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On Friday the 13th of August, 2004, our yearling filly Bunny
ran through a fence into a dog pen, became entangled, and
couldn't get up. The dogs mauled her right ear and forehead.
We discovered the situation within minutes, or Bunny would
probably have been killed.
Our vet, Dr. Tom Bevis, arrived in less than an hour. He removed the dangling
right ear and sutured what he could. The wounds were so chewed
up that there was little skin to work with. He left a small piece of
cartiledge in the right ear in hopes of having a small bit of upright ear.
He decided to leave the wounds open. He administered IV antibiotics
(penicillin and ???) and filled the wounds generously with DermaGel.
Daily care
1.5g Bute twice a day for the first four days,
1g Bute twice a day for the next 3 days, then
1g Bute once a day for a week;
2 scoops powdered Tucoprin (mixed in with feed) once a day;
Application of DermaGel three times a day. We only scrub the
areas every one to two days, since DermaGel contains both antibacterial and
healing agents, and dries to form a sort of seal.
Dr. Bevis returned 6 days after the injury to examine Bunny on
8/19/04. He determined that the cartiledge piece was not viable and
sedated Bunny to remove it and other dead tissue.
We thank Dr. Bevis for his extraordinary skill, dedication, compassion,
and prayers. Tom, our gratitude for saving this sweet filly is immeasurable.
We also thank the many friends and family members who have supported us with
their kind words, thoughts, and prayers.
Update: 8/29/04 - We continue to give Bunny plenty of affection and prayers.
Her appetite is great, and she is an angel when we are doctoring her wounds.
She grazed in the back yard during the days this weekend, and enjoyed her
time in the sunshine. She still stays in a stall at night and when we are
not home. She totally ignores the dogs, even when they bark at her when she
wanders near their pen. What a trooper!
Update: 9/24/04 - Bunny's healing is truly awesome! Her right ear has healed
to a small, nickel-size hole with small scar lines. The left side of her face
has also healed with only traces of scarring.
Update: 2/1/04 - Bunny's healing is complete! Her right ear has healed to a
small hole about the size of a pencil eraser, with hair grown all around it --
no scar. The massive injury to the left side of her face has also healed without
any scar -- all hair! Bunny's personality has remained sweet, and she is proving
to be a wonderful babysitter for our weanlings. Now if her mane would hurry up
and grow so she doesn't look like some kind of palomino zebra! ;-)
The photos below document the injury and the healing process.
WARNING: The following photos are graphic.
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