Client education

This type of injury will require us to fix the fracture surgically.  We will need to put in a plate to stabilize the fracture and allow it to heal.  After surgery, the horse will need to be confined to the stall for 6-8 weeks, depending on how fast the fracture heals.  Even if the foal is acting normal and the lameness is gone, it must be kept in the stall.  Allowing the foal to run out on the pasture before the fracture has healed can slow the healing, and may lead to another break.  We will take radiographs every two weeks through the healing process to assess fracture healing.  At that time we will check to be sure there is no nerve damage.  If there is nerve damage, there is a much greater chance that the horse will not be athletically sound, or return to normal function at all.  Even without nerve damage there is chance that the horse will not return to normal function.  The fracture involved the joint surface, making it a more complicated break.  Possible complications of the fracture include degenerative joint disease since this does involve the joint surface, or  lameness  of the other leg since it has to bear more weight during the healing process.  The foal will need to be monitored for swelling around the bandage.  The foal will need antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine to help with the pain and swelling associated with the surgery.