I’ve decided to post this as a warning and I hope it will also be therapeutic for me.  I’ll be putting my beloved 2 year old Palomino gelding down this Friday.  I’ve only had him a year, but it’s been wonderful.  When I got him he was only halter broke and he’s now a well mannered gelding who’s carried me through the hills of southern Missouri.  This was one of the last times I rode Tuffy.  While in Missouri at a trail ride this October, Tuffy cut his back fetlock right at the top of the joint.  That was on Oct. 10th  The cut was very small and not very deep.  I did what most folks would do.  I doctored it daily and kept it clean.  In the beginning he never did favor the injured leg at all.  In fact, Tuffy performed in his first show on Oct. 18^th.  He did great…we didn’t place, but I didn’t get bucked off either.  He was stunning and I was so proud of all the hard work it had taken to get him to that point.  I had trained him myself. 

Shortly after that show Tuffy started showing a slight limp.  I took him to the vet on Nov. 1^st and had x-rays done of the joint.  By this time the fetlock joint was slightly swollen and slightly warm to the touch, but the wound was healing fine.  There was no sign of infection and Tuffy’s ex-rays looked good.  No arthritis and no bone chips.  I was relieved.  As instructed by my vet, I started him on stall rest and kept him in a standing bandage.  His condition quickly worsened, so I took him to our local University Clinic on Nov. 24^th.  At this point, Tuffy was 3 legged.  He could barely put any weight on his back foot.  After reviewing new x-rays, I was told that the seemingly small cut had caused the joint to become septic.  Now, I’ve never really heard much about a septic joint, but at first I was relieved.  I figured a good dose of antibiotics would do the trick and Tuffy would be romping in the pasture soon enough.  Boy was I WRONG.  Unfortunately, there was no way to repair the already damaged joint.  It already had quite a bit of calcification.  The vet told me my poor Tuffy’s fate was doomed from the beginning.  Only with an immediate strong dose of antibiotics at the beginning might have stopped the infection, but they couldn’t tell me for sure.  My choice was to do a scope, cost $2,000, and flush the infection out, but by doing this it would not repair the already damaged joint.  Tuffy will never canter through my pasture again.

Please take this story and file it away for future reference.  If you are “old school” about cuts like I was, you’d probably do the same thing…let him heal up.  He’ll be just fine…

Be extremely cautious of cuts/punctures around the joint and start your horse on antibiotics ASAP.   

May my “TuffEnuffTooWearPink” Rest in Peace.  Natalee 

Jan,

Thank you for your kind words.  Here is a link to a pic of my boy.  I"m going to miss him terribly. 

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=121&currentpos=2

Any wounds on lower legs and feet have always prompted me to be "extra" cautious and give antibiotics. My ex always said I was paranoid.

I am so sorry.......It's a difficult time.  My heart goes out to you.

Sorry for your loss.  It's never easy to say goodbye forever.  I think many of us have been there, and understand. 

My last horse died 3 years ago from Leptospirosis.  Rare, but it got him.  I quit asking why, there isn't an answer to that.  

He's gorgeous.

Years ago riding in the canyon country of Utah, Ihad a horse get a gash on her gaskin by the joint.  I took her intot he vet a day later and chasten me about not getting right in. Taught me a lesson that cuts, especially anything that has any type of a pentration near a joint, needs immediate vet attention.  At the time I thought he was just trying to pad his bank account. I mean horses allways gets cuts, nicks, rock bites on their legs. And with some basic care they always seem to heal up.  But I have paid attention to any cut near a joint and been fortunate.

So sorry to hear of the loss of your beautiful chum. We've all been there and if you have horses any length of time,you know that you often don't run to the vet with every thing.(Expensive these days.) I have a story similar that ended well,thank the Lord.We have a beautiful coming 2 yr old palomino filly that had a small wound on her outer lower front leg this summer.I thought it was just a little scrape or bump,maybe from even lying down.I treated it with the same wound care products that I've used in the past with good success.( I did call my vet,and gave her a tetanus which I ALWAYS do regardless of whether I take one in,or not.) She advised me over the phone that she felt it was going to heal up in a few days,which,it didn't.When I felt I should call her,she was out of town for a few days.I waited until she returned,and took her in.The vet felt that it was a possible pseudomonas infection which would require chloramphenical,and,she didn't want me to have to handle it since I've been through cancer treatment myself.She advised me to irrigate it twice daily with an antibiotic solution (Gentamycin) and by now,the wound had a "tunneling" to it.Well,the irrigation twice daily lasted about 3 times,afterward,the filly would be impossible to treat.The next day or so,it was draining actively (green/yellow) and she was LAME.We called another vet in town,and took her in,he gave her antibiotic powder for us to feed,another tetanus antitoxin booster,and a big IM dose of Penicillin,and told us to return if she wasn't better in a week.Which,she wasn't,and we took her back.He XRayed it this time because he knew as did I that an ordinary wound should have healed.I was worried about osteomyleitis (bone infection.) Fortunately that had not occurred yet,but,the splint bone in her foreleg was FRACTURED.She had apparently been kicked,this little "scratch" did not look at all like anything of this nature.We confined her for the rest of the summer and still now,and,after 3 months or more,the bone has healed.We were just LUCKY this time.

My sympathy and condolences to you for your loss of "Tuff Enough" and may  only the good memories of him be with you in the years to come.I know the Lord will make it up to you for your kindness and care of one of His creatures.