This 6-year-old mare was referred to Equitom with a complex, comminuted, and highly unstable fracture of one of her limbs. The bone injury had already been present for several days and carried a high risk of complications.

🔎 Cannon bone fractures are particularly challenging: the bone is poorly protected by soft tissues, making the skin vulnerable and significantly increasing the risk of infection—even without an open wound. In this case, osteosynthesis would have been too risky due to the high risk of infection and lack of stability.

🩻 After discussion with the owner, our team opted for an amputation. The distal limb was amputated just below the hock, allowing for the possibility of a prosthesis later on—something feasible thanks to the mare’s small size. The bone was cut smoothly, and the tendons (flexors, suspensory ligament, and extensor) were used to create a cushion at the stump, before the skin was sutured over it.

🦴Pins were then inserted into the tibia and combined with a cast acting as a temporary prosthesis. Since the weight rests solely on the pins, the stump can heal without pressure—avoiding necrosis and complications.

The healing process is now underway, with a definitive prosthesis as the next goal. The road ahead will be long, but this little warrior has already shown incredible courage—and our team will be right there, every step of the way. 💙