Damaged Ergot

Flipo's Mum

Flipo's Mum

Heavy owner of a Heavy
Aug 17, 2009
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Perthshire, Scotland
Currently cursing myself for everything under the sun and could do with a little advice if any one can help.

I have come over to feed Flip this morning to find blood dripping from his back leg, both legs are bleeding, one is alot worse than the other. From what I can tell he's been scratching (Which is why I'm annoyed - I saw him do this before Xmas and thought must do more pig oil and sulphur once farrier has been but after that being a big bust because of the weather I now have a worse injury and feel pretty annoyed with myself.

As luck, or sods law would have it, the vet is coming tomorrow to sedate Flip to have his hooves trimmed. I don't feel I can leave this dripping until tomorrow but what the hell do I do when he's lifting it every time I even go to touch it. He's not a kicker so I'll persevere but do I wrap it, do I clean it and put something on it- see this is where I look like a niave idiot who shouldn't have a horse. There is a fair amount of thick short feather so this is going to be difficult whatever.
Any advice or reprimand invited...
 
Phone the vet and ask for some advice. You have major problems lifting his feet and you dont want to make things worse.

Normally I would say clean it up and see how it goes but not when you have a little bit of a problem child!

The only saving grace here is there shouldnt be too much (if any) mud to get into it with all this snow (now is when you tell me you dont have snow!)
 
Thanks guys, I just need reassurance! Tried getting near it to put some wound powder but it's a definite no go just now. I've since had a second opinion from horsey peep and she says it's not as bad as I made out. And has now stopped bleeding. He's stood and munched hay and is walking fine so think he's not overly concerned. Stupid me getting all worked up. Yeah we've got snow so thankgod for lack of mud! Just need to now work out if he's got mites or something which has caused him to scratch. Vets gonna love me - sedation, teeth check, passport change, mites and ergot cleaning all in one day - I'm gettin my moneys worth!!
Problem child - whatever do you mean?!!!
 
I think I would have got the hose out, unpleasant as it is and washed it all depending on how dirty it was and then just left it to air dry.

I personally dont like wound powder or antibacterial creams etc but thats a personal choice.

If its feasabile I would either shampoo his back less with hibiscrub once he has settled and or use elastic bandages to damage limitate if he does scratch... at least hes not shod eh!!!! :p
 
I dont like wound powder either. Fortunately if he's okay till tomorrow the vet will be coming to him.

Let us know how he is :D (big, daft, problem lump that he is;))
 
I am going to reprimand you,but not for what you think,instead I'm going to tell you off for being such a silly muppet and beating yourself up about it!!

All of us have had problems I'm sure doing stuff with our horses due to the weather,being busy over xmas etc.Am sure you haven't done anything more or less than the rest of us so give yourself a break!!

Sounds like he will live until the vet comes tomorrow,and maybe you can at least get a good look at it and maybe it will just need cleaning up or whatever.I wouldn't do anything such as wrapping it up when vet is there,just in case the 'problem child' doesn't let you near it again when not sedated;)
There isn't any mud around and not likely to be for a few day's yet,so providing it's not a deep wound it should be fine left alone.That's providing of course that he doesn't scratch at it again,if he does then I'm afraid you might be a bit stuffed.Could you ask the vet for some sedalin or similar just in case you need to get at it again on your own??
 
I've been back over this evening and it's congealed and looking ok. Not deep, I tried to photograph it but its not coming out very well cause I need two hands to hold the hair away and Flip is all of a sudden very good at lifting his leg up which tells me to stay away. (He's such a sweety not kicking me - check me out with the positivity!)

I would have hosed but we've got no running water at the yard. So feeling a bit useless as I've actually done nothing with it other than watched him and stress myself out. I'll go buy some hibiscrub and bring hot water tomorrow morning in anticipation of what the vet is going to suggest. (any suggestions of what he will suggest with regards to dressing and cleaning for next wee while?)

Its what caused it in the first place that is making me worry - can you put pig oil and sulphur on an open wound if it is mites thats causing him to itch. (Yep, I am so glad I don't have him shod!!) Can you do that in this weather (he's out 24/7, I'm borrowing a box for one day only so after this he's back out in the snow) so is it a bad idea to pig oil in this weather?
I'm glad I'm off for the next week if I've got this to get a handle on!
Thanks for reprimanding me devonlass, this is my first sole charge (I couldn't handle kids!) I just feel totally responsible and while I'm pretty hardy myself, I don't do ill, I just worry that I can't apply the same rules to my horsey!!!

PS Sedalin doesn't touch the sides with Flip - he's had about four tubes in the last two months trying to prepare for the farrier - actually a bit worried about seeing him out of it for the first time tomorrow :(
 
Pig oil (oil freezes much slower than water) will be fine in this weather unless you have to wash the weathers first, but as you say, not likely that the feathers will be muddy! I'm not sure you should use it if you're thinking mites might have caused the problem, and also might be best to leave it a few days until the wounds scab.

Is he really bad about his legs? Can't you groom, then massage, then when he'd going 'ooh Mummy, that feels really good' slap on loads of vaseline? I didn't know he was funny about his feet - first similarity with Comet ;)
 
honey65 said:
Pig oil (oil freezes much slower than water) will be fine in this weather unless you have to wash the weathers first, but as you say, not likely that the feathers will be muddy! I'm not sure you should use it if you're thinking mites might have caused the problem, and also might be best to leave it a few days until the wounds scab.

Is he really bad about his legs? Can't you groom, then massage, then when he'd going 'ooh Mummy, that feels really good' slap on loads of vaseline? I didn't know he was funny about his feet - first similarity with Comet ;)
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Oh I feel guilty for being cheeky on your thread now!!
Its the sulphur I'm thinking will help the mites, and no you're right I hope not to have to wash them, they are looking pretty clean at the mo in all that snow. I'll consult Mr Vet Man tomorrow.
He's ok with me touching his legs normally just doesn't like holding them up for any length of time. But any wound and he's a complete woose - had ear issues with gnats during the summer and he was a pain in the ass to get cream on. Now he's quite happy with me rubbing them. It will be perseverance. Maybe I should get someone to willy wash while I tend his wound, thats something he enjoys!!:(
 
sorry i havent read your other threads but are you having him injected against mites when the vet comes? my mare has a very similar thing with bleeding ergots when her mites got bad, after one injection everything healed and the mites went away and then i put pig oil and sulphur on her legs.
 
Just came back from farrier and vet visit - been standing freezing my a$$ off since 9am this morning. Like music to my ears vet just said 'leave it well alone'. He's given me some danolin so Flip is now on grated carrot and apple for the next week (lucky devil, doesn't normally get anything but hay!).

Julie - that is exactly what the vet suggested today! Something called Dectomax. He didn't find any mites though. I'm glad you've also said about the pig oil and sulphur though cause I think once its healed I'll put some more on to keep the mud fever away as well. The vet didn't seem that interested in my pig oil stories! He's coming back to give him the injection. My vet bill is going to be huge this jan, feb. Double sedation and teeth done today, jag next week for mites, jag in feb for 6mth flu and tet. you got to love them.
 
popularfurball said:
Silver needs her tet jab in March you wanna book it for feb and share the call out fee? :D lol

Glad everything was ok :)
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Sounds good to me - can we use your vet, mine saw me willy cleaning yesterday and I'm a wee bit embarressed now to go back (worried I was too heavy handed!) The helicopter can land in flip's field - desensitization and all that!
 
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