Thunder, 8 year old horse
Thunder was found on a hilltop, just as night time approached. He was motionless and didn’t respond to the rattling of his feed bucket which would usually have him charging down the hillside in hot pursuit of his evening meal. Our on call vet had similar aspirations but downed fork and spoon to race to Thunder’s assistance. He had various nicks and cuts but most concerningly was very cautious on one of his front legs.
He was reassessed by Warkworth Vets 3 days later in the barn after his owner described collecting cupfuls of custard-like discharge from a hole near his shoulder. Our attending vet, who, being a fisherman, was very accustomed to overstatement, was quite surprised to discover that, sure enough, discharge was flowing out at an alarming rate, and indeed he was able to fill several cups. There had to be more to this wound than that which was immediately visible. Thunder was sedated, and a gloved hand was inserted deep into the wound under local anaesthetic. Up to his elbow, our vet felt bone, blood vessels and muscles he could barely recall the names of, and then something different and unexpected. He grasped this and pulled, removing a chunk of timber the size of a survey peg. He was so excited by this discovery that he insisted the owner take a photograph which she duly did before sitting back down on the ground very pale of face.
Thunder has since made an uneventful recovery.