Friday, July 15, 2016

Brego hoof update

When last we left our overlarge hero, he'd had both my vet and the hospital farrier out to try to tackle a recurring abscess in his coronet band. We took some rads that showed two pockets of infection, and then the farrier dug some giant holes in Brego's foot to let things drain.

This still squicks me out

Brego seemed to be doing well, galloping around like an eediot, showing no signs that his Holey Hoof was bothering him at all.

And then he went lame again, and another abscess blew. In the same spot. 

And AGAIN.

I had the vet and farrier out AGAIN. They discussed options, took more rads, and called some of their peers to consult. The consensus is that there must be *something* causing these abscesses, and it's most likely that Brego has a keratoma. Keratomas are benign tumors that form under the hoof wall, for reasons yet unknown. The only way to address the issue (repeat abscessing) is to remove the tumor... which, given its probable location (up near the coronet band), means a hoof wall resection.

You can see the new hoof is coming in completely mangled.

Since there's nothing's showing up on radiographs, my vet wanted to have an MRI done so they could see the extent of the issue before they started surgery. After calls to several clinics with standing MRIs (Brego almost died on the table during flap surgery before we got him, so he is not a candidate for full anesthesia, ever again), we discovered that standing MRIs can only handle hoofs up to 7 inches in diameter - and M'sieur Brego is 8.5 inches in diameter right after a trim. And apparently all standing MRIs are made by the same company, in one size... so an MRI is out.


Sooo... the plan is that Brego will have a standing hoof wall resection done as soon in a week or two, when my farrier and vet can get their schedules to align. They will do an ultrasound and some sort of vein trace just before, so they can attempt to pinpoint the keratoma's exact location so they know how far to go. The good news is that it hasn't affected any bones, so the prognosis is excellent if they can get it all.

Brego will be in a hoof cast for about a month, so the new hoof can start to regrow. He's already on massive doses of hoof supplement to help with hoof growth.  Once the cast can come off, he'll be in a special shoe, probably with metal bands epoxied across the surgery site for additional support. Horses seem to handle hoof wall resections surprisingly well, despite some of us humans (namely me) being completely grossed out just looking at pictures of other resections. I don't know what it is about blood and horse feets, but it's just SO WRONG. But I'm sure I'll have plenty of gross pictures to share, because there's nothing more fun, right?

And don't worry... Brego is milking this for ALL he is worth. Which is currently several carrots per day while he gets his foot cleaned and treated!

56 comments:

  1. Sending positive thoughts. I just googled pictures and I was both horrified and enthralled at the same time. I hope you will document as I would definitely be interested to
    See what is going on and causing
    His issues.

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    1. Yeah... horrified and enthralled is a good way to put it. *shudder*

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  2. Poor Brego. Carrots are nice, but they cannot offset surgery.
    Best wishes for a good outcome ... they find the problem, its not complicated and they close up quick and clean!

    M in NC

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    1. I'm fairly certain that he's OK with more carrots regardless of the reason!

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  3. Yikes! Wishing Brego a successful hoof wall resection and an uncomplicated recovery (I want to say speedy recovery, but we all know nothing with horse hooves is speedy).

    I agree that the pictures might be squicky (thanks Google) but hopefully you'll keep posting them so we can all learn something!

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    1. Why do feets grow so sloooooooowllllyyyyyyy?

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  4. This kinda reminds me of an interesting post I came across a while ago where the whole hoof wall came off but then regrew. I can't find the original post, but dang hooves are wicked.

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    1. Oh jeez, I've seen those pictures too. SO GROSS. We will NOT be having that happen, thanks, no.

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  5. Yikes. Penn's last abscess blew out of the same spot as a previous abscess (you can see the hole growing down from the coronet band). I'm praying that I don't have a situation like you're in. I'm afraid to google what they're going to do, because I'm pretty sure I can take a stab at what's going to happen!

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    1. Yeah, don't google that unless you've got a strong stomach. Yuck.

