“He was lame. Thats how I noticed it and when he was in the vets he caught septicemia thats why he was in 2 weeks”…
But, the vet has said that the colt had fallen or been kicked (the ground was frosted) and about a gallon of blood is trapped and clotted. I am now waiting for it to come out. He improved, but the swelling does not seem to be going down. The other day he got bad again and when I got him up he had a big hole further down his leg and there was blood all over the wall as if it blew out. I asked the vet if he could take it out and he said he might rupture the blood vessel. Again he told me to keep it clean and keep the 2 wounds open and give the colt a course of antibiotics. What do you think? Thanks a lot for your time is much appreciated.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Adrian:
It sounds like your veterinarian is on the money, and if he is, then you are dealing with a potentially life-threatening situation. Sepsis in foals is the leading cause of foal death. Stale blood (as in clots) is a perfect substance for growing bacteria, and getting rid of the blood clots doesn’t guarantee that the bacteria will all be flushed out of the wound. If bacteria have seeded into a joint, they can be (nearly) impossible to remove. I think you should carry on as your veterinarian recommends. Be as aggressive as you can, and hopefully you will be successful. Good luck
” I noticed the top of one back leg was swollen twice the size of the other “…
I have a 5 month old colt foal and I noticed the top of one back leg was swollen twice the size of the other. I took it to the vet and he had it at his facility for 2 weeks. I brought it home with an open wound and was to drain the fluid. But, after one day it started to get worse. I called the vet and he prescribed antibiotics. It helped, but the swelling is still the same. He has x-rayed it and cannot see anything. I wonder if you could give me some advice? Thanks
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Adrian:
Your foal’s case sounds like a tougher one. X-rays will look for bony abnormalities, of which you found none. Perhaps an ultrasound of the leg may reveal some abnormalities of the soft tissues, like an abscess or foreign material which is causing chronic and recurrent inflammation and infection. Colts that age tend to be rambunctious and often get into “trouble”. Antibiotics will help this to some degree, but the constant source of the problem must be eliminated for it to completely clear up. Was he lame at all? Hope this helps.
