The variations in services are interesting. Here in CT large animal vets are generally available for emergencies for their clients. The small practices often cover for each other when someone is on vacation (I will get a message saying call Dr X for emergencies when my vet is away).
Small animal vets used to do the same, but now it seems that most do not do emergencies and tell you to call the E-Vet hospital. Nearest is about 45 minutes away for me.
I’ve always had a vet available 24/7 though the person we used at one point 50+ years ago might take a few days if it wasn’t an emergency. At one point I was a five-minute walk from an emergency clinic. Currently we can get one of several vets out pretty fast, even though we’re kind of in the middle of the city. The really good sporthorse vet can take a week or two though.
Small update. The local vet was out today and said horse’s hoof is looking better. She will be on antibiotics for 5 more days and the foot will be kept wrapped. The biggest thing is keeping it dry as we’ve had lots of rain recently and more this week. He bought a boot to put over the wrap to keep it dry.
Thanks for the update.
Keeping the good wishes going their way.
Is going to take a while for that to heal.
@Sandysmom, that’s a horrible-looking injury. Jingles for healing. Hope that horse can weight that foot enough to ward off laminitis on the other hoof. I am grateful to live near vets and vet clinics! I know many areas of the country don’t have that luxury. I’m in Phoenix, and when at the vet clinic, always hear stories of horses being trailered in from hours away for colic and big injuries.
I had something similar happen to a three year old.
Cut off part of his hoof and punctured a secondary artery.
He spent three nights at the large animal vet facility who took excellent care of of him.
He was filled not only with antibiotics but given the all important tetanus shot.
When I brought the lad home on the fourth day, I was armed with meds, wraps, and detailed instructions. He healed but it took me a lot of follow-up labor and a lot of ancillaries.
I haven’t read this entire thread so I have lost track of who is doing what for the horse but they had better be doing something PDQ before they end up losing him,
Sitting on their arses won’t accomplish anything — that horse needed to see a vet the minute that happened 50 miles away or not.
I had to haul my horse 34 hard, back country roads miles with my husband running interference in the car, and pray he didn’t bleed to death on the way there.
This is why people without horse trailers should have a backup plan that includes someone with a horse trailer.
That’s great to hear! Thanks for the update!
I have had bad experiences with the wound protection type boots, so take care with that idea. In my case, it made everything exponentially worse. Just FYI.
agree about hoof boots. There’s good reasons why you’re directed to replace bandages daily-
to remove dirty icky draining filled bandages and to dry out the wound and allow fresh air and circulation on the wound. Boots stifle this.
I’d also advise your friend to have this horse on the best nutrition they can afford plus some good quality hoof supplements. Also plenty of good fly spray.
Wanted to share some words of encouragement - we had a similar injury at the very beginning of September. It didn’t look quite as bad as your picture, but he basically lost a whole heel bulb from a back hoof. We still have no idea how it happened. The vet told us he would likely be on stall rest for 4 - 6 months and take 8 - 12 months to fully heal. In the end he was off of stall rest within a month, and fully healed by November with no sign of the initial injury.
One thing the vet did was he added a special shoe to help stabilize the hoof as it regrew. I don’t know if this is an option for you, but I would recommend it if it is.
Edited to add - we were directed to change the bandages every other day, but we ended up changing them at least once a day and flushing the wound with iodine each time just to keep up with how dirty it would get.
@Sandysmom, I hope your friend/neighbor’s horse is doing well. I am honestly concerned if it is still alive and not suffering. What a terrible injury.
Sending healing wishes to the horse and the owner, and hoping for the best. 
Wow that is a horrible injury that will need daily treatment for quite some time to keep out infection and proudflesh is probably going to be a problem too… ugh… 
I’m so lucky to have my own transport and be 15 minutes away from an excellent equine hospital and are around the clock for emergencies. A phone call and they are ready for you when you get there.
Horse seems to be doing ok. He sent me a video. She was taking a leisurely roll, got up, shook off and walked away. She is obviously lame but was putting weight on foot.
My friend takes good care of his horses. If it looks like she won’t recover and is suffering I’m sure he would have her euthanized. He has a truck and trailer but the local vet is coming out.
Another small update and set back. He said she was doing better until today. She is fighting getting her bandage changed. Said she kicked the boot off and is walking around in the mud. It’s been raining off and on for over 2 weeks.
What is he using for pain control?
Umm… Keep her in? You said he had her in a stall when she first did it. And did anyone prescribe antibiotics and painkillers? I’d keep her on stall rest with a bandage on it. I’m sure the hoof boot is bothering her.
IDK, what he’s using for pain. I asked about stalling her but he just has a run in with some makeshift stalls for feeding. The run in has a dirt floor and its muddy too.
I know how difficult it can be to treat medical conditions when you only have basic facilities. BTDT, it effing sucks.
Many jingles for your friend and his horse.
I had really good luck using moon boots (a sticky wrap cover) to keep hoof wraps on; but I wasn’t battling muddy footing too so I’m not sure how helpful they might be for your friend
He had the farrier out yesterday to trim and rewrap the hoof. He said it was looking better and no longer smelled bad. She is developing some proud flesh. The good news is the rain has moved out of the area so it should start to dry up. He lives in the hills so has a sandier soil with better drainage so he should dry out fairly quickly.
@Sandysmom, thanks for the update! Jingling again for this stoic mare. That’s got to hurt like $%$^&. Praying that she is past founder risk on the other front leg.
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