Help! Bed sores

[bec1234]

The brief: Would Back On Track deluxe quick wrap boots help existing fetlock bed sores heal, and prevent new ones from forming, or am I better off purchasing “bed sores boots” such as the professional choice bed sore boots for them to heal and be prevented properly?

The long: So I have been ringing the alarm for a while now about the mare I lease and her sores she’s been getting on her fetlock and hocks. Barn owner doesn’t want to add more shavings as she’s a messy horse and doesn’t feel like this will solve the problem. Horse used to be outside 24/7 even in winter but because of some nasty mud fever and heel cracks she got and we’ve started competing more seriously she’s inside every night now and therefore sleeping on the mats and bedding more often. It has officially happened and one of her hocks on the side you can tell she sleeps hardest on has swollen up. I’m going to get her some back on track hock boots to help her hocks but her front fetlocks especially on one side is really bad scabbing almost all over the whole bottom of the fetlock from front to back. I really want to find a solution and I’m willing to pay for the expensive stuff if it will help. She had a tendon injury years ago and she has been in some consistent work lately so if she would benefit from back on track quick wraps and they would help her sores I would get them. But I’m wondering if these type of boots would help or if they would cause more rubbing, or if I would need to do some gauze and vet wrap under them for a while.

They have also started to scab over and I’m dreading to think what she’s going to look like once I clip her for some shows that we’re hopefully still going to in March. Any tips or help for getting those to heal is appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

[hopper20]

Reversed bell boots help mine with the fetlock sores. I use the Horze Pro ones that are a thick squishy neoprene.

[Pico_Banana]

I have both this kind

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=cbcd1a17-3e61-471e-bf1e-fb147d903b7c&itemguid=c13c77d5-a923-46ef-a0ea-e3f93743dcc7&sfb=1&grp=T000&grpc=T700&grpsc=T720&sp=e&utm_content=35087&ccd=IFH003&ccd=IFH003&grp=T000&grpc=T700&grpsc=T720&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADv68NVI-9jjdLo3VdJEubEi8VB3B&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlePz8YjDiwMVzTMIBR3z5TeCEAQYASABEgIXtvD_BwE

And this kind

https://www.bigdweb.com/click-horse-fetlock-shield-pair-one-size?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD8TVMBu3nMeWbIZaCEAQGKfoaRIW&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9P_Mz4jDiwMVBEb_AR08SQuPEAQYASABEgJ9V_D_BwE

I like the second kind better. For fetlock sores, I take the “leave them alone to heal” approach and feel like they heal better with the second kind. Maybe it’s the increased air circulation. Note my mare (very senior) gets them while sleep crashing in my gravel/stone dust dry lot so they get packed with stone dust that acts like a barrier on the scrape. If you want to be more proactive, with this kind of boot, you could just clean, spray with silver spray to protect the wound, and put these on top. Anything with a closer fit will rub off the spray.

I also have BOT quick wraps and wouldn’t consider them for this purpose. You’d have to bandage underneath the boot and it seems like it would be very difficult to keep everything in place.

[trubandloki]

@bec1234

her front fetlocks especially on one side is really bad scabbing almost all over the whole bottom of the fetlock from front to back.

This sounds more like you are still dealing with scratches or mud fever or whatever term you want to use for it.

[Kirikou]

I had ones similar to the Valley Vet ones linked by @Pico_Banana - for when I was boarding in a similar situation. I agree with Pico that the 2nd types would work best and that the BOT - which I also have - might rub too much.

Probably not helpful at all in your situation but for this guy what “sorted” it was some kind of barrier (triple antibiotic cream or silver spray) and a very thick straw bed.

[GraceLikeRain]

I’d ask if you can bring in additional shavings or pay for more shavings. A set of nice hock boots can buy a good few bags of shavings.

[theresak]

I had these for a horse that sleep crashed too and they worked great as protection. I did have to wrap his fetlock sores with a nonstick pad and elastikon to get them to heal.

If I see hock sores, I usually want to do hock flexions. If I see them in a horse with known arthritis, it’s been a sign that injections are due.

[Demerara_Stables]

I use the hock shields by intrepid international https://www.bigdweb.com/click-horse-hock-shield and they are amazing so I’d trust their fetlock shields as well.

The hock shields take a little figuring out to determine optimal tightness, but they almost always stay on my horses overnight when they are out on 5 acres - I put them through the wringer.

[rulex]

I also used those in combination with deeper shavings and the issue resolved. And because I have the pads, I’ve also done red light therapy on the area in the hopes that it will help speed up the healing.

[4horses]

Definitely increase the shavings. Maybe muck the stall when you go to ride to reduce the workload for everyone else and pay for extra shavings.

It does sound like scratches so I would want a antibacterial/antifungal ointment.

[george]

I have a friend who custom makes booties for hocks and fetlocks. She did it for my gelding after all the commercial work products failed for him. Happy to pass on her contact info to anyone who messages me.

I read on a forum about gall salve for this. It became my go to once wounds were healed. It’s a great way to sort of toughen the skin so it tears less.