11/17/2020
CAUTION: gore ahead!!! 3 day-of pics, 2 day-1 pics, 2 day-9 pics.
Teka decided once again it was time to remove her left hind leg via fence wire. This time the injury was about 6 inches below her injury from 3.5 years ago and it cut clean through all the tissue (tendons, ligaments, etc.) on the front of her leg. This gal had no control to extend her hind foot when she was found in this condition on 11/3/2020. I had little hope that the vet would suggest anything but euthanasia. Surprisingly she found that it was able to be sutured, much to Teka’s dismay. It took a LOT of drugs to get this normally chilled lady to hold still for suturing. Finally it was done and I still was not holding a lot of hope.
At the 1 day bandage change, things didn’t look much different but when Teka took some small steps with the bandaging off she seemed to have SOME control over the forward extension of her toe with the sutures in place. Cue tiny glimmer of hope.
The daily bandage changes and constant doses of antibiotics have continued and the wound now, 2 weeks after the initial injury, looks much more full (yay tissue regeneration). I’m not yet ready to say that she’s gaining more control of her hoof movement but she appears to be doing quite well moving about. This mare has nothing short of amazed me in this process because her attitude has not changed a bit. She is sassy and sweet and pushy trying to get out of the barn (this beast HATES to be kept in). She hasn’t gotten a single dose of Bute through this process because she’s not acted like she’s in the slightest bit of pain.
