coronet band injury

[2miniB]

I got an unwelcome surprise when I went up to feed my horses today. My 28 year old mare has a small wound right on her coronet band. I got it cleaned up and bandaged. I put boots and pads on her fronts as a precaution. She’s sound with and without the boots.

Its a fairly small wound, about the size of a dime and fairly shallow. Its literally right at where her hoof wall starts.

What should I know about this type of injury? I’ve had horses for over a decade, but this is the first time this has happened.

Wound

Side shot

[myleetlepony]

Any time my horse has a wound like this, I do as my farrier advises; treat it like a regular wound. That looks shallow enough that while you may have a scar to “grow out”, the hoof should not be affected permanently.

[One_Two_Three]

If you click on my blog in my sig line, you’ll see my horse had a VERRRRY similar wound to this. I treated it like a normal wound, medicated it, but kept it unwrapped at first. I’m not sure where you’re located, hopefully somewhere not as warm as Florida, where flies are starting to die off. If you read or even just look at the photos, you’ll see why I say this. Just keep it clean, swat it if you have flies, or better yet put some gauze and vet wrap around it. My horse’s is almost healed finally, after a huge long process, and his hoof is growing quite well below it.

[Marla_100]

Just as a precaution, do a search on COTH on “Summer Sores” as this is a common area for them to start. And they can really get ahead of you if you’re just treating them like a normal wound.

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=Marla 100;8327889]
Just as a precaution, do a search on COTH on “Summer Sores” as this is a common area for them to start. And they can really get ahead of you if you’re just treating them like a normal wound.[/QUOTE]

this. this is what I was getting at. the whole premise of my blog post it gets very ugly. look at the pictures.

[One_Two_Three]

Start of wound

8 days later

had to get the vet involved to clean it up and give me some medication to help heal it. Have a small spot still, a month and a half later.

[merrygoround]

In general treat it like any other wound, clean it gently, and use an antibiotic ointment. If you are in a “summer sore” area, be extra vigilant.

[2miniB]

This is the first I’ve heard of summer sores. Where is that an issue?

I’m in Maine, and the flies are still bad despite the start of 40 degree nights. The bugs here are unusually vicious, and none of the fly sprays I’ve used do anything to keep bugs off her. I have it wrapped in some gauze, and a combo of a little duct tape and the hoof boot is keeping it in place.

Yesterday, I cleaned it with some chlorhexidine and applied some Vetericyn before I wrapped it.

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=2miniB;8328118]
This is the first I’ve heard of summer sores. Where is that an issue?

I’m in Maine, and the flies are still bad despite the start of 40 degree nights. The bugs here are unusually vicious, and none of the fly sprays I’ve used do anything to keep bugs off her. I have it wrapped in some gauze, and a combo of a little duct tape and the hoof boot is keeping it in place.

Yesterday, I cleaned it with some chlorhexidine and applied some Vetericyn before I wrapped it.[/QUOTE]

If you keep it covered, you shouldn’t develop a summer sore. It’s the act of the flies depositing the larvae into the wound that causes them. I’m not sure what areas are susceptible to them, just know that Florida is (because that’s where I am). Certain species of flies and larvae that are not found everywhere.

Keep doing what you’re doing and it should be just fine. However if you notice slow or no healing, or it starts to go the other direction, get the vet out. It’s worth it. I still can’t believe how terrible my horse’s wound got in 8 days. I had been out 4 of the 8 days, and thought I was dealing with an abscess that blew out the coronary…nope…just a sore turned summer sore. super scary if you don’t realize quickly what you’re dealing with. It’s likely (but I wouldn’t completely dismiss it) that if you’ve never heard of summer sores, they are probably not prevalent in your area.

[2miniB]

I just sent my vet an email with the pics attached, asking about summer sores.

Now I’m really worried, since it was covered in flies when I went up to feed yesterday afternoon.

[PeteyPie]

Use that AluShield spray or similar. It is a powdery aluminum or aluminum look alike which you spray on. It is really shiny and it completely covers the would without causing injury, and the flies avoid it. And it is really quick and sooo easy to use; a little spritz and the wound is covered.

My vet used it and gave me some when my horse was kicked in the face and had a hoof-sized area of bone showing on her forehead. It was ghastly. The would healed completely, grew in around the edges until it met in the middle, and the weirdest part to me was that all the hair, including her star, grew back in.

Oh here it is. Notice it has a five star rating. It is magic:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ideal-animal-health-alushield-aerosol-bandage?cm_vc=-10005

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=PeteyPie;8328284]
Use that AluShield spray or similar. It is a powdery aluminum or aluminum look alike which you spray on. It is really shiny and it completely covers the would without causing injury, and the flies avoid it. And it is really quick and sooo easy to use; a little spritz and the wound is covered.

My vet used it and gave me some when my horse was kicked in the face and had a hoof-sized area of bone showing on her forehead. It was ghastly. The would healed completely, grew in around the edges until it met in the middle, and the weirdest part to me was that all the hair, including her star, grew back in.

Oh here it is. Notice it has a five star rating. It is magic:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ideal-animal-health-alushield-aerosol-bandage?cm_vc=-10005[/QUOTE]

Alushield is great, but unfortunatley, due to personal experience, on the coronet band if the horse comes into contact with any moisture, it’s gone quite rapidly. I applied alushield while I rode my horse (yes he stayed completely sound throughout the whole summer sore ordeal) to try and protect the wound. By the end of a 30 minute ride it was always as if it was never sprayed on to begin with, presumably because of the very minimal dew on the grass…or perhaps sweat? Not really sure. Never figured that one out. Works well on less mechanical areas, like a face.

I also tried wound kote spray. It’s what I used towards the end when my horse developed thrush from wrapping (had to go above and below and around the heel) to try and protect the wound. It works slightly better but daily and sometimes twice a day application is necessary.

[2miniB]

I thought it looked good this morning, dry and scabbed over. This afternoon I checked and it’s open and leaking some clear fluid.

She’s not at all lame and has normal, barely palpable pulses. I’d think she’d be uncomfortable if this was an abscess. So it’s wrapped again.