204. Veterinary Advice...

Today i decided to get the vet out to see Spices hock again as it was still badly swollen and still seemed to be infected. After waiting around for most of the day the vet finally came and gave me the following news...

The good news is the cut is apparently not deep enough to have caused any damage to the tendons or ligaments surrounding it and that with 5 days box rest and another course of pain killers and antibiotics (injected once daily) he thinks the skin will have healed over enough to prevent any risk of further infection.

When i asked him what i should be doing with regards caring for the wound he simply said to hose it down with cold water morning and night, dry it off with a sterile cloth and then apply some honey.

I asked him about using purple spray and he second what i'd read that it wasn't all that effective in treating wounds and was better for things like thrush.

So i feel a bit happier today in that he seemed to think that it wasn't all that serious and would in time heal over.

The only problem i now face is keeping Spice happy in her stable for 5 days - it's not that she hates being stabled she just hates being away from all her friends (as during the day all of the horses are out). However, my plan is to let her out in the mornings just for a couple of hours whilst i muck out her stable just so she has some 'outside time'. It's not a matter of keeping her in because of the wound getting dirty outside it's so that she can't trot about and cause it to split open. However, being stabled might cause her to lie down more frequently and this flexes the hocks more than anything else so i am unsure as to how much benefit box rest will actually offer especially in view of the fact that she could be lying in poo! And on top of this being immobile will no doubt inhibit blood flow which is essential to the healing process so could even prolong it rather than aid it but i guess i will see how it goes for the next 2-3 days and re-assess the situation then.

As always i find myself questioning natural medicine over conventional medicine...