Advice needed for mini mare with broken leg

[minis4me]

Hi,

Just Daphne, a sweet little 28 yr old Miniature Horse mare, broke her fetlock. She was standing on the side of it with her foot flopping to the side when I found her.

We started off splinting her just to make her more comfortable for the last trip to the Vet as they were too busy to come out.

But it appeared she had no intent of leaving this world yet. So, we have been changing her splints and bandages constantly and she has been spared that journey.

Her leg is definitely healing, though not perfectly straight. Due to a bad sore on the outside of her fetlock, from before her splint, we have done two courses of antibiotics and it is a clean looking wound.

It has been 5 weeks now with the splints and I am looking to take them off in a week if I can come up with the right way to support her leg.

I don't give up easily & I am unwilling to have to tell my friend I had to give up on her dear little Daphne. She was brought here for her retirement when my friend had brain cancer & had to give up her farm. I send her frequent pictures and updates and we just aren't ready to let her go.

Has anyone ever dealt with a broken fetlock? My biggest concern is whether the tendons will heal. It felt like top & bottom of her fetlock was broken & her foot was loose like a rag. Now if I hold her leg, it no longer flops. But she has not been allowed yet to put pressure on it without the splints.

With splints on, she gently uses it to paw the stall and her toe rests on the ground. But the splint takes weight as well. Lately she has learned to hop & hold it up. She is pretty agile for a 28 yr old! She is getting daily MSM & glucosomine.

I have a TENS which I bought to rehab Lulu, another injured mini & it really helped. So, I plan to use that to try & help her leg get back in shape once the splints are off.

I purchased a pair of little neoprene splint type boots & am hoping they might help. But I am not sure they will be stiff enough. I thought I could get a few different types of support ready for her & then they can be changed as needed. It will sure help once the sore heals up.

Anyway, it would be helpful to hear from someone who has had success with this type of injury. I'm afraid to talke the splint off in case she needs it. Thanks a bunch.

 

[txminipinto]

My first question is Has this mare seen a vet and had radiographs of her leg?

 

[mizbeth]

I agree, has she seen a Vet? She has lived a full life at age 28, if she has problems afterwards I would consider "letting her go" if she was my mare.

I do have one that is 30 years old now, and I know her days are numbered. She is alert, comes for her dinner, talks to me. She has hip/stiffle problems that continue to worsen with age. I know her time will be soon and hope she tells me when that is. Tough decision........for both of us.

Beth

 

[Marty]

I"m going to first commend you for taking this on for your friend and also for trying to help this little one since your vet is a complete looser for not wanting to come out and tend such a serious injury. Actually you seem to have covered many basis already and used your brains well by putting this horse on some supplements already.

However, sorry to say all your efforts may fall short without X rays to know how exactly this needed to be set and if in fact it is the fetlock itself. It may be attempting to mend incorrectly and may have needed surgery as well. Nevertheless, these things take may take months. Trying to remove this splinting anytime soon could be very pre-mature and to move into something like splint boots may not nearly be enough support. Very hard call here since we aren't vets and I haven't a clue. Perhaps you should leave it all in place until you can get a vet to come out (SOON like now) and see what needs to be done. I do hope you included some serious pain meds for this old girl as something so serious indicates high levels of pain and stress.

I realize you may not be ready to let her go yet, but she may be very ready too, so don't rule out that possibility just yet.

Best wishes to you and good luck.

 

[Minimor]

I can't tell from your post if the mare did go to the vet initially, or if after splinting her you decided to not take her to the vet, and have just been treating her on your own with no vet advice.

Now when it comes to removing the splint...I absolutely would NOT remove the splint without first x-raying that fetlock. X-ray is the only way you can know if the leg has healed well enough to be able to support weight without the splint.

 

[Brandi*]

I don't know much about broken bones but the black and white mare I sold over a year ago ended up having a major problem in her front leg. Her owner has had numerous tests done at UC Davis as well as chiro and natural therapies to try and fix the problem. They still don't know whats wrong with the leg. She does not use her leg and her owner keeps it splintted and wrapped most of the time. She seems to be doing well hopping around on three legs. She has even started to roll recently. She never did that before because it was too hard for her to get back up.

Anyways, this particular pony has proved to me that if there is a will there sure is a way! She wants to live and you can see it in her eyes. I wish you luck with your little girl. I sure hope it turns out ok.

