Head Wound on My 2 Year Old (Graphic)

Wednesday June 27th I came home to my 2 year old filly Areion expecting to go on a short light ride...that didn't quite happen.
I pulled into the driveway and wasn't greeted as I normally am, didn't think too much about it and ran into the house to change out of my work clothes and into my play clothes. Came out and grabbed my bedding fork and wheelbarrow and headed to her gate where she slowly greeted me. I noticed a few blood spots on her lower leg as I was placing the wheelbarrow at the gate. I immediately began scanning her body from there up while asking her, "what'd you do now dumb-dumb?". Finding nothing in the obvious places I catch a glimpse of the top of her head from the left side of her body (the only side I could see at this point since I haven't made it into the corral yet). Found the source! Crawled through the panel, stood up looked at her straight on and leaned to see her left side of her face to discover quite the mess of blood...
I calmly walked away (screaming inside) and headed to the big barn where my barn mate was washing down her horse and shared with her my findings. She went into her tack room grabbed a large tote on wheels and headed to my corral. Amazingly she had this very extensive first aide kit and we were able to administer sedatives and pain meds. 20 minutes into the sedatives my baby was falling asleep...
And I was able to start getting a better look at the situation...

OMG, my poor baby! I was in such disbelief! How?? And Where?? Were my next questions. I baby proofed and took all precautions for my 2 year old. I searched everywhere, high and low and then I found it, a 2 inch break in the metal paneling that lines the exterior of her lean-to, NOT EVEN A FOOT OFF THE GROUND! What the HECK was her head doing down THERE?!?!?!? In a CORNER! 1 foot by 1 foot area! She's got an entire VERY spacious corral, what was she doing THERE?!?
Anyway, we got to the start of cleaning the area around the wound and let me tell you, those sedatives disappeared with a quickness! She pulled the buckle of the halter from the top hole all the way down to the bottom hole!
I knew she hurt and I felt so helpless. With much determination and TONS of patience, there was success of cleaning and assessing the damage. Cleaned result still looks ugly...
Too late for stitches...just have to wait it out...been given instructions to keep it clean and apply a mixture of nitrofurazone & swat for wounds. She's on an antibiotic and seems to be doing good. Spirits are higher and her eatting and drink are normal.
The most difficult part is the cleaning! She has become extremely head shy and pulls back and freaks out at the slightest attempt to get to her head. I have resorted to not tying her to anything and teasing her with treats to lower her head.
I do NOT look forward to cleaning and treating her but know I have to. Last night was a 3 hour fighting rodeo with her.
My results this morning from lastnights cleaning and treatment...

I am open to suggestions on easier ways to get to her head for her cleanings and treatments.
Thanks for the read as well!

I feel so sorry for her and you!!! Its looks like a egg yoke on her head?? Forgive me for being a dummy, but why is it yellow?? I have had horses before but never a wound like that. Hopeing for a speedy recovery for her!!

Awww... poor baby! That is just awful! Don't have any suggestions for you, but you definitely have my sympathy! My vet is coming out Tuesday to check my colt's pastern wound (#2 pastern wound!) and I will ask him about treating head wounds.
I am also curious about the yellow spot. What is it?

I would shave all that mane off around it to help with access and treatment.
Posted via Mobile Device

Furazone is yellow, I'm guessing that's whats in the later pictures.


Ouch. Even if you weren't sure where it was that she injured herself horses can find trouble without us ever knowing what/how/when/where/why. They are just walking accidents and we keep climbing on! Wishing her speedy recovery... but I would shave the forelock to help keep things clean.

Ouchie!
I second shaving, or at least cutting off the mane around the wound. Less contamination to have to deal with and will help keep things cleaner.
Poor girl... that's quite the wound. I hope she heals up fast.

Poor girl. As for trying not to make her head shy - go slow...distract her with a treat or a bag of alfalfa. My former horse Red would have let you do brain surgery if you had alfalfa...Biscuit is about the same now if it involves a treat of some sort.

Sorry this happened to your baby.

Thank you all! Yes, the yellow is the nitrofurazone. I would LOVE to cut and or shave the area around the wound, however, the only chance I'd have to do that was if she were completely out. She will not tolerate anything near that area without one hell of a fight. So much to have broken 2 halters and one lead already. I spend 2.5-3 hours evey afternoon just trying to clean it. I've offered treats, alfalpha and even molasses and still she's not having it. I've been able to sit atop the panels and let the ointment drop off my fingertips aiming carefully for the crater of the wound while she eats her antibiotic laced grain lol It's just the actual cleaning that's almost impossible :-/
Again, thank you all for your response! I appreciate all your kind words.
Posted via Mobile Device

Deja Vu, we went out two days ago and found a very similar wound on the other side of the forelock on Bourbon our ten year old palamino gelding(seems to be a palamino thing, just kidding). We rinse with a povidone iodine solution diluted to the color of light ice tea, then apply Vetricyn infection spray gel(the stuff is amazing). Let it dry then apply Furazone oinment at night, or Swat during the day. Every wound we have treated with Vetricyn has healed beautifully with no infection and minimal if any scarring. Bourbon's injury was courtesy of his paddock mate Midnight who bit him. Midnight is in solitary and Bourbon has a new paddock mate.

Is there a reason it was not sutured? It is in a very good place to have sutured and it would have healed very quickly that way.