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Wanda Martinez
Member
Username: sonoita
Post Number: 107
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 10:14 am: |   |
Hello Dr. O
I have a question and I will try to get pictures soon. On New Years my neighbors were playing with fireworks and my horse bolted out of his stall striking his shoulder and hip. I was sick at the time so I did not see it. The next day my husband goes out and sees it we call the vet and she came out that afternoon. She stitched the hip because it was a hole about 4 inches deep. That one is doing good. My problem is the one that was under his shoulder was stitched also and when we took the stitches out 2 wks later it did not stay closed. It is about 2inches deep . I would like to know since it is so cold here I can not cold hose for fear of freezing. What else can I do? I have taken a syringe and irrigated it but, is that enough. It is taking a long time to heal. It did not look that bad at first but after the stitching is was bigger. She did say he had deep bruising. He was on antibiotics for two weeks and bute for five days. He is not lame. I have never had stitches before in all the years I have owned horses so I am at a loss. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 17609
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 6:38 pm: | |
Hello Wanda,
The question about your wound cannot be answered without examination. However wounds that drain well on there own with no complicating factors as described in the article on long term wound care (see the infection subtopic) can be treated successfully as you describe. I would irrigate with sterile saline to which either povidone (diluted to 2%) or chlorhexidine (diluted to 1/2%) has been added. Using a large syringe with a 18 gauge needle firmly attached (better is to have a luer lock so the needle does not fly off) will develop some pressure to help debride the wound.
DrO |
Lilo
Member
Username: lilo
Post Number: 347
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 10:58 am: | |
Wanda j- I am going to try and post the photos we took last week.
I have never posted photos before - so, let us see if it works.
Lilo |
Wanda Martinez
Member
Username: sonoita
Post Number: 113
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 11:11 am: | |
Thanks LIlo,
Here is the picture Dr. O of Sonny's leg I am doing what you said . In your opinion should this have been stitched in the first place?
I feel like it was prolonged in healing by stitching. The vet did say their was bruising. I read your article on this and it did say bruising does take longer to heal. I wish I could hose but it is way to cold here. And water is freezing fast.
D*** fireworks! {Sorry} |
Amanda Hill
Member
Username: hunysgrl
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 4:03 pm: | |
I don't know, maybe it's the picture, but the wound looks grimy and dirty, have you been cleaning it regularly maybe by applying something like betadine to keep it cleansed and healing well? (since the water is frozen) We had a horse who reared and came down on a sharp object and had a cut much deeper and longer than this. It was deep enough to need stitches inside and outside of the wound. It healed very nicely and there is hardly a scar at all unless you look really hard. Good Luck, I hope it heals well! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 17650
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 6:18 pm: | |
I s this Wanda's horse or Lilo's?
DrO |
Wanda Martinez
Member
Username: sonoita
Post Number: 117
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 30, 2007 - 11:04 am: | |
Hey Dr O
This is my horse Sonny, Lilo lives down the street and took the photo. She is better with the computer than me. She is a great friend.
Amanda, It looks grimy because we used vaseline to get the Nolvasan off. It was stitched in side and out but opened up after the stitches were out. 2 wks later.
It is looking better everyday.
Happy Trails,
Wanda |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 17658
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jan 31, 2007 - 6:17 am: | |
Got it, unless that is a dry scab forming I agree with Amanda, I would like to see if a bit cleaner by a bit more vigorous scrubbing with a warm chlorhexidine solution (put it in a thermos), but the wound looks healthy. Without a bandage to hold it on nitrofurazone spray might be easier to apply.
DrO |
