Horse with a fresh face wound to the bone!?

Question

***PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME TO TALK TO A VET. I KNOW THIS AND I WILL BE CALLING THEM FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE OFFICE IS CLOSED FOR NOW***

I came to give my horse his supplement tonight and found that he had a face wound, looks like he slit it on something (looked all around his stall, nothing had blood or obvious protrusion to cause the injury). It looked clean - as in it didn't seem to drip blood at all during the process. But, as I looked at it, you could see the bone, white, and the flesh around it looked relatively new. I really do not know exactly when this happened or why. he was in his stall and did not seem to show any signs of pain or distress. He let us handle his face normally and stayed put while I bandaged it.

I don't have a huge amount of medical supplies on hand - daily essentials like MTG, Corona, Vetwrap, and so on. The cut did not look dirty or infected. I imagined that it happened within the last hour because it looked clean and fresh. I used a clean soft ---

Answer 1

Don't you have a 24hour vet service? =O

For now bandaging is probably the best thing you can do..

Hope it works out okay =]

(My horse did something similar last weekend.. wasn't that deep though)

Answer 2

Do not put any thing on the wound until the Vet look at it, as it may slow down healing, If your vet does not have a emergency on night number, get a new Vet. Thing all ways happing to horse people at night or on a Sunday.

Answer 3

Take him to the EMERGANCY VET instead there is one.

Answer 4

Betadine wash will help this injury, HOWEVER, I would caution you to dilute the betadine with water to the color of weak tea prior to using it.  If left in its stronger state, it burns and drys out the wound more than it helps it.....not a good thing.

Answer 5

How long is the wound?  Just wondering....

I would have made sure I cleaned it with a betadine wash.  spray it with antiseptic spray...then goop it like you did to keep it soft.

I know I would do my own doctoring...and I would have closed it...but I don't care to tell someone else what to do...being I'm not a vet.

I'd watch for any swelling or heat, or a 'funny' smell.  If I detected that...I would begin antibiotics.

I know not all vets have nighttime services.  Ours doesn't in my little town.  The nearest emergency vet is almost an hour away.  If you can't call...then keep it soft and moist with the Corona until the vet arrives.  Hopefully the edges of the wound can still be stitched together if needed.  There is usually a limited amount of time for stitching...like someone else mentioned.

Also, ask your vet about a tetanus booster if you don't know what he got injured on.

**EDIT...I personally LIKE 10% iodine.  That will kill any bacteria that might be in the wound.  But it's going to sting.  I need to go back and look at your bottle more closely.  I would do it simply because I don't want anything 'breeding' in the wound.  I use it on just about any wounds my horses get.

Whatever you do...take note and tell your vet what you have done.  And what times...and what the result was.  This will help him give you further instructions.  It's a GOOD thing to learn how to vet alot of things yourself.  Especially if your emergency vet is far away or out on another call.

Okay...I looked at it closer.  It says non irritant.  Don't know if that goes for the initial sting if you apply it.  If I was to use it...I would either spray it, or put it in a syringe [without the needle] and squirt it on the wound.  If I had neither of those things...I would dump a little on the wound, making sure I covered it all.  You can use the lid so it doesn't get everywhere.  You could use a soaked gauze pad...but that would be harder for me than to just pour it on.  Then I'd pat it dry...and goop it with the Corona to keep it soft.

I'm trying to tell you what I would do...not what you should do.  Again...I am not a vet.  He is going to have the best advice for you and can actually see the wound.

p.s....I wouldn't vet wrap it where it is either.  Most likely he won't leave it on either.  Gallop has the info about the nerves and such.

Answer 6

anti bacteria meds or something  like that

Answer 7

I'm concerned with how you wrapped it....the facial nerves can be damaged if it isn't done right.  The wound should be cleansed with betadine solution (NOT shampoo) applied...if the bone becomes infected it is a major problem.  The first 24 hours are so crucial to getting it properly treated, and suturing may not be an option after too much time passes. I would check to be absolutely sure the bandage is not constricting or banding anywhere...vetwrap is not the best for the face, especially if you're not familiar with the locations of nerves and vessels.  Any other vets in the area, even small animal vets would do.  In the meantime, be sure the bandage is not constrictive, and keep the wound covered in antibiotic ointment.  You need a vet to handle this...if you are correct and the bone was exposed, it is very important to get it treated asap.

Answer 8

Dear girl I groomed horses on the race tracks around the country.

BElieve ME.

You go out right now and call the Vet to bring you a collar.

If the horses leg starts to hurt it WILL AND THIS IS NO JOKE

CHEW IT'S LEG OFF TONIGHT

THEY DON'T HAVE THE BRAINS OF A PISSANT.

tHE COLLAR WILL PREVENT THE HORSE FROM CHEWING THE LEGG OFF.

NOW GO GIRL GO...

HE REARED UP AND FELL OVER MAYBE A SNAKE IN THE STALL THAT WILL USUALLY DO IT

tHE CUT MQARKS ARE FROM ITS OWN SHOES WHILE IT WAS ON IT S BACK

Answer 9

Doesn't your vet have emergency hours?  I know it's d**n expensive but sometimes there is a time limit on when they can stitch or staple something.  I'm afraid that if you leave it until tomorrow morning, it might be too late.  Otherwise, what you did is exactly what i would do: clean it, keep it moist, and protect it from bacteria.  That's about all you can do.  Hopefully the vet can staple it up for you tomorrow.  But keeping it moist and protected should help.

Good luck!

Answer 10

my advice would be to look on the internet for a 24 hour vet there should be one close to you, it may cost a bit more but it will be worth it!

Answer 11

Just so you know if it is a deep wond and it needs to be stiched you only have a 5-7 hr peroid to have it stiched then you have to leave it heal on its own and that is what causes scars. I went to school for this kind of stuff. But the whole vet thing is your choice. Most vets  accept emergancy calls. I know I have had to have my vet out at 12 because she ran through a fence and had a puncture wond and she came out. but then again every vet is different.

Take betadine surgical scrub and wash it out and put the corona on it put gauze and then the vetwrap. If its an old role of vet wrap be sure to put gauze on it considering that if it has been opened it has bacteria on it and you would be better off leaving it open. Horses can cut themselves on stupid things. So just do this as often as possible. Does your horse have a fly mask for the day? If not I would suggest going out and buyinig SWAT.. I know with the one horse we put a fly mask overtop of the wond after it had been stiched up and then we just let it alone occasionally checking to make sure that the mask wasn't bothering it..

Answer 12

i dont know what to put on it... But maybe he got a fright in his stall and hit his head in the corner of the door if you know what i mean.

I hope it goes well and he gets back to normal. best of luck