement something to look forward to. 

Wind in Her Hair, I dealt with one that bad, if not worse (only because it couldn't be stitched) and my vet asked me to wait a while a couple weeks before using a hose because of the pressure but he had us start with a spray bottle immediately but it was more to keep the wound clean and flies off.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

What wr just said is dead-on. Don't always go out and focus on the wounds; go out at other times to cuddle and scratch and groom. Depression in horses is a REAL thing, and they can pout themselves sicker than they were!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Great advice WR....


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Actually, keeping a young ranch horse under stall arrest for 9 months in a barn with no amenities with 3 kids, two dogs, 3 dumped goats while the old rancher was off making movies provided me with countless hours entertainment. 

Whit was pretty young then and I think she was key to the gelding making it through without becoming a neurotic mess. She would have slept in the manger if I would have allowed it but she go down, groom him for hours, converse with him, sing to him, show him whatever new trick she taught her dog, show him the new kittens that lived in the tack room, feed him non horsey food and generally just hang out together. 

Incidentally, when all known tricks for getting powdered bute into a hostile horse fail, Whit concluded that it can be hidden in the stuffing of a few oreo cookies, a half a peanut butter sandwich, raspberry yogurt and last nights curried tuna.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

Many years ago, I worked at a boarding stable that had some very 'pretty' cedar rail fences along the paddocks. One mare was galloping parallel to the fence and her paddock mate pushed her into it. She got a spike of wood shoved up about 10 inches into her shoulder.

It was my job to do hot and cold poultices several times a day. It hurt her, a lot. She was a very sensitive Saddlebred mare, but even with all the pain I caused her, I was the only one who could catch her in her stall - because, like WR said, I took the time to just go in and be with her without doing anything.

I've seen wounds as bad as that heal up quite nicely with care and attention.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Thanks You guys for all the stories and support, It means alot. Ill let Cyndi (the owner) know everything you guys have told me. I really hope this gelding heals well, he is really a gentle giant, every bit of seventeen hands. A fantastic learning horse, and the only horse my boyfriend (who had a bad experience) will ride. He really is a big lap dog and is very layed back. I think his mind will stay sound, with gentle hands. I believe Cyndi said they think dogs ran him thru the fence. She was in her hayloft with a shotgun last night.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Here is an updated Picture. I promise he is not as crooked legged as he looks in this picture. He is just very heavily medicated. Oh and the pink stuff is an antibiotic ointment


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Looking good


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## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

Poor guy - had a 2 yr old with a similar injury, dogs chased him into the fence and he side passed as he hit it. Vet left the (cleaned) wounds open, and we had to scrub and clean every day to pull away proud flesh. Kept him (a stallion!) in a clean stall and then a very clean paddock. In 8 weeks you could barely tell he had been injured. In two years you could barely see the scars. Keeping flies out was the challenge but they have painless would dressings now with fly treatment, I think we used swat. Good luck and keep the faith.


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Oh poor baby.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Looks like it's healing just fine. Keep up the good work!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I was thinking about him at work today and was really hoping for an update. Things are looking pretty good and I'd like it very much if you continued to update. When they get to the end point, I'll send you a tried and true recipe that's been in my family for a very long time that helps with scarring and proud flesh.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

WR,
Can you post the recipe for the salve here for all of us to see? I would love to have a recipe for a homemade proud flesh/ wound dressing


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

poor baby... here's hoping for a good, solid recovery...


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

farmergirl, I'll send you a pm.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Talked to cindy last night, hes doing good, just a little stiff, hes eating and isnt having any problems with pain

I thought she might shoot him last night. He decided it would be a fanatastic idea to drop down and roll around in his stall with softball sized holes in his chest.

He enjoyed it, Needless to say Cyndi Almost had a heart attack, when she saw him getting up.

Goofy Critters

Hoping to see him tonight for myself, and get some more pictures . 

wr, have you ever used EQUAIDE? This stuff is amazing. I first used it when a quarter horse mare of mine decided backing overtop of a metal fire ring would be a much better idea than standing to be mounted. She took several chunks out of her lower back legs with numerous others. Naturally proud flesh started. I used a small sample of this stuff and it cleared up in like three days. However it is very expensive. But its wonderfuls stuff. Its a waterbased cream, and if it ever happens to dry out, just add more water. 

