RE: ouchies and electrolytes

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

My horse had a terrible gash - right thru the skin so you can see the muscle
fascia  - above his knee about three inches long.  It was too late to
stitch - I found it and the wound was pretty clotted by then.  I didn't call
the vet but I gently washed it out with plain water and applied blue-cote
(namebrand?).  I would wash the wound and apply the blue cote one day and
nitrofurazone the next.  Took awhile to heal.  I asked a vet who happened to
be at the boarding facility to take a quick look at the wound.  He said it
wasn't infected and as long as I can keep the infection at bay, I was doing
okay.  He also said that a vet could take a sliver off of the healing edges
and stitch those edges together to possibly make it  heal quicker.  I'm not
a vet and I personally wouldn't do any stitching myself - I would have the
vet come out to do it, but I think you should have it done within a few
hours and not wait if you are going to do it.

I have also seen a stallion be nursed from a breeding kick wound on the top
of the knee about 3 inches in diameter.  The wound was kept clean and it did
heal without having the vet come and stich it.  But there is nothing wrong
with calling the vet to make sure that you are doing the right thing.  I
have had telephone consultations with the vets just for my own worry level,
and sometimes we could make decisions over the phone if things are not too
serious, and sometimes they say they should come take care of it.

I, myself, had a gash in my leg that I wish I had gotten stiched!  I still
scratch a hole open at night in that spot when I sleep.

Kathy

-----Original Message-----
From:	Dakoiah@aol.com [mailto:Dakoiah@aol.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, May 30, 2000 4:43 PM
To:	ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject:	RC:  ouchies and electrolytes

Just a couple of questions for you more experienced people out there.  The
first one is about cuts, stitches, and locations.  Alpine cut his leg on a
brick tonight, not bad, but would benefit from a couple of stitches.
However, is it wise to stitch a horse on the outside of the leg, right at
the
top of the knee?  It's not on the front where the skin is always moving, but
on the outside of the right front leg.  I can stitch him myself, but Alpine
is my first horse, and I'm just not sure if that's a wise place to put
stitches.  In the meantime, I cleaned it out with water and betadine,
smeared
fly ointment around it, sprayed with enough fly spray to drown in, and put
some antibiotic ointment on it.  Let me know what you all think....

Now my electrolyte question.  I am certain Alpine needs some electrolytes.
We are riding through this summer in the florida heat, and boy does he
sweat.
 I have to wash his saddle pad everytime we ride because he sweats through
it.  He has started going after anything salty, my hands, his salt block,
etc
with great enthusiasm.  So, I bought him some electrolytes, apple flavored.
I added them to a bucket of water, and placed in his stall with a fresh
water
bucket too.  I  hear all of you talk about dosing with electrolytes....so i
wonder if he should have access to them at all times in his water, placed in
his feed, or just dosed when we are riding?  What do you all think.  He is a
great drinker and will drink anything anywhere (I am truly blessed....) so
I'm not worried that he won't drink the apple flavored water.  Again, any
comments would be appreciated!!

Juli and Alpine (little palomino paso who loves pepsi!!!)


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