Izzy's Leg: Update 11

4/20/2015

One good thing about being sick was that I didn't agonize about the state of Izzy's leg. At this point, there is nothing more that I can do for the wound other than wait for it to clean itself up.

It's still swollen, although not to the degree it was last week. Dr. Tolley thought it might take three to four weeks for that to resolve. The wound is completely closed, but it does have an ugly scab that looks like it might take a while to fall off. And this is one scab that I don't want to pick at.

April 11

April 12

The day I took the bandage off, April 11, Izzy's leg looked great. Everything was tight, and the wound was hard and dry. There was a tiny (1/2" x 1/2") section that hadn't epethelialized, but it wasn't enough to have us concerned. Within hours of removing the bandage, the leg swelled up considerably, and the newly healed skin was forced open by the pressure. You can see the blood oozing through the tears in the April 12 photo.

April 13

April 19

By the next day, the tears had scabbed over, but the leg was still very swollen. Izzy wasn't lame on it exactly, but it was obvious that he was uncomfortable. I didn't get to see it again until the 19th.

By Sunday, more than half of the filling had subsided. The back of the leg is now clean and tight. The swelling is centered over the large scab. There is no more oozing and the scab is hard and thick. I brushed the wound throughly with a soft brush to remove any loose debris. There was no sensitivity at all.

I rode him on Sunday at a walk. He showed no sensitivity or tenderness. For so many months I waited for the wound to close. Now, I just need to wait for the scab to dry up and fall off. Dr. Tolley feels that the scarring should be minimal, but it will probably take the better part of a year to get to that point.

I'll keep you posted!

Austen link

4/20/2015 02:28:34 am

You know, one of my favorite things to put on scabs I don't want to scrap off is Corona ointment. It seems to act like lotion and make the scab a little pliable and less likely to pull off an irritate the new skin underneath. Things heal a lot nicer with it, and it's slightly antiseptic. It's great, if you can get over the sticky gooey nature of the stuff.

Bakersfield Dressage link

4/20/2015 09:08:29 am

I know a lot of people like Corona, but my vet is not a huge fan. It seems to attract a lot of debris. For now, I am going to simply watch it and let it finish healing up on its own. If it starts to crack or look painful, I'll give some Scarlex a try (my vet's choice), but for now, it seems to doing okay. :0)

It's definitely hard not to put SOMETHING on it!!! :0)

4/20/2015 10:59:06 pm

Scarlex is my favorite dressing! It's great for those hard-to-reach-without-getting-kicked areas!

I totally see where you vet is coming from with Corona. I actually only use it on wounds that have already scabbed over, so I'm not worried about debris getting into the wound. I just like that it keeps the scabs from getting too hard and dry.

emma link

4/20/2015 08:43:29 am

that's one heck of a scab - but i guess it had to get a little ugly before it can finally resolve!

4/20/2015 09:05:42 am

That's my hope ... ugly before it gets better. And really, it doesn't bother him, so I am just letting it run its course.

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage