Injury to lower hind leg

[dannyboy]

I've just came home early as farrier coming this afternoon to find that Murphy is lame It looks pink (raw) just above the back of the hoof. Not sure if its a muscles / tendon injury or cracked heel? I do know that Murphy had scarring across that area from the 5 stage vetting, so perhaps it could be a recurring injury Can the farrier still look at Murphy's feet or would I need to ring the vet?

Poor little mite, looks so depressed

[solomon]

Farrier's opinion is worth a lot, but phone vet to let them know it might just be something they can help with on the phone. Lameness goes quickly or it's vet time.

[fimacg]

If no obvious wound/cut it sounds like mud fever/cracked heal as this can make them very sore and lame. Muscle/tendon injury tends to give heat and swelling but no skin leisions.

Wash the area 2x day with dilute hibiscrub and dry well, if he will let you try to ease some of the scabs off. The blue paper towel is ideal for drying legs as you can simply throw it away and avoids re-contamination.

If no improvement in a couple of days get the vet out as they have a great cream you can put on which heals it more quickly

[dannyboy]

Thanks, I suppose it would do no harm letting the farrier see it anyway, I'm just not sure he would be able to stand to get his feet done tho.

Fi, I don't have any hibiscrub as I've never had to use it before, would I just get it from a local tack shop?

[fleabitten]

You can just use a bowl of salted water as an antiseptic wash. As, fi says, dry it well. Put some Sudocrem on to see if it helps. DB, if you still have that Botanica wash I posted you last year, it can do in place of the salty water as it is an antiseptic wash. Shake well and dilute it in 2 litres of warm water. www.botanica.ie/eshop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16139&category_id=248

The Botanica cream can also be used instead of the Sudocrem. www.botanica.ie/eshop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16134&category_id=248

The Botanica range is fantastic, cant recommend it enough.

I would still have the farrier come - do no harm in letting him see it as you say.

[fimacg]

let the farrier have a look, he may get his other feet done and leave that one if its bad.

Hibiscrub can be bought from most tack shops or even a chemist. if you are struggling its easy and cheap to get online
www.medisave.co.uk/hibiscrub-500ml-bottle-p-296.html

Hibiscrub is brilliant for any wound or scratch, I always keep a bottle in the tack room

For a quick list of my essential tackroom vet supplies I always keep the following and replace as necessary.

Stainless steel bowl (dog water bowl is ideal)
Hibiscrub
wound powder
a roll of gamgee
cotton wool balls (the normal ones from the supermarket but not coloured)
animal lintex
a roll or two of vet wrap
purple spray
thermometer
clean sponge
blue roll (http://www.ccsdirect.co.uk/premium-blue-150m-centrefeed-rolls-p-813.html)
and various bits and pieces you accumulate over time

hope that helps,

[dannyboy]

Thanks again for all your advice. I've always been meaning to get a bit of a first aid kit - I'd forgotten about that Botanics stuff you gave me Flea, thats brilliant I can use that

Do you think I should give him a bute for the pain or is that just masking it?

[brigadier]

Cracked heals are really painful and it does sound like that- the dew can cause them. Cant improve on any of Fi's advice above, hibiscrub is fantastic and then any good antiseptic barrier type cream. Salt water may have a drying effect (remember osmosis lessons at school) on the skin that wouldnt help matters too much so I would prefer hibiscrub.

[fleabitten]

I wouldnt give bute for the pain (are you still giving him bute for his arthritis anyway?) We did that once and got shouted at by vet.

Brig, i dont even remember osmosis - haha!

I would also recommend to get a bit of first aid kit together. You can never have to much cotton wool! The great thing about that botanica stuff is that you can just slap it on pretty much anything and it works a treat.

What did the farrier say?

[dannyboy]

Thanks again for your help everyone. Unfortunately the farrier didn't show up tonight , this is becoming a bit of a habit but he's very good and has a good reputation.

My hubby is only home as working late so I've not been able to treat Murphy all night. The best I will be able to do is in the morning before work, I just hope he's not in too much pain. He's certainy still moving about although he's obviously lame.

[fleabitten]

bloody farriers!! who do you get DB? probs dont know them like but might do.

[dannyboy]

Lee Johnston, he's very well known up this direction Flea and has a good reputation. Its a nightmare to get him tho - I hope he comes today

I cleaned Murphy's wound this morning with the Botanics you posted to me and after drying it I covered it with a barrier cream. He's still in quite a lot of pain but munching away at hay, so at least his appetite is fine.

[fleabitten]

fingers crossed! I hope he has a good excuse lol! ;D

It should be fine, hopefully

[dannyboy]

Farrier came and says it looks like a rope burn, definitely not cracked heel/ mud fever. A couple of days back we had a long lead rope on Murphy and he got loose and I can only asume he caught this around his back hoof. I certainly didn't see anything happen but its all I can think of.
He suggested washing it out with salt and water and adding Sodacream to keep it moist. He said he had a horse in the past who had a similar injury and they used to take it to the beach, letting it walk through the sea, every night for a week and it was cured.

The farrier has left Murphy unshoed, just giving him a nice trim as no-one riding him at the moment. Murphy seems less stiff already believe it or not .
We washed it this morning and this evening and put on Sodacream, hopefully it will heal before too long.

[fleabitten]

Well at least that will be a bit less of an expense till you get riding him again DB!

It should be fine - sudocream does everything doesnt it!! Another tip is to use unfragranced baby wipes for his eyes and nose and dock etc. and then you can throw them out after use. a facecloth is good too (better than a sponge) but you have to wash it and wet it and wipes are handier.

[fimacg]

makes sense to take his shoes off if no one riding him but they will still need regular trims, you never know by the time you get back on board he may be so used to being barefoot you may not need shoes back on or perhaps ony fronts and you could save some pennies too

[florence]

Only just seen this, so I'm thinking Murphy must be okay now. Just wanted to add a tip for treating mud fever. A good way of getting all those little scabs off quite painlessly, is to put a large dollop of acqueous cream on and as you gently massage it in, the scabs just come away. Its really good for moisturising dry skin and soothing broken skin and it's very cheap. You can get it in any chemist but may have to ask for it.