hoof puncture news

["Michelle Fink" <michrowe@frontier.net>]

My vet, who treated my horse's hoof puncture and severe infection, recently got a lame horse in with a nail puncture that went into the digital cushion via the frog (just like my horse's puncture).  Based on his experience with my horse, he pared out a wide hole around the puncture site, and packed it with PMMA beads impregnated with antibiotics, gave the horse a shot of penicillin, and put a pad on the hoof.  10 days later, the horse was sound and back to work.  I believe this technique would have saved my horse months of treatment, and I would be riding her NOW, had I been aware of it.

 

After the sad news about Rayna, and the stories about Maryanne's horse, and my horse, I wanted to share this info in case it happens to YOUR horse.  I think this is a fabulous alternative to hoping antibiotics, daily soaks, and bandaging will do the trick (conservative treatment failed my horse miserably).

 

My horse is getting better, but she will not be able to do any distance work next year.  I have a new mare I am starting, so hopefully I will see you on the trail early next year. :-)

 

m

(Colorado)