Snake bite

["Barbara McCrary" <bigcreekranch@cruzio.com>]

Title: Blank

I'm going to throw this out to all, because I'm sure there are people in this group who have had similar experiences.

 

The day after Swanton Pacific this year, on July 8th, my horse, Flying Cloud, was in a small paddock next to our daughter's barn.  She had ridden him successfully to a completion of the 75 miler.  Janet's husband has taken him our and walked him a bit that morning after, letting him graze.  The horse was in perfect condition, completely sound.  Janet and family came down to the horse camp to have breakfast and stay for the awards presentation.  Upon returning home, 1/4 mile from camp, our granddaughter notice Cloud was standing on three legs and his bad leg was swollen from the foot to the knee.  We all suspected a rattlesnake bite, but Janet could not find any puncture marks.  The vet who came did not suspect snakebite at first; it actually took a week before she decided it was.  I was firmly convinced of it from the beginning. 

Here it is, 1 1/2 months later, and there is still a large bump, a good deal of proud flesh, and the wound has not yet thoroughly healed.

Question to all of you out there:  How long would you say it will take for complete healing, and will this bump, about the size of a big lemon, reduce to anything that resembles normal.  I expect a scar, but I wonder about the bump.  The vet says it was fortunate that the site of injection was on the lateral quarter, neither front nor back, as either of those locations might have impacted the tendons, extensor or flexor.  The horse is about 99% sound, but I believe I detect a faint irregularity.

I am just sick about this, as this is the most promising endurance horse I've ever had.  He's strong, comfortable, trailwise, drinks and eats well during competition, is totally non-hysterical at the start of a ride, and very, very steady.  He just keeps cranking out the miles all the way through a ride.

 

I'd like to hear from any of you regarding your experiences with rattlesnake bite on a horse's foot.  I'm grateful the bite wasn't on his nose!

 

Barbara