V is for vet visit (and also valium)

Preface: I wrote this right after I got home from the vet, literally uploaded the radiographs and started blogging. I've had a chance to "process" the day, and my outlook is better. Just based on Riley's demeanor, what I see of the wound daily, and the extent of the trauma to the hoof, I feel in my heart he is recovering uneventfully. But we'll be watching him closely.

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Today was Riley's checkup at the vet clinic. You know how usually post surgery checkups are routine? I was ready to go in and talk about Riley's bandaging regimen and hey, could we lighten up a little on the 8 layers? What happened was something different.

The post-op vet check

• They did a standard lameness check. He looked off on a circle to the right, which I didn't think seemed all that unusual given the surgery. The vets seemed, well, not concerned exactly, but they seemed to be hoping for soundness.
  
• They removed the bandage. More drainage than they expected too. Riley's surgeon happened to be at the clinic today and he took a look. He was more reassuring -- a lot of tissue was taken, very far up the hoof wall, drainage and lameness, not so unusual.
  
• Radiographs were taken. Here's where it gets interesting (in the Chinese curse sense).

Question: Why do they call it a coffin bone?
Answer: Because it's going to put me in my grave. Here are "key parts" of today's x-rays. The first one is one of the front of the coffin bone -- similar to others taken in the past. You can see the healthy regrowth and the gas pocket further down. So far, so good.


Below is a new vantage point (no previous x-rays for comparison). What's that shadow? Well, there is some chance it's osteomyelitis. Or it may be nothing. They don't know.

Given the nagging symptoms (lameness, discharge, shadow) they want to see him in four weeks. One possible recommendation -- and I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP, he really said it -- one possibility is that he'll need a hoof resection and curettage of the shadowy part of the coffin bone.

He did not just say that
Oh, yes he did. You can't imagine my feelings at hearing this -- my dark night of the soul, and I thought I'd already had my dark night of the soul with the last surgical procedure.

The farrier met us at the clinic and reset Riley's shoe. He had some concerns about the hoof regrowth but I won't even go there right now. Right before I left, the farrier suggested we round up the vet and get a followup plan, which is...

• Stay on SMZs, monitor closely for lameness or discharge, come back in four weeks.
• Recheck Riley's condition.
  
• Re-shoe Riley and do some other non-routine but farrier-like procedures to ensure healthy hoof growth. BTW, this is the $200 a shoe farrier who I'm liking a whole lot right now. He was really astute and thoughtful.
  
• If certain conditions are, or are not met (I don't even know what they are), a hoof resection may be indicated. If that is the recommendation I honestly don't know what I'll do.

Riley was a good boy. Poor Riley, even his complications have complications.