 

[minis4me]

Hi,

After recent losses and a nightmare dealing with the Vet clinic, I was pretty much glad they didn't have time to see Daphne. It is a long painful drive for her and once splinted up and over the shock, she was comfortable. In five weeks she only needed pain meds one day. That was a week later when the splint slipped.

No, I can't afford to get her xrays and the Vet has $3000.00 from us with our recent devastating losses. We think Daphne is better off staying home with us. I have consulted a Vet and have lots of info on the positioning for splints etc. Unfortunately, as she had already gotten a wound to the side of her fetlock, it could not be casted due to needing bandage changes.

I have a lot of experience in rehabilitating Miniature Horses that some Vets have given up on. So, as Daphne is happy & definitely not suffering any, I am doing my best for her.

The Vet suggested the same positioning which we had already initially done & was pretty supportive saying that they would just experiment with splints anyway. They are not orthopedic surgeons and we are not sending her away for surgery anyway. So, the question is... Has anyone had experience with a broken fetlock?

The info on the net which I have found, shows positive outlook for recovery. In Daphne's case, due to her age, I can only hope for her to be pasture sound. The info I have found says the splints come off after 6 weeks. But it is the transition from splints I am concerned about. I am thinking maybe to give her a half hour with support & no splint & gradually decrease the splint time.

Anyway, thanks for the positive input. I don't want to hear gloom & doom. We have had enough of that. Just positive input. <G> Thanks.

By the way, Daphne is really enjoying all the attention. She is happy getting her bandages changed etc. Her leg feels nice and firm again though not perfectly straight. But due to being wrapped snugly, the sore has shrunk but not healed yet. But it seems like the leg other than the sore doesn't really hurt. We haven't allowed her to use her leg yet and it is splinted in such a way that only the toe hits the ground with the splints taking weight. I feel very positive that Daphne is recovering nicely.

 

[gatorbait4sure]

We had a filly last Summer with a broken lower leg. She was splinted on both front legs for at least 4 weeks, in the PVC splints.Then she wore dressings of rolled cotton wrapped tightly in brown gauze and Vet Wrap for another 4 weeks. This change allowed us to reposition the leg instead of having it so straight.

From there she went into the "Little Magic Shoes" on both front feet for continued support. Had I thought of the neoprene splint boots I would have tried them too but she is TINY.

What we did to the broken leg, we did to the other to keep balance.

Mind you she never had any openings in the skin, AND she was refused by New England Equine for surgery, as she was TOO SMALL! My vet did the whole thing, including every recheck and the resulting colic, to the tune of MANY THOUSANDS of dollars!

She is pasture sound now ( bucking and kicking ) but she was two weeks old when this happened too...not 28!

dru

 

[txminipinto]

As a regisitered veterinary technician with over 10 years experience and employed at one of the best veterinary teaching hospitals, I can assure you that no one here is qualified to give you advice on the out come of your mare.

My advice is to work with a vet. You're dealing with a joint and that in itself complicates proper ailignment, casting, and recovery. If the leg isn't properly splinted, there are ligament and tendon issues that may reveal themselves once the splint is removed. The reason she has developed a sore on the fetlock is most likely due to a splint that is not bandaged properly or too loose. I don't mean too be so harsh and I commend you for trying with limited funds. But...there are somethings that shouldn't be attempted without direct assistance from a vet and QUALITY of life should aways be first. A 28 year old mare with an improperly healed fetlock will have a painful last few years and could very well develop laminitis in her good front leg due to over compensating for her bad leg.

 

[Miniv]

Unfortunately our experiences with drastic leg injuries are not what you want to hear.....

One was with a two month old. It was his REAR leg and it was amputated. We also were in charge with the bandage changing which had to be done -- at first THREE TIMES a day, and then TWICE a day, because of bandage sores. He is 7 years old now.

The other injury was our daughter's riding pony. He broke his FRONT leg. To this day, we don't know how. I found him standing on three legs at breakfast time and his front leg was waggling.......a total break. Our own vet told us that the injury was beyond his expertise and that we needed a specialist who could surgically implant PINS........Our vet spoke to the specialist who quoted us $10,000 and there was no guarantee our boy would ever trot again. (If it had been his REAR leg, he would have had a better chance.........Horses place more of their weight on their front legs.) Larry and I still grieve over having to put Senor down. But he knew and asked us to........It was one of those moments which is hard to describe.

