[BaroquePony]

About eight months ago, I noticed my pony became ear shy overnight. Warrants investigation. So, I get my trusty stool and stand up high enough that I can examine the situation.

Find a hard piece of wood, that looks like it is from a treated fence post, sticking out of a small abcessing hole area ... at most 1/32" sized hole ... so I get forceps and pull out the splinter ... about 3/4" total, and wound left cleans up well. Very small hole. Do iodine wash. This is between the base of his ear (front inside) and the area where the forelock grows out of his head. Pony is no longer head shy/ear shy at all.

Heals well. Pony still not reactive to feeling the area, brushing whatever.

Now, I discover a 3/4" "thing" about two months ago. I can feel something like a 3/4" splinter, and it is laying flat and seems to be in between the layers of skin (not between skin and muscle or bone). This makes it harder to take out easily. Would have to dig around and would leave a big hole for awhile.

Vet says better to just leave it.

I am not comfortable leavng it, but maybe it's just me.

What do you all think?

[draftdriver]

I'm with the Vet.

[deltawave]

I'm with the Vet.

Me, too, as a provisional game plan. Check it every couple of weeks and if it is just sitting there quiet, no swelling, no tenderness, no drainage, then there is probably almost nothing to be gained by opening it up and turning a benign foreign body that's walled off into a surgical procedure with risk of infection, sedation, etc.

If it begins to cause swelling, pain, problems, then it's time to get it out of there. But not before that, IMO.

[BaroquePony]

Thanks.

[Texarkana]

Where is the "thing"? In the same area as before or someplace new? Regardless, I'd probably just try to leave it alone, too.

[BaroquePony]

The "thing" lies parallel to the line down the top of the forehead where the forelock grows out of. It is off to the side by about a 1/2". I definately have been checking it. My concern is that he will have an itch sometime when the weather warms up again and he may rub it. It lies perfectly sandwiched between the layers of his pony hide. Parallel to the surface of the skull.

But, it is only about 3/4" long and feels like a needle broke off (it is a long straight thing, like a splinter or a broken needle).

There is no way he could have a needle in there ... at least not from anything recent (past three years).

It just feels weird. But, no open wound now. No infection. No inflammation. Just creepy.