Mysterious wound

[Marsha Cassada]

This morning the swelling is almost gone. He seems a little lethargic and even slow to eat his alfalfa breakfast. I took him for a short walk and he searched out a plant which I have always called prickly lettuce. He ate the seeds and flowers off the tops. I let him eat quite a few. When I got home I looked it up and Dr Google says it has morphine qualities. It is bitter. How did he know which plant to browse? He usually loves johnson grass seed heads. Today he ran the seed head through his mouth but didn't bother to eat it. So I am thinking Dapper Dan must be in pain. He was better yesterday.

We are going tomorrow to pick up a friend for him. Maybe that will perk him up.

I think if he developed an allergic reaction, it would have already occurred. We patroled the pasture last night, hoping for a sight of the snake. But they move around alot.

 

[Kelly]

Poor baby! He will be soooo excited with his new friend!! A mini donk????

 

[Willow Flats]

Can't wait to see the new horses you are picking up! Hope DD feels better and that he'll get a good compainion. I'd go for the gelding.
I keep my bossy mare apart from my geldings most of the time because she harasses them.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Poor baby! He will be soooo excited with his new friend!! A mini donk????

No, I had to give up the idea of a donkey because he would need the same conditions that Midnight needed, and I cannot provide that. Pooh. I'm getting another little horse. A gelding. More info to come.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Dapper Dan is still on antibiotic for a few more days but he is his old feisty self. I did fear colic that one day. Between the lettuce plant and the banamine he got through it. I gave him no supper, just left him out to graze. Last time this happened, when the hair grew back at the bite area, it was a lighter color. It didn't get dark again until the next year's clip. This bite will probably do the same thing. The picture is the prickly lettuce. The yellow flowers have gone to seed puffs; they only open in the morning. Dapper Dan ate the flowers and seed pods. It's always interesting to watch what horses choose for forage in a natural pasture. I've never seen him choose this plant before; wild survival sites say it is bitter and acts as an analgesic.
Yesterday I brought home Rocking M RCS Billy the Kid.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Last night while brushing I noticed bb/pea-size bumps around the area. I hydroed it. I was concerned that he might be reacting to the bactrim antibiotic. This morning there were some wrinkles in the skin. Called the vet as soon as they opened. He says it sounds as though the venom got into the capillaries under the skin and that skin might slough off. He said it is ok to take him off the bactrim and to continue hydroing.

 

[HersheyMint]

I hope that all means the poison is leaving his system and he will recover soon. Did he have the small bumps after the first bite too?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I hope that all means the poison is leaving his system and he will recover soon. Did he have the small bumps after the first bite too?

I don't remember; it was in 2016. But this bite made a large swelling, and I don't remember the earlier bite doing that. This bite is on the neck; the earlier one was one his side. Not sure how he got one on his side unless he rolled and didn't see it. Or he was grazing by our mountain rocks and the snake was in the rocks (which is where we found it a few days later.)
I'm so glad it didn't bite him on the nose or eye. I've had both of those happen to horses.
My husband keeps all the tall grass along the outside of the fence mowed or Rounduped. The pasture where Dapper Dan is now is very short. The snake was passing through. We keep a lookout for them. My hoe is sharp, and the .22 is not far away.

 

[HersheyMint]

I don't remember; it was in 2016. But this bite made a large swelling, and I don't remember the earlier bite doing that. This bite is on the neck; the earlier one was one his side. Not sure how he got one on his side unless he rolled and didn't see it. Or he was grazing by our mountain rocks and the snake was in the rocks (which is where we found it a few days later.)
I'm so glad it didn't bite him on the nose or eye. I've had both of those happen to horses.
My husband keeps all the tall grass along the outside of the fence mowed or Rounduped. The pasture where Dapper Dan is now is very short. The snake was passing through. We keep a lookout for them. My hoe is sharp, and the .22 is not far away

I just learned that snake anti venom is made from horse blood, also sheep and goats. They inject the animal with venom to produce antibodies, then remove the antibodies to use for the vaccine.
So glad DD is doing better

 

[minihorse]

It happened again. Went out to bring Dapper Dan in from the pasture and he had the tell tale fang marks on his neck, in the muscle area. One was a slight puncture, the other just a red dot. Large lump below the bite site. Hair rubbed off. I hydroed him and gave him equiox for pain. He ate supper fine and seems all right. Checked on him at midnight and he was fine. Called the vet this morning and got antibiotic. The lump had moved down. I mixed the antibiotic with oatmeal and karo and he gobbled it down. I will be patrolling for that sucker.
I've kept an eye on Dapper Dan all day and he seems fine. I'm glad it was the muscle area and not his face.
Hard to believe the earlier event was 6 years ago...

How is he? Yes, find that sucker.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The bumps seem to be gone but still some wrinkles. Hydroing. He seems fine. I hate when they scare you.