In assessing your Daphne's injury........my only advice would be to remember where a horse places most of their weight, her age, and watch her face and eyes when trying to read how she's feeling. Take all that into account when deciding what her quality of life and happiness is. YOU are the one who sees her in person.

 

[Genie]

Luckily we haven't had to deal with something like this but have heard some different ideas for splinting and also with a joint aid called "Recovery".

Recovery is an excellent product and not sure where you can locate in your area. I'll send the web site.

With splinting a vet advised that using bubble wrap first will protect the area from soreness and the splints rubbing the skin/hair off.

So bubble wrap, then splint , and hold in place with duct tape.

http://www.recoveryeq.com/wound_healing_pro.htm

 

[rabbitsfizz]

As has been said no-one on this Forum with the exception of our resident Vets is qualified to give advice on this.

I have dealt with broken legs, I would never, ever even consider doing so without X-rays and a Vet on call constantly.

If you cannot afford this, and it is totally understandable, you might wish to consider euthanasia.

It is, I should point out in all fairness, illegal to practise Veterinary medicine without a license.

 

[minis4me]

Thank you to everyone with some great suggestions. Unfortunately I am unable to reply to the PMs. I just can't figure out how to get them to go out as it says I have no friends. LOL. I was able to read them but the replies won't go.

To answer a few of the questions:

The sore was caused by Daphne walking on the side of her fetlock with her foot flopping to the side. It was not caused by the splint. She is well padded and we have had lots of experience with splints in the past. Each time the Vet asked us what we were using...

The bubble wrap is a great idea. I will get some tomorrow to try as it woul be less cumbersome than the hypoallergenic fleece lined shipping boot which is over a childs stocking over her bandages and gauze pads. There are a lot of layers to protect her from the splints and over top of it all is a full roll of Vet rap.

To answer another question, I am treating the wound with Hibitane ointment and we are on our second large tube. She had two courses of different antibiotics as I had plenty purchased for my mare that I recently lost who was being treated by the Vet. I did ask before administering them to her though.

Thank you for the suggestion of colloidal silver. I think if the Hibitane doesn't get it done pretty quick I will give that a try.

I have been trying to get an old SMB to cut down to fit Daphne as I thought that might give her a good support as a transition from the splint. I bought a little mini pair of boots for her but they don't seems stiff enough.

I really wasn't asking for the opinions on what to do with the little mare. Whether to take her to a Vet or not.

I just wanted advice on a transition support after the splint. Thank you for the suggestion of the support on both legs. I agree that it would be a good idea.

No. I am not a Vet & don't profess to be one. I have rehabilitated quite a few and I can tell when to give up and this little mare is not suffering in any way. She is testing her leg & is charging around in her 20 ft stall in excitement when she sees me with her apples, etc. Her leg seems pretty much healed except the sore, which is shrinking but still not healed up. She can't really use her leg yet as we are keeping it immobilized.

If little Bit's Magic shoes will help her, she will have them. I have purchased them for another little mare in the past & they were wonderful for her. I currently have another little mare who gets her regular glue shoe made by the Vettec Superfast glue and another type underneath her foot.

She was treated by an orthopedic Vet before she came to me to work with. Lulu has her own little success story.

So, please understand that this mare is being well treated and in no danger of suffering. When her time comes, we will make the right decision. But Daphne is a healthy old lady and never had enough pain to miss a meal. We have a fantastic farrier who is willing to try the latest technology and has worked on my minis with me for over 20 years. The Vets often ask him for advice.

The Vets here just have to many clients and an emergency sometimes has to wait until it is far too late. But they are only human and can't always be available. Plus they are not specialized horse Vets.

Sometimes it is hard to swallow and do to our recent devastating experiences I have to remind myself of the many positive ones we have had in the past.

I have consulted with a Vet & xrays now would not help anything as it has already knit & we aren't having surgery done. Why put the old gal through that & the recovery time anyway. If the healing process hasn't worked with the splints and/or support boots, then she will be taken to the Vet cllinic. But if she goes there it will be her death sentence and I am trying to give her a chance first, since she is so full of life.

We also have a 33 yr old mare who wanders around here. She has chronic laminitis. She still enjoys life & I know how to treat her.

