At about 9

Flash's Injury

At about 9:00 p.m. on Friday (Jan 12) Flash slipped and fell along-side a post in Horsy Hotel. His hind leg scraped on the edge of the post and a six inch long laceration on the left hind cannon resulted. A flap of skin, six inches long, was hanging down over his fetlock. Some of the digital extensor tendon (diagramed below as 8') was scraped off and was attached to the hanging skin flap. On the vet's instruction, we (Mark and Marcia ) cleaned the wound and dressed it with a pressure wrap. Tomorrow morning the vet will examine the wound to see if the swelling is reduced enough to warrant stitching it closed. With or without stitches, it will probably take 3 to 6 months for the wound to heal. We've seen worse wounds heal completely and without complications. Flash will always have a scar and a bump on his leg to remind us of his accident.

We saw him this evening at about 10:00 p.m. when we brought the whole herd in for their graining. Marcia investigated the feed lot area to see if she could discover the cause of the injury. The story was told in the blood and scrape marks on the ground.

Flash was an excellent patient, hardly wincing while Mark cleaned the wound or while we worked together to apply the pressure bandage. With a little bute and some naquasone to help relieve the swelling, Flash relaxed in a stall for the night.

Saturday morning Flash was seen by Jon Engstrom, vet from Stillwater Large Animal Clinic. Jon decided that Flash's swelling was reduced enough to allow stitching the flap back on to close the wound.

Flash was given a mild tranquilizer and a local anesthetic for his surgery. Under similar circumstances many horses remain nervous and agitated; but Flash, once again, was an excellent patient. He stood rock steady for his stitches.

Jon predicted that with three months stall rest, including frequent bandage changes and a regimen of anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics, Flash should be just fine.

Click here to see Flash getting stitches.