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  6. SO SQUICKY. Bleh!! But I hope that surgery stops the abscessing once and for all! Thank goodness that Brego is a good patient.

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    1. Yup, Brego will be happy if recovery means he gets hay in front of him all the time. Life will be good.

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  7. holy crap that looks really intense. good luck and keep us posted!

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    1. It's not really what you want to go through with any horse!

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  8. Ohhhhhh, I'm so sorry. That's so very much like what I went through with Tristan - though in his case it wasn't a keratoma but a bone chip. Same outward appearance, different internal process. Seeing hoof grow that ugly is terrifying.

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    1. Ugh, a bone chip sounds awful! There's nothing on rads so it's very very unlikely to be anything other than a keratoma, but stranger things have happened so who knows what they'll find when they start digging.

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  9. Ugh that sucks, happy it is benign though and hope everything goes well. Poor Brego, poor you guys

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    1. Thanks, he'll need all the good thoughts he can get!

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  10. Glad to hear the surgery has a positive prognosis! It would utterly freak me out, crossing my fingers!

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  11. Good heavcns! Best of luck to all of you.

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  12. Poor Brego! I hope the surgery finds that the issue is as expected and he can get healed and back to work!

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    1. Me too because he's gonna be SO FAT after all that time off!

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  13. Yikes!!! Best of luck to Brego- he definitely needs more carrots. :P

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    1. At least carrots are low calorie, right?

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  14. Yuckkk, hoof resections are SO GROSS. It is amazing how well horses cope with them though. Hopefully this gets him all sorted out!

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    1. Ya that's what my vet keeps telling me. Gross for us, horses do great with them. Uh, yay?

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  15. Eeeeek! Good luck! He's in good hands!

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    1. I'm really lucky to have such a great vet and farrier!

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  16. Oh, I am with you on those pictures grossing me out. Fingers crossed for the big boy.

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    1. Yeah, don't look. Probably warned you too late though...

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  17. Well that's completely terrifying. Glad you have an excellent team on your side.

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  18. Yowsers. Good luck, I WOULD like to see pics even though it makes me cringe!

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    1. Oh don't worry, I'm sure there will be pics. *squick*

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  19. well holy shit, poor giant Brego :( what a mess, but good to hear your vet and farrier and all involved feel optimistic in the prognosis! good luck!!

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  20. Replies
    1. The vet and farrier think he'll be fine, so I'm sticking with their assessment!

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  21. What a mess - but a super neat and weird mess. Glad he's on his way to recovery.

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    1. Lol, it's only super neat when it's happening to someone else's horse!

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  22. Oh my. Good luck, big Brego! I wish there was an elephant MRI to put your foot in. :(

    But for real... pictures.

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    1. Jeez, you guys are a bloodthirsty bunch. ;)

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  23. OH my! Sending healing thoughts Brego's way.

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    1. Thanks! He'll take them in carrot format.

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  24. Oh man - hoof resections are not for the faint of heart. Times like these it's good to remember that horses live in the moment better than we do, at least as far as not anticipating or dwelling.

    You guys take marvelous care of your horses - I'm sure Brego will come through it all beautifully, if a bit (more) spoiled. ;D

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    1. Yes, Brego lives for the moments with carrots. And forehead scratches. And he's going to be spoiled AND fat by the time this is all over!

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  25. Ohhhhhh puke! Just the holes in his hoof alone were enough to cause a gag reflex. You have ALL my sympathy for taking care of his hoof afterwards- and as gross as it is, there is a 10 year old boy lurking in my brain who wants to see a picture of it afterwards.

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    1. Oh, there will be pics. With lots of warnings so you can skip them. :D

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  26. **hugs**

    No Bueno... :(

    This is really just Brego's ploy to never having to work again... Paddy has to do all the jousting and Taran has the rest covered. ;-)

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  27. Yikes!
    Crossing fingers and toes for everything to go well and a speedy recovery on the other side!
    *hugs*

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    1. Thanks! My vet has assured me that it's more traumatic for me than it is for Brego... I think she's just saying that to make me feel better lol.

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