Surgeon: Barbaro's Injuries Catastrophic

AP ^

[jern]

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was in surgery Sunday fighting for his life a day after breaking his right rear leg in three places at the Preakness, and the colt's surgeon said he's never worked on so many catastrophic injuries to one horse.

[Flavius]

if the leg is broken why is he fighting for his life

is it if they cannot repairt he leg he gets shot

or somehow dying for broken leg

[Sapper26]

It's my understanding that, unlike humans who can lay around to recover, a horse has to have some mobility or other complications will occur.

[avital2]

good time to watch the movie "Dreamer", think positive, and pray for this beautiful animal...

[HairOfTheDog]

Movement is life for a horse. A horse who cannot walk cannot live.

[Flavius]

thank you

[HairOfTheDog]

Other threads:

Barbaro In Surgery

Surgery Scheduled Sunday Afternoon for Barbaro

[Salamander]

Equine surgery has come a long way since Ruffian was killed because of her broken leg.

"If the surgery is successful, Barbaro will be lowered into a large swimming pool before he is awakened — part of New Bolton's renowned recovery system that minimizes injury risk. The horse is fitted with a sling on the operating table, placed on a raft and lowered into the water, allowing it to safely flail until fully conscious."

They let Ruffian come out of the anethesia too quickly, she panicked on the table and destroyed the bone setting they'd just done.

Hopefully this horse will survive and live to pass on what appear to be exceptional racing genes.

I did not see the race as I have not watched any horse race since Ruffian's match against Secretariat.
[who she was beating like a red-headed stepchild when her leg snapped]

[MAexile]

I'm just surprised they didn't shoot him right there on the track.

[oldironsides]

They say the same about people. Let us hope this champion
will live out his days with a fused joint and many happy mares. This surgeon operated on my filly. He is good. Chester County Pa realize what a jewel we have in New Bolton, Univ. of Penn.

[woofer]

think positive, and pray for this beautiful animal...

After all, the stud fees, man!

I hope the beast recovers only to not be able to get it up.

[Tall_Texan]

I hate phrases like "fighting for his life".

It is probably under anesthesia and has no concept of what is happening. When he wakes up, he's going to be in a swimming pool to help support his weight until they can determine if the surgery was successful.

True, his fate is in the balance but he's not fighting. He's unconscious and doctors are trying to save him. Far less dramatic words but also far more accurate.

[Mr. Brightside]

A human can be in a cast for months. But it is difficult for a 1200 pound prey animal, who relies on it's legs to simply survive, to stay down long enough for the leg to heal.

[Hardastarboard]

A horse who cannot walk cannot live.

Excuse my ignorance. Can you explain why? I've always heard that they pretty much always shoot (or anesthetize) horses with a broken leg, I just don't know why. Thanks

[HairOfTheDog]

If you really are curious, I can explain why it's not mere convenience to shoot a horse disabled with a broken leg. Forgive me if I thought your question was not serious.

The lower leg of a horse has practically no muscle, it is all bone and ligament, and the leg and hoof does not get the blood supply it needs to function, let alone heal, unless it can move. Movement is circulation.

The goal will be to get the leg stabilized enough so he can be turned out to pasture to move as soon as is possible. A horse's health deteriorates rapidly from inactivity.

[Flavius]

thanks, i my friend races horses

did not understand why he was bummed out

about that horse

clear now

[Salamander]

I wish I still had a circa 1970s copy of "Western Horseman" to show you an article from.

A champion reining horse actually tore his entire foot off from the fetlock down in a fence accident and he was fitted with a prosthetic foot.

He lived a long, rich and wonderful life as a beloved and lightly ridden family pet.


This horse may not race again but this will probably ensure that at least he won't be eaten by the French or Canadians.

[the fate of *most* "retired" racers]

[DariusBane]

Party Pooper

[ThreePuttinDude]

Now that was just toooo funny

I cant stop laughing ........damn that was good

[vetvetdoug]

Washington State Veterinary College and the Engineering College there collaborated about 15 years ago to make a prosthetic rear leg for a thoroughbred stallion that had also had a catastrophic injury to a rear leg that had to be amputated. The leg had a unique way of attaching to the stump and had a shock absorber like mechanism integrated into the shaft that allowed the leg to have some semblance of real way of moving and absorbing impact. The horse could breed and lift his two front legs off the ground as in a natural breeding using this leg. I remember the cost of the leg was almost six figures.