Louie's injury

Louie is doing well it seems. Every day I have changed his bandage and washed out the wound with soap and water. For the first 3 days, I cold hosed his leg for 15 minutes. I called the vet and talked to Dr. Bolton to get his advise on how to take care of the wound. He told me to discontinue cold hoseing as there had been no trouble with any swelling and just to keep it covered. There was only so much he could tell me without seeing the wound but some general guidelines would help. In about 7 days, the wound started gaping open more and the flesh in the wound was bleeding lightly and just looking angry. There was still no swelling in the leg, no unusual discharge or drainage and Louie was still sound. But, by Monday, I was starting to worry. So, Tuesday morning, 10 days after the injury, I took Louie up to the vet. Barbara had gone riding with Marie that morning so Louie was alone when I went out to get him to bring to the vet. I am so glad that he is good about being left alone. He was just hanging out quietly in the shelter munching hay.

Dr. Brown took a look. She took a couple xrays to make sure there was not hairline fractures or chips as the wound was right on the bone and I don't know if he just sliced it on something or got kicked. The xrays showed no bone damage much to my relief. Dr. Brown told me that I needed to stop fussing over the wound and stop washing it out every day. I had irritated the healing flesh and it was developing a bit if proud flesh. She said to just change the bandage daily but otherwise leave it alone. She put some furacin on the wound and rewrapped it. She told me to leave that on for 24 hours then nothing else after. Just dry wrapping. I asked her about riding him and she told me that would be fine and might even be beneficial. YEAH!!!! Louie was a perfect boy at the vet. He is just such a sweet gentle mule. Dr. Brown said several time he's one of the nicest mules she's ever met. Proud mule mama moment!