Re: RC: ouchies and electrolytes

[Onefarmgirl@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/30/00 4:44:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Dakoiah@aol.com 
writes:

<< 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. >>

Suturing is a basically simple skill that almost anyone can master.  Knowing 
when to suture, whether the wound should be debrided, potential risk of 
damage to underlying structures and what other treatment is indicated, etc. 
is why folks spend a long time in vet school.   Just MHO, but unless I was 
too far away for a vet to be handy, I'd rather pay one than take a risk with 
my horse pals.   And tho I can't be sure of the exact location of the cut 
from your post, if my horse even gets a PINHOLE near a joint, I'm going to be 
very conservative about getting treatment and an opinion on abx. 

pat farmer