[trailhorserider]

Nah, edit out the last bit! Don't blame the dogs for being dogs - shoot the owners & find the dogs a RESPONSIBLE home!

If something attacks our horses I'm shooting it. I'm not concerned with what it is or if/who owns it. Horses safety first priority.

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What's crazy is some dog owners seem okay with their dogs being shot, or at least shot-at. I've been having trouble with dogs running down the road chasing my horse when I ride, and that's what the owners asked me, Do I carry a pistol!? Um, no! (And to give them credit, they DO seem to be reinforcing their fencing.) I have dog pepper spray and a Dazer type device on order. Sigh. I just pray nothing ever attacks my horse in her pen when I'm not around. When I'm riding I would defend her with my life, even if that means me getting bit.

Yeah, dogs can be a huge problem. About every other animal on the planet will run away from an approaching horse.....bears, mountain lions, coyotes, you name it. Dogs are the worst because they run TOWARDS you and are often fearless of humans and horses. Dogs and dirt bikes are probably the things I fear encountering on trail rides the most. If I can get through the neighborhood and onto the forest, the rest of the ride is peaceful. Luckily dirt bikes are a rarity. Dogs, an every-ride concern. Even if they happened to be penned up you always have to expect them to be out because you never know when they will be.

 

[Palfrey]

@Mireyah I am so sorry for what has happened to your horse. That just makes my stomach knot! Does she still have open wounds that you are trying to heal? I'm wishing you and her the best in health!

 

[Mireyah]

@Mireyah I am so sorry for what has happened to your horse. That just makes my stomach knot! Does she still have open wounds that you are trying to heal? I'm wishing you and her the best in health!

here is a pic of her foot

 

[farmpony84]

That should have been stitched and wrapped.

 

[Mireyah]

That should have been stitched and wrapped.

The vet said he couldn't stitch it but it is all wrapped up now

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

What's crazy is some dog owners seem okay with their dogs being shot, or at least shot-at. I've been having trouble with dogs running down the road chasing my horse when I ride, and that's what the owners asked me, Do I carry a pistol!? Um, no! (And to give them credit, they DO seem to be reinforcing their fencing.) I have dog pepper spray and a Dazer type device on order. Sigh. I just pray nothing ever attacks my horse in her pen when I'm not around. When I'm riding I would defend her with my life, even if that means me getting bit.

Yeah, dogs can be a huge problem. About every other animal on the planet will run away from an approaching horse.....bears, mountain lions, coyotes, you name it. Dogs are the worst because they run TOWARDS you and are often fearless of humans and horses. Dogs and dirt bikes are probably the things I fear encountering on trail rides the most. If I can get through the neighborhood and onto the forest, the rest of the ride is peaceful. Luckily dirt bikes are a rarity. Dogs, an every-ride concern. Even if they happened to be penned up you always have to expect them to be out because you never know when they will be.

This is what I would do (just a suggestion...).
I'd get a BB gun air pistol. This $26 Crossman (and there are better ones) holds 20 BBs. I would set up a target in pasture. Hold your horse by lead rope and practice getting your aim and horse used to it. (They're not loud). Eventually shoot from saddle once horse gets used to it.
A BB won't kill a dog, but scare it off.
We had a tomcat I got a BB out of his head...he was fine (tiny sterilized scalpel).
He passed a few years ago at 20, he would go a mile from home.

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[Palfrey]

here is a pic of her foot

Oh my, poor thing! Are you applying anything to help aid in healing? If not, ask your vet about using raw Manuka honey. It's known for it's excellent healing properties. Now, the price is shocking for the size, it's not like your traditional honeys, but I think it is worth it. Also maybe ask the vet if they think it would be a good idea to shave the hair around and away from the wound so the gunk doesn't collect in it and deposit yucky stuff back in the "cleaned" wound. Good luck!

 

[AragoASB]

Oh dear.... I saw the picture of the gun and thought at first it was advised for another reason.

 

[farmpony84]

Manuka honey is good but plain sugar is cheaper. We used the honey on my dog when he degloved his foot (per the emergency vet) until our regular told us to use plain sugar because it did the same thing. We poured the sugar on and wrapped.

