I wanted to update sooner, but this is what happens when you have a horse and kids - one doctor's appointment and two dentist appointments later I'm finally getting around to writing.
Kaswyn's wound looks a bit better. It's not great though, and he is still developing inflammation on the back of his pastern. When that inflammation is there I can't even touch that area without him flinching and picking up the foot.
When I got there on Tuesday I iced the area and it improved but didn't go away. Then on Thursday I got to the barn just as he was coming in from turnout in the snow. I iced the leg while I rode 2 horses, and when I took the ice off the inflammation was gone. I could not only touch the area but I was able to push on it and feel the bone without him objecting.
I got on and walked him for ten minutes and he felt great. I asked for a teensy bit of trot each direction and he was very eager and felt sound. This gives me hope that if I can get the leg healed and the inflammation goes away that he might just be ok.
Thinking back to just after the surgery, when I kept the leg wrapped all the time, he didn't have that inflammation. I stopped keeping the leg wrapped when he was allowed to go outside, because it becomes a pain to ask someone to unwrap the leg, turn him out, and then re-wrap the leg if I can't get out there that evening.
However I've now decided that he needs to have the leg wrapped at least overnight. And if he gets turned out then they will unwrap it for me. That means that I'll have to make it out there every day until that wound heals up. Sure, I could ask the barn manager to wrap it, but it's such a hassle, and I've screwed it up before so I kind of want to do it myself now that I know what I'm doing.
Also, Kaswyn is looking skinny. With all the bute he's getting (which isn't really THAT much at one gram twice a day) I'm afraid that he doesn't feel well in the guts, so I'm going to put him on Succeed. I'm hoping that will help him feel better while I have to keep him on this bute, and maybe I can get some weight on him. We're going to start him back on wet alfalfa cubes too, since he's really just picking at his hay.
So, wrapping the leg again, plus Succeed and alfalfa cubes. We'll see how this works. And if it doesn't I'll make a new plan!
The Week In Pictures
4 years ago
5 comments:
Well I'm glad it's looking more hopeful. That must have been so scary. It sounds like a good plan and I'm sure it will work wonders for him. He's so lucky to have you for his mom. :) Keep us updated when you can.
I don't know if you read Mikey's blog or not but she wrote that she had good luck getting weight on an older mare with rice bran.
It probably is a good idea for you to wrap Kaswyn's leg yourself so that you know that it's done properly.
I have to admit when I read the title New Plan, I was not thinking good things. I'm so glad that I was wrong. You actually know you're on the right track with the inflammation being the source of his pain. That is so good to hear. I can only imagine what kind of relief you much feel.
Oh I hope-I hope-I hope! Maybe your man is finally on the mend. I think you should definitely keep him wrapped as much as possible; sounds like that just might do the trick :o)
I'm past due this week for my post too; it's awfully hard to fit it all in sometimes isn't it?
Sounds promising. Shredded beet pulp helps my hardkeeper stay round.
What about the little buckskin?
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