Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Daily Regimen

I wrote about our big canker adventure in my last post.

I have been doing daily bandage changes/medicating since last Thursday and this is what things look like now....

The white stuff is a remnant of the powdered antibiotic. The crevice right in the center is the normal sulcus, although there is a bit of thrush in it.  That is being treated as well.
The curved crevice just to the left of the central sulcus is where the canker was.  The wedge shaped piece between the crevices is the healthy frog tissue.  It looks rather naked as it is normally covered by thick, callused frog.  Hopefully it will be again.

I have never treated canker before and there is no real data about what to expect from this treatment so I can't really say if this is progressing well or not.  The first couple of days after surgery, I could still detect some of the odd, musty odor that comes with canker, but I can't any longer.  I am taking that as a good sign.

Each day, I pack the area with the crushed antibiotic pills and I pack it down into those crevices as far as I can.

I cover this with gauze soaked in the acetone/benzoyl peroxide mixture and wrap the whole thing with elastikon.  I never use vetwrap for wrapping feet anymore as it won't stay on in the field unless you cover the coronary band as well.  I don't like to do that, it is not good for the foot.  Elastikon is a bit more expensive, but it stays where I put it and can take a lot more abuse.

Ben is still sound on the foot and doesn't seem to know there is any problem with it.  He is still feeling good and is very well behaved about the whole wrapping procedure.  He gives me very mournful, long-suffering looks when I start messing about with his foot again then stands stoically with a deep martyred air about him.  He generally gets a cookie when all is done though and the martyrdom miraculously disappears and all is forgiven.



11 comments:

  1. Good boy, Ben! Gee I hope that foot is improving as well as it looks like is, because the change is amazing!

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  2. Aww I think two cookies are in order! It sounds like you are doing your best to get rid of the canker ...that is all you can do! :)

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  3. Yep. Martyrdom goes away with me too when I get a treat... If he's not reacting, then your "magic" touch is working; good job!

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  4. Here at the clinic, we had a client with a Shire with a very bad case of it. Dr. treated the horse systemically with Metronidazole, and also that same drug made into a poultice applied to the source. And then later, he purchased clinically grown maggots applied to the hoof daily. They eat the necrotic tissue...trippy huh? It and serious debriding of the affected hoof eventually worked, but I remember the process was a long one. Hope it clears up soon! It's a serious commitment.

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  5. I love how low key he seems to be. Fingers, toes and eyes all crossed that this is it.

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  6. If there is a Blessing in all of this, its that Ben is so patient as you doctor his foot.

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  7. It is looking good, our farrier explained canker to us too, and said he has treated it with a vet but it is pretty rare. He also said that thankfully he and the vets have been successful with treatment...so I am hoping that is true for you guys too! I'm so glad that Ben is responding to treatment! Yoo Hoo!

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  8. Is there an Army surplus store anywhere near you? They often have very good bandages and wraps for a reasonable dollar. I used to get my vet supplies [bandage wise] at one. The hoof is sure looking better and no smell is an excellent sign, nice work!

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  9. Great job so far! And very informative photos too. Re Vet Wrap vs Elastikon, when I was at the UK Donkey Sanctuary, They wrapped up around the coronet band with cotton wool, then the vet wrap and duct tape - that's what I have been doing when I need to ... do you put duct tape on the outside layer too?

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  10. What rebecca2 said! Imagine if he was one of those "throws self to ground" donkeys!

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