 

[Dreamcatcher Arabians]

I use organic honey I buy from Costco or Walmart. Works fine, 1/10 the cost of Manuka honey. Sugardine might be a good thing to pack that wound with, it's an old fashioned treatment and it's cheap and it works. Ask your vet how he feels about that.

 

[AragoASB]

We are talking about severed major tendons in the horse's leg here. How can topical treatments do anything to save this horse? What about pain and suffering of the horse and the future life of this horse?

 

[farmpony84]

I wouldn't think the horse would not be able to stand straight like that had the tendons actually been severed. I'm thinking maybe just a little damage or partially severed. I am a little surprised it wasn't stitched though.

I know with mine her fetlock almost touched the ground when she put weight on it which is why we had to cast it.

 

[Palfrey]

We are talking about severed major tendons in the horse's leg here. How can topical treatments do anything to save this horse? What about pain and suffering of the horse and the future life of this horse?

I'm no doctor. Due to cost concerns the vet was perhaps thinking of healing by second intention since surgery is not an option. Keeping topicals on this wound would help it heal--much better than doing nothing.

 

[AragoASB]

Did the vet make a diagnosis she had severed tendons or was this treatemnt advise given off of phone calls?

 

[vonlora]

Oh my, that is a terrible wound. So sorry it happened to your baby. Too bad you don't know who did it to make them pay. My mare does not care for dogs and thinks of them as targets. She has kicked a few, which makes them back off and their owners to have fits at me. Glad we have a leash law here, so the dog owners are always at fault. Keep doing what you are doing, and have some patience, it may come around.

 

[ClearDonkey]

I'm wary that the wound is actually from a dog, but that's just me. I also am wary about the severity, because off of that picture it doesn't look as bad as you made it out to sound...if you search through this forum for other nasty wounds, some members on here have had horses do terrible things to themselves. I just searched the forum for @beau159 's multiple threads about her horse Red and his tendency to get hurt, here is the first one: Hock Injury Graphic and another: Another Hock Injury Graphic

Something you could do that is easy and would help keep the wound clean is clipping the area. I would probably go 2" all around the wound to keep that hair from bringing dirt/poop/etc into the wound and should hopefully help keep the gunk coming out of the wound from building up. If you think you'll have issues doing this, contact your vet and ask for Dormosedan gel, it's a sedation gel that will be a lot more affordable than the vet coming out and sedating.

Keep it clean and covered, until it's good enough to be uncovered. I agree, honey is a great thing, I always get something organic and keep it in my first aid kit. When my mare punctured her shoulder on a tree branch, I would mix honey and triple antibiotic and fill her puncture hole. It helped keep the flies out of it, and it healed with really no scar at all.

 

[jaydee]

here is a pic of her foot

I’ve had a few injuries similar to that over the many years I’ve had horses and all were caused by horses getting legs caught in plain wire or the thin electric string type fencing.
That cut looks way too clean and precise to be caused by dogs biting at a leg.
If caught straightaway those type of injuries can be stitched and the action limited by a cast or even a bandage and stall rest.
Honey is great for healing but those type of cuts need something to hold the wound together or you end up with a large area of proud flesh.

 

[Mireyah]

I wouldn't think the horse would not be able to stand straight like that had the tendons actually been severed. I'm thinking maybe just a little damage or partially severed. I am a little surprised it wasn't stitched though.

I know with mine her fetlock almost touched the ground when she put weight on it which is why we had to cast it.

Both her tendons are severed unfortunately, Her fetlock does touch the ground! it is just horrible!!! she is getting a cast soon he just wanted to treat the infection first

 

[Mireyah]

Did the vet make a diagnosis she had severed tendons or was this treatemnt advise given off of phone calls?

He came and checked her out

 

[Mireyah]

I'm no doctor. Due to cost concerns the vet was perhaps thinking of healing by second intention since surgery is not an option. Keeping topicals on this wound would help it heal--much better than doing nothing.

Yes he gave me a really strong one