This little mare is not officially mine but belongs to a good friend who has given her to me to try and help. She understands that if Daphne is not responding to treatment or her quality of life has gone, we will make the right decision.

Anyway, thank you all for your positive suggestions. Sometimes two heads is better than one and can lead to new ideas.

Have a great day!

Joanne

 

[Marty]

Hi Joanne, for the PM's........use the same box to write and then just go down below and hit "reply"

Just a suggestion for some good sanitary padding is stay free maxi pads. They work really nice for cushion

good luck

 

[Minimor]

X-rays wouldn't "help" anything, other than telling you if the leg has healed enough to have the splint taken off. It would be a shame if the mare goes through all this for 5-6 weeks, then has the splint off & the leg gives way because it wasn't healed enough--that's all anyone is saying when they say they feel x-rays are required.

5-6 weeks in a splint is often long enough, but with a fracture in a joint, damage could be more substantial than if it were certain long bone fractures--and with the mare being 28 her bones may not heal as quickly as they would have if she were 6 months or even 5 years old.

I've had a dog with a broken leg--a clean break, leg flopping. Leg was splinted for 6 weeks. Vet said that should be long enough, but did x-ray the leg before removing the splint. He said no, it wasn't healed well enough, and the splint couldn't be removed. We left it another 2 weeks--x-rayed again and this time it was ready to have the splint off. It was sure nice to know what was what with the leg before we removed the splint & found out the hard way that it was too soon to remove it.

Just sayin'...

 

[txminipinto]

Splint boots do not offer the stability your mare needs. They protect the splint and cannon bones, not the fetlock joint.

As for bubble wrap...bubble wrap is going to be an insulator and cause the leg to sweat. A LOT! That sweat is going to irritate the skin and could cause an infection. I wouldn't use it and would stick with thick cast padding.

 

[Genie]

We had a severe injury a few years ago due to a stallion attack.

Schrieners sprayed on the wound healed it beautifully and proudflesh was avoided.

"This is the alternative to using ointments to heal an injury that has the potential to end up with proud flesh from being kept moist while in the healing process. This is great for deep tissue injurys to help heal from inside out with out the worries of heavy scaring. I have used it for years, and it is a great addition to your current first aid kit. It is easy to apply - just spray and your done. No injury too big or small; it will grow hair back twice as fast as regular treatments and the great thing is that it is herbal. I don't use most ointments due to the fact most of them have some type of chemicals which I'd rather not use on my horses due to allergic reactions. I have never had a problem like that with the herbal products

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$15.75

Schreiner's Herbal Solution is a simple, safe and effective

 

[MountainMeadows]

You might try calling Pilchuck Vet in Snohomish, WA (360) 568-3111. They have a 30+ year old mini mare, broken front leg, and only one eye. Someone brought her in to have her put down, and the vets all fell in love with her spirit. She is doing well, and even tho she is well past her prime still has a glint in her eye, I believe she is still there and will probably end up being the hospital mascot. The vets might be able to give you a recommendation since they are quite aware of the will to live and positive spirit that minis have (trust me, I have had a few really weird things happen that would have definately been a death sentence with a fullsize horse and the vets have been astounded at how the minis handle these situations).

Good luck and thank you for trying to take such good care of Daphne, however, I do agree with Karen that this is something that definately needs vet attention prior to releasing her support/bracing.

Stacy

 

[HGFarm]

I agree with most here in that you are asking for veterinary advice from folks not qualified to give it. I would never consider handling something like this on my own, no matter what my experience, without at least xrays and the advice of a vet to at least come and look at it.

Age does slow healing time a lot and you may be fighting a losing battle here. I think you are wonderful to try to give her a second chance, however, considering her age and life quality.... you should prepare yourself for the inevitable. I am sure her previous owner knows she is old and cannot live forever.

I have no advise to offer other than I would have her xrayed to see if/how she is healing before doing anything further and have her checked over by a vet.

 

[Matt73]

As has been said no-one on this Forum with the exception of our resident Vets is qualified to give advice on this.I have dealt with broken legs, I would never, ever even consider doing so without X-rays and a Vet on call constantly.

If you cannot afford this, and it is totally understandable, you might wish to consider euthanasia.

It is, I should point out in all fairness, illegal to practise Veterinary medicine without a license.

I'm with you on this. If I couldn't afford a vet, i'd put her down.