Check out there website, Ill see if I can find pictures of the mare.

http://www.equaide.com/
Definitely would like to take a look at the recipe for sure.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

No, I haven't used it and will have to see if I can find some up here.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

He's a lucky, lucky boy. A friend of mine had the same accident happen- dogs chased the horse into the fence. Poor Smokey didn't have such a positive outcome. He broke a leg and had to be shot.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Well, Things arent looking the best right now. Rex managed to rip almost all of the suturing out. His wounds are for sure infected, and th right leg is swollen pretty bad. Hes still moving around as of saturday. I went up and saw him, and I was rather alarmed. His injuries were infected, no doubt, and owners seemed less than concerned. I asked them about cleaning, and they said its been rinsed out and scarlet oil applied. Didnt look like any actual cleaning had been done. I am worried. His heart rate and resp. rates were fine, although his gum color was alittle shoddy. Also found out that he had cut a vein with the original accident and it has to be closed off. Which more than likely accounts for the gum color. He is still allowed to run loose unattended, with these open wounds. 
I am very worried about him, but theres nothing I can do. Owners wont listen to anyone and want to blame the vet. Although the vet told them, the sutures would more than likely come out. 
I have pictures on my camera, but they take a while to upload. Im not to sure I want to upload them, they are rather nasty. I dont know if the MODs would appreciate it being up.

SEDEDL


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

That really sucks. If the owners are not concerned about him, there is very little you can do. that horse should not be on pasture!! He should be confined to a stall with little movement, not allowed to run loose with injuries that severe! If they are ignoring the vet's advise and are not providing proper care, I'd be really tempted to call animal control.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

upload pics to photobucket and just provide links instead of posting the pics that way the reader can chose to look or not. Too bad hes so far away Id say im up for a rescue case thats not extremely long term


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

I'm not far from GA.... You may want to notify the vet that they used and maybe she can "pop in" to check his progress.....and see what's going on.....and report it to the exact right person.....


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I wouldn't have a problem with pictures because I've pretty well seen it all but if you aren't comfortable doing that or think it might offend some, you can do as Cannon_Farms suggested.

I wish he could come live with me because I'm sure that my crew could have him back in action and he certainly would be a long term project.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Rexy is holding his own. Still infected but owner says its getting better. Here are some pictures off my phone from saturday. They are rather crappy, but it was the best I could do in the lighting. If I get a chance ill get the ones from my camera up.

This is the right side 








Right Side again








Left Side


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Not as bad as I was expecting, truely. I am praying for this big guy.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Given the nature and degree of the wound, I would have been more surprised if there wasn't some sort of infection I'm like Jill in the sense that it isn't as bad as I feared.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Here is a picture fom last night,










It looks a million times better

WR what is that salve you were telling me about?


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'll send you a pm.


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## eggzackly (Apr 14, 2011)

Doing great there! good pics.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Wow! Even though it technically looks like raw meat, it IS granulating! Super!


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## lamoncha lover (Mar 1, 2009)

what horse person that had a horse in that condition wouldn't be concerned? OMG people miff me off. If it's more then they want to handle..give the animal to a rescue or even shoot it. But to not do what you can by good care,,,,,,,,,
It isn't as bad as I feared either. Probably in spite of the "owners"
Horses surely have a great capacity to heal.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I don't know that the owner is really doing anything wrong but when you take on an injury like this, you do have to be a bit philosophical it's a very long journey, you're limited by facility and not many people have a proper hospital pen or stall for these situations and quite honestly some days are wonderful and everythings to be going great and 12 hours later, you can have another full blown crisis. 

Having walked this path a few times, I wouldn't be inclined to judge someone else because you can't sleep with them, you do what you can under the circumstances, you have to work with the facilities available and hope for the best.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Very well said, WR.
I nursed my dear schoolmaster warmblood along for months after he had emergency surgery on his jaw. The surgeon actually had to remove a section of bone in his jaw, right near his jowel area, because he had developed an infection in the bone of unknown causation.
There was no tooth involvement and no foreign body that caused the inflammation and infection in the bone. The best we could guess was that he had been bitten by a spider or similar and reacted badly to that.
He had to be orally drenched with a high potency antibiotic that was the only thing that the vet thought would work after culturing the infection.
I dosed him 3 times a day, as close to every 8 hours as I could manage. Since I was working fulltime, that meant rising in the middle of the night for one of the doses. We did this for 5 weeks. I was also lavaging the open wound twice a day. The surgeon had left the area open so as not to trap the infection, so the horse had a large opening down to the bone. 
He attitude was bright and he was still eating, otherwise we would have had to put him down.
Our barn felt like an equine hospital for months.

Sadly, I lost horse after he developed anhydrosis. Honestly, I think his heart was just wearing out from having been fighting for so long. He was in his early '20's and even though the infection was finally resolving, his body just couldn't go on.

This happened 3 years ago, and I still miss him so much.

