Magpies and wounds

[MrA]

I was so surprised this morning to see a magpie potentially drinking Ales blood from a small wound on his fetlock that isn't healing. At least now I know why.

It's so superficial. I've been using silver spray on it, do you think that would have attracted the magpie? There was definitely fresh blood on it this morning but I wasn't quite close enough to see if the magpie was indeed drinking it.

I've given it a very good clean and he's in for a bit today anyway as have got my trimmer coming. I'll try covering it in sudocrem later instead of the silver spray and see how we get on.

 

[carthorse]

How strange! I think I'd cover it with a dressing and some vet wrap, Sudocrem will put off insects but I'm not sure it will stop a bird the size of a magpie. I'm amazed Ale hasn't stamped on it.

 

[MrA]

I have no idea why he was letting it do what it was doing, he seemed oblivious. I'll see how we get on but I have considered a dressing too. It's just such a small wound

 

[MrA]

Maybe a sock with the toe cut off would work given its location. How odd

 

[Sparky Lily]

Magpies are carnivorous, so could it be picking at a scab rather than drinking blood? Either way, it’s probably best covered.

 

[MrA]

Why on earth was Ale letting it do any of this is my next question

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

In general horses don't seem to mind birds sitting on them. Generally I think the birds are after horse parasites )ticks, flies) and so the horses would welcome them. Ale won't know any different about what the bird is doing.

Magpies are smart and not averse to a bit of extra protein, however they come by it.

 

[MrA]

It's an odd place to have a wound and given the fact it hasn't been healing as expected I think it must be the magpie actually opening it up again. It's not a deep wound just a small graze really that started as a fly bite. It's not in a place that Ale would knock it or anything so I'm sure it must be the bird doing it

 

[chunky monkey]

If it was itching the magpie may actually have been helping releave the itch. But magpie and crows are so destructive, what is a small wound could be opened in no time. Therefore i would cream and cover for a few days.

 

[MrA]

The itch definitely left a while ago as I've been keeping a close eye on it for about a week and he's shown no signs of bothering it. Had been closed 3 days with no issues, re covered with silver spray yesterday and then open this morning. But yes covering it seems like the way to go, I'll try the sock today, might get some weird looks but it's the first thing we use at work to let the wound breathe.

 

[carthorse]

Being on the fetlock it could be that movement is opening it if the scab over it was too tight. Keep a close eye on it, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that any wound on a joint carries higher risks.

 

[Jessey]

It’s a bit strange, I’ve known birds pluck shedding coat out but never seen one bother a wound, I wonder if the silver spray did attract him?!?

 

[Mary Poppins]

OOh, that makes me feel very strange to thinking that a magpie is sucking the blood out of Ale. I'm normally all for letting air to get to wounds, but if I saw this happening to my horse I would smoother it in sudocream and hope that this stops the problem.

 

[MrA]

Unfortunately Ale was far too anxious and wound up when I was there later to get any sort of covering on it, we only just finished his trim alive. So I covered it with sudocrem and I'm hoping for the best in the morning. It's very superficial still and not over a joint so I'm not too worried about it, just hope the bird leaves it alone!!