Ain’t life fun? Just when you think things can’t get any worse, something else happens.
First it was Wayne, with his sore back, then me with the wacked ribs, now its Cass with a gash on her side big enough to drive a truck through.
That’s three now. Lets hope that’s all there is now!
I went out this morning to put her mask on (for the sun) and saw a huge gash on her side with blood dripping from it.
Not nice.
I yelled for Wayne and we went up the top of the paddock to get her and brought her into the house yard. We washed the wound and yeah, it was beyond our capabilities to fix. Too deep and too big.
I called the horse vet clinic and they sent out one of their vets this afternoon. He did a great job stitching it up. I was unsure how he’d be able to hold such a gaping wound closed, but he did a double layer job – first stitching muscle and then skin.
I made myself as useful as possible. First I brought out my small grooming table so he could set up his tools. Then I lent him my clippers with a #40 blade to clip around the wound. And after he finished I cleaned her up.
Wayne says I’m a frustrated vet nurse. I’ve assisted with surgeries before, on my own animals when they were injured after hours (which is when every self respecting animal injures itself). There was a time when I considered being a vet … I opted to go to Art School instead.
Looking back now, being a vet would probably have been a much better career choice…
At the very least I’d have been able to support my animal habit. Oh well. Hindsight is 20-20 right?
My poor Cass. She’s a bit accident prone, but this is rather bigger and badder than the usual cuts and scrapes horses tend to get. She’ll be in isolation for a while till we know the stitches have done their job and she wont rip them open.
For those who are squeamish, I’m putting the before and after pics below. You just enjoy the pretty photo of my hydrangeas.
I put them at the top of this post just for you.
If you have a weak stomach close the window now.
This is what the poor girl looked like after we washed out the wound.
And this is this afternoon after the vet closed her up.
Poor Cass…
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junk4joy 
Sheesh, what did she run into? A random saw blade?
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Wow! How did it happen? Do you even know? I have never been around horses, so I have no idea how much “trouble” they can get into. That can't feel good at all, so best wishes to a quick recovery.
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that is a serious gash!!!! poor girl. Would being a vet's assistant be of any value?-similar to a Nurse Practitioner here. Is there any education/work for that type of qualification in your neck of the woods? I wish Cass a speedy, clean recovery-no infection, etc.
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No idea how it happened, we walked the paddocks and found tons of possible places but no probable ones. Nothing the right height or angle… Wierd. Wayne has fixed a door to the front of the stable/shed so she can go in there for a few days. The weather has been horrible. Really windy and rain comes and goes in sudden downpours. Not good weather for calm horses.
I have considered a vet assistant career many times. Problem is jobs are hard to get (every girl wants to be a vet assistant it seems) and the pay isn't that good. I think I'd rather stick to what I do, grooming, and do good for dogs at a least. Plus volunteering for wildlife rescue jobs when I can.
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