Horse vs. Cactus....

[SWA]

When we first moved here, hubby worked so hard to find all the cacti on our place, dig them all up by the roots and BURN 'EM ALL, so they wouldn't grow back. Unfortunately, every now and then, we still find one that sprouted up out of no where.

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Yesterday, my HB gelding Tuffy happend upon one, and walked right into it, I guess not realizing it's bite.

: I picked out all the "prickleys" that I could see, and hoped I had gotten them all out. But, hubby says the smaller ones that are newly sprouted can sometimes prick you with hundreds of teensy little very hard to see prickleys, leaving you feeling like you were rubbed down by fiberglass.

Well, I tried best I could to get them all out, but today he has some minor swelling and I'm thinking I may not have gotten all the tiny prickleys out. He's not limping at all, and amazingly no fevery signs in his foot or leg, that surprised me, but there is a small amount of visible swelling today that wasn't like that yesterday.

Please help, if possible, with any ideas on how to get the tiny prickleys out??? I don't want to just shave his leg down to the skin, where I could see better, because that would just leave the prickleys still in there, just shaved off at the outer ends. The ends that are causing the swelling would still be there. Any ideas on what I can do to help him???

Thanks so much, in advance, for any help.

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[HGFarm]

You have cactus in FLORIDA???? Really?!! I'll be darned.

What kind is it?? Some of the varieties cause swelling because of the barbs on the ends of the stickers and when you pull them out it even causes bleeding at times.

The teeny tiny ones dont usually cause swelling, but what kind of cactus is it, and I may be able to tell you more.

 

[Floridachick]

We have them in Northern FL adn when our Gelding got into them the vet instructed Cider vinegar topically, and Benedryl orally 1 per 85 lbs of bodyweight. I would ck with your vet but we did the Benedryl for 5 days and it all cleared up. Watch the interior of the mouth for swelling. Def Benedryl. Goodluck and IM me if there is anymore questions.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Duct tape wrapped on your hand! I've used it for hay splinters and slivers.

 

[Charlene]

believe it or not, we have cactus in central illinois, prickly pear cactus, to be exact. we live on sand and it flourishes out here. we spent the first 2 years we lived here digging it up and burning it. i learned quickly to NEVER walk outside without socks on, never EVER go barefoot and don't believe the guy down the road who tells you cactus is EDIBLE!!!

the duct tape is my method of choice also.

oh and sand burs. gotta love the sand burs...NOT!!!!!!!

 

[minifancier]

prickly pear cactus is they ake all sorts of things from them. From the Fruit from them that is. Candy, jams jelies etc.

http://www.desertusa.com/web_cart/db/pages/9082b.html

http://www.desertcanyongifts.com/cactuscandy/candy(1).htm

 

[SWA]

Thanks everyone for the helpful tips. I'm not sure what kind of cactus we have here, just your every day normal "florida field" cactus, I guess.

: Tomorrow, if I can, I will try to walk our fields to see if there might be any more sprouts out there, and if there are, I'll try to get a pic of it to see what kind it might be. When I took out the prickley's that I could see, they were between 1/4" to 3/4" like thorns, whitish color, and when I pulled them they did bleed a little. Just a little bead sort of, and then nothing else. I thought I got them all out, but then today he looked a little swollen, though not much.

I did the duct tape all around the area though, and had vinegar on hand, though not Cider, I poored all I had over it, I hope it helps him still.

The swelling is still the same, not gone down, but thankfully not getting bigger either. Still not fevery to touch either, and no limping. Just only slightly swollen.

If no change by tomorrow I'll call the vet out and go from there I guess. Thank you all again so much, for all your help.

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Will post pics tomorrow too, if I come across anymore of the culprits out there.

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