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Disappointing Vet Experience

Guess I didn't realize I said it was their fault that the horse got cut...but it is disappointing that everything I was told was incorrect. Stall her for 8 to 10 days (done), leave the bandage on for at least 4 days if not the full 10 (done), should be completely healed in 10 days...not! I did everything I was told to do including giving antibiotics as scheduled. I did expect the outcome they said to expect and it was not the outcome I recieved. I guess I would've been happier with "we will try our best but the stitches may not stay and it wont be healed in 10 days but with time it should be ok" Yeah she is doing well, mostly on my part (Thank you) RESPONSIBLY, I took her to the vet, followed the vets EVERY instruction, and expected the outcome that THEY said would be. Paid my money for no results. This foal was also tested for IgG (colostrum levels) because we didn't know if she had nursed yet....they said her levels would also be too low for much of a chance without $1400 of plasma...Took her home milked the mare and fed the foal...live foal = me! But I guess I am also to blame for taking her to the vet so HD you are right....it was all my fault! :lol:

On another note, just stepping out on a limb, The biggest mistake ever made was closing horse slaughter plants! Reopen 'em I would like for my good horses to be worth something again, and for the dumping of unwanted animals to stop! Man, I come looking for advise and I get criticized! :roll: Most of you helped alot and I mean no offense to anyone here based on my post, just to say I was disappointed in the OUTCOME, not that the vet ran my horse through the fence! :lol:

I also have talked to the vet and she told me that I shouldn't vaccinate because it would make the foal mean, and never gave a tetanus shot. Guess I need a second opinion...
 
If the stiches dissolved than maybe vet grabbed the wrong suture kit.


You go to a teaching hospital you get folks learning their craft. that is why it is called a practice. They don't always get it right.
 
With Limit they did use some disolving suture esspecally where they did a running stitch under the skin flap.. My guess is the skin is sluffing whitch is pretty common for horses..

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Here's what it looked liked before..

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So there is hope just hang in there and enjoy working with your new colt..
 
One thing about this whole thing....that lil filly will be gentle gentle after all the treating you will do over the next couple months. And that's how ya hafta look at stuff like this. Find the positives...and leave the negatives layin by the wayside.
 
Highlonsome, the best product we have used over the years is Cut Heal, no proud flesh no scarring.

If you have stock you can expect trouble. Vets even as trained as they are may or may not provide the best service possible. One thing I know for sure exceptional equine vets that have the academic background plus real world first hand knowledge from the school of hard knocks are getting more scarce.

The real disappointing part of these kind of experiences is feeling that going to the vet is the right, responsible, best course of action. When it turns out not to be the case is when a person really feels let down.

When our daughter was four and hurt her arm we took her to the doctor to be examined and she was xrayed. She packed her arm, we took her back a second time. We were told both times it was only a sprain.

By the time she was seven her arm was growing so deformed she couldn't skip rope or barely control the handle bars on her bike.

Went to a specialist turns out it was broken in two places originally and still had a broken piece of bone floating around.

She had total reconstructive surgery, but the original damage to the growth plates was irreparable.

Her arm is way better then it was, but at 16 she suffers from very limited range of motion,and pain when she uses it from bone spurs and arthritis.

Shyt does happen and some times people don't do the job you trust them to do.


I certainly understand that. :(
 
Dylan, I would say you probably had a tougher go of it than I have. Getting a little one hurt or even when they are sick and the DRs just cant get it right is the hardest! I have a 3 yr old and just getting her diagnosed for the simple stuff is hard...seems like they cant even get and ear infection right anymore!!

Katrina, That horse is lookin' good, you must be doing something right. I do believe I have seen pics of him before and he is a nice looking horse all over!

Floyd, you are right about the practice thing :lol: but I wish they would practice on someone elses livestock! :lol: She said specifically that she wanted to use disolving stitches? I dunno maybe I should've questioned more, but I assumed she knew what she was talking about? Oh well, whats done is done!

I do feel much better about all of it after I hear others experiences! Thank you guys, and thanks for the advise! The pictures also helped because where he is opened up kinda looked like her when we unbandaged the cut...and Limit looks good now! I appreciate everyones time to teach :)
 
I doesn't look to me like it would have mattered how they put those stitched her flank the stitches would have came out any way. There is way too much movement to sew that up. I would use a water treatment twice a day and when I got done I would put Preperation H on it. Sounds a bit odd but trust me it works. I had a gelding with a cut similar to the one on your babies back leg, my wife used the treatment I described, he ended up with a scar about the size of my thumb nail. I would bet that colt is going to be a good one the dinks never get cut up. Have you ever taken anything to Dr. Willnerd at Rushville. He is great and they don't charge and arm and a leg.
 
I am a firm believer in the water therapy then we put honey on cuts and tears. The honey draws the flies, and they will only eat the dead flesh.It also keeps the flies out of the fresh flesh. Flies can't handle the fresh honey.
 
Sounds like she never was given a tetanus shot? If that's the case stop by any vet clinic and get tetanus anti-toxin for her. Might not be needed, but where that's still open and doesn't look like it'll be completely healed anytime real soon... antitoxin would be a good idea to be on the safe side.

Not surprised the sutures on the leg didn't hold. They almost never do on a horse. The ones on the flank should have held though, but that's just luck, sometimes things don't go your way.

Careful with what you use on the cuts, use something that's not traumatic to the tissues for now. If proudflesh starts on the leg cut then there's plenty of stuff out there that will take care of it, but best to let it get a chance to heal right now. The one on the flank isn't at risk for proudflesh so use a topical ointment/spray that promotes healing, not one that prevents proudflesh.

LazyWP - I've heard from a vet that I have a lot of respect for that honey is good. She strongly recommends it.

Make sure you keep that foal on antibiotics; that leg cut could turn into a major mess, and if the joint gets infected...
 
I agree.

Honey is a natural antibacterial, and sugar is too. I know of one horse that had a massively deep and open gash on it's leg, and the owner packed it with sugar and wrapped it. It healed extremely well.
 

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