# Pastern wounds



## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

There seems to be a trend recently on leg/foot wounds, so why not join the party with my colt's story, too? :-|
Back in May he cut the back side of his pastern just above the coronet band, a smooth V-shape incision, deep and flapped open, but no structural damage. He injured himself while tied to my trailer. I didn't see it happen. Vet was able to get out about 2 1/2 hours later and stitched it. Don't have pics of the raw injury. Was too busy cleaning it and worrying about how late I would be to work that day. 
The first pic is what it looked like with stitches about a week later. The second one is after stitches were pulled, and the third one is after the vet came out a second time and treated a NEW wound on the front of his pastern that appeared a week after the first one healed up. Skin was raw around the back of the pastern as well. Vet speculates that he got something wrapped around his foot in the pasture. I couldn't find anything, but anyway we got it treated quickly and he is again doing well with recovery. He only had to stay in a stall after the first vet calls when he was sedated for the night for each injury. There hasn't been any lameness.


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

This is the second wound the day I realized I needed to get a vet out again. It had begun to show signs of infection. The brown piece in the middle is what the vet called "an island of skin" that had to be removed. The second pic is the prettier side of my colt, as we were waiting for the vet to come. He has been an absolute angel throughout the whole ordeal.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

That colt needs to be bubble wrapped! Hope he heals up & ends his injury quota.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks, Waresbear. Vet is coming out Tuesday morning to see if we are ready to begin to shrink the proud flesh. It really helps that I have an awesome vet who works off of texted pics to determine visits.


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

*7/6 UPDATE & HELP!! Pastern wounds*

Anybody have any advice as to how to bandage this leg? I have a vet on it and am following vet's instructions, despite everybody else telling me various things such as, use gold dust, leave it open, etc. I feel that once I choose to go with a vet, I don't deviate. The problem is the bandaging. It is a difficult place for healing, due to the movement of the leg. I am changing bandage every 2-3 days, depending on the integrity of the bandage. Treatment is rinse with alcohol, let dry, furazone, stick-free pad, (now pads), loose gauze wrap around to secure pads, light firm vet wrap that is looped under hoof, elasticon at top of vet wrap to hold top of bandage in place. The plan for the front wound is to let proud flesh cover it completely, then we will begin removing proud flesh and skin margins so that skin can grow back. 

The problem is that twice bandaging had slipped up the leg from the hoof to constrict and cut into the side & back of his pastern. We now suspect that his second (front pastern) wound was a result of this happening as his first wound was just healing. So this has happened twice. 

Went out yesterday to find the colt not able to stand or walk on the leg. Pulled off the bandage and found the side cut. Called vet (who had last wrapped the leg after a visit on Tuesday and DIDN't loop vetwrap under the hoof, I thought about it, but didn't act on it) and vet says to put him in stall. Anyway, I treated the foot, rewrapped, put him up in stall, gave bute, and I guess I will keep him stalled up for a week or so. He must have been running the fence with the warmblood colt in the adjacent pasture or doing cartwheels or something to get the bandage all constricted up like that in a 24-hour period of time. Please advise if anybody has a way to bandage the leg to prevent this from happening again, and thanks.

Here are pics: 1) Beat-up bandage before change on July 3 (this is about as beat up as it gets); 2) wound with good proud flesh July 3; 3) new side/back cut from bandage constriction on July 5 just after I recovered from shock when pulling the bandage off, and 4) the way I bandaged it after new side wound after (holding well this morning).


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Update pic from this morning. Both wounds are looking good. Am keeping him stalled for now. No more lameness.


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## oldhorsegal (Jul 11, 2012)

*Protecting lower leg wounds*

I am also dealing with a lower leg wound and have come up with a solution that might also work for you. Get yourself a tube sock (the kind with a long cuff seem to work best), cut off the toe and slide it over your horse's hoof. If you pull it up just under the knee it should cover all the way down to the hoof. Great for keeping flies and dirt out and allowing the wound to breathe. I just cut it off when it's dirty and put a new one on. Cheap & easy! Good luck.


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## filly20 (Jul 9, 2012)

My gelding had a pretty nasty wound too, he's nice and headled now thanks to veteracine sp


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## nuisance (Sep 8, 2011)

My ferrier was out almost 2 wks ago, he said he has seen a bunch of foot injuries, and fractured coffin bones lately. When my mare fractured her's in April, the Vet said the same thing.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Get cotton roll to wrap over the wound cover,wrap cotton from bottom of hoof to under knee, then use vet wrap to cover cotton. You will be able to wrap the vet wrap tight, since the cotton is acting as a padding. Won't slip, won't move, won't cut tissue.


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Going out to get cotton wrap tomorrow, Wyoming Grandma.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Rinse with alcohol? That has got to hurt!


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

He tolerates it well only resists at initial contact with the alcohol.


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