Sometimes, even with all the possible medical interventions, patients don't make it.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Here is an updated pic, taken August 1st


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## hardworkingwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

DMSO is what I used on my horse injuries. Stings, stinks but works.


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## hardworkingwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

put it in a spray bottle


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

Reason we removed all wire and put up electric tape. Not a single injury since. The last year we had wire there was about a 20' stretch I failed to clear out before winter and just put electric tape over it to try to keep them away. My barrel prospect must have kicked out going under the tape and through the wire and then panicked. Sliced straight through to the bone on the inside of his hock and down his leg. He was rideable after 2 years but there went any chance of competition and I had to sell him at a loss. Removed that last section and that was our last injury. I will never own horses and wire of any type again. Especially high tensile. The worst injuries I've seen have been high tensile even over barb wire.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Sededl said:


> Here is an updated pic, taken August 1st


Hmmmm. All that pus and ooze is good that it is draining, but I'd have to have my nose in it and poke around to know if we're going backwards or not..... his right leg is obviously better than that poor left.

Do you know if he is still on his antibiotics? IF he were mine, I would do a scrubbing/debridement at this point and then agressively squirt injectable penicillian directly into all the cracks and crevices. Let that sit for 12 hours, and then continue with the scarlet oil (they are still doing that at least, correct?).

Poor dude; I want to have him here so bad! I'm home all day, and could have him patched up with the love & attention he deserves! It must be aweful to have your hands tied on this one, Sededl!


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

jill.costello said:


> Hmmmm. All that pus and ooze is good that it is draining, but I'd have to have my nose in it and poke around to know if we're going backwards or not..... his right leg is obviously better than that poor left.
> 
> Do you know if he is still on his antibiotics? IF he were mine, I would do a scrubbing/debridement at this point and then agressively squirt injectable penicillian directly into all the cracks and crevices. Let that sit for 12 hours, and then continue with the scarlet oil (they are still doing that at least, correct?).
> 
> Poor dude; I want to have him here so bad! I'm home all day, and could have him patched up with the love & attention he deserves! It must be aweful to have your hands tied on this one, Sededl!





It is diffucult, and incrediable frustrating. It looks like it would benefit from even a simple saline flush and rinse. Anything. Ugh people wont listen. I know I wouldnt want a painful draining wound left unattended on me!


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Oh and I do believe he is still on feed through antibiodics, i think they have stopped the scarlet oil and are using nustock and vetricyn. In all honesty it looks like its going backwards. Owner is worried about proud flesh, but doesnt seem to realize that infection and irritation is what causes it. Ugh


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

You migh want to try and convince them that they should use the spray remedy that I sent you. They really do need to take better care of the wound because they're going to end up with a maggot problem.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

It looks to me like it might benefit greatly from simple hydro therapy. In other words, using a fairly high pressure stream of(as much as the horse will allow) water from a garden hose to debride the area of dead flesh and pus, etc..
The idea is to hose it until it starts to bleed just a bit.

I don't understand why the owner isn't paying just a little more attention to this poor guy. I mean, it would take literally just 15-20 minutes a day to give him a fighting chance.


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

any chance you can convince them you have more time (if you do) to tend his wounds for him right now? And that you just want to help?


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

My vet had me use silversulfadine ointment after hosing off the inside of her thigh. She took 123 stiches to close up a 5" by 11" flap of skin and muscle. She had run through a fence as a 4 month old.

She healed up great and has been a good race horse.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

updates? How is the horse doing?


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Picture from Sunday August 7th. Talked to owner, said hes acting peppy, and seems otherwise mentally sound.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

well, it don't look great, but it looks _better_.... still praying for this boy...


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)




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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

akane said:


> The worst injuries I've seen have been high tensile even over barb wire.


Me too.

That is healing beautifully! I hope it continues.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Rex is doing much better, the injury is granulating well, will try to update tomorrow


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Thanks for the update. I was thinking about him the other day.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

so glad to hear that - been watching for updates too


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

These pictures are alittle old, I havent been able to upload for a while. Hopefully Can get newer ones soon. He is just about closed up, and the last time I saw him, the wounds are drying up well. Seems like every picture his wound is always draining excessicly or dirty. Last time I saw him he looked really good, but he is still gonna scar.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

He lived, and his pain is almost over....so, I am relieved. Thanks for the update!


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Excellent!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

That looks great!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

He's healed much quicker than I expected!!


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Here are some pictures from today


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## Qhorseman (Jul 9, 2010)

Glad your horse is getting better. I read one post on here about fences. I think I have seen about every kind of fence that can be used to confine a horse. Given enough time a horse will find a way to hurt itself on all of them.


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