Storyteller

[terre <tobytrot@bigfoot.com>]

Susan
	Try to stay optimistic!
	A few years ago my aged gelding came galloping in from the pasture with
blood all over his chest.  I discovered he had somehow managed to poke a
stick or something (never did find it) all the way through the bottom of
his jaw and into his mouth.  The vet stuck his fingers into this puncture
(between the two big jaw bones) and not only fished out wood chips, etc,
but bone chips as well.  Grain would fall out the hole!  Couldn't stitch it
because it had to drain.  Didn't even put him on antibiotics--vet told me
to keep an eye on him and we would put him on penicillin if he started to
run a temp.  He had trouble eating for a day or so, then that was it--it
healed slowly but uneventfully.  (Well, in truth, it discharged 'goop' for
a long, long time that I had to keep soaking off with hot sponges, then I
would flush with cold water a couple of times a day... but it did heal
without problems.)  Interestingly enough, a good year later, I started to
see 'discharge' from this site again.  Found a little raised 'nipple' that
was leaking serum.  After a week or two, this spot spit out another bone
chip!  Then it just closed up--finito!
	So be of good cheer--with a little TLC I swear a healthy horse can recover
from dang near anything!
PS--My guy was around 30 years old at the time--and still resilient!  so
your youngster should be just fine,

Terre


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