Fixing a hydraulic leak - DIY or dealer?

[Farwell]

I had NAPA make me up a couple of hoses and the guy that made them up must not have crimped one of the fittings tight enough so I had a minor leak. Tractor supply had hoses of different sizes and fittings. There are several sites on the Internet that sell hoses as well.
I had a pin hole in one of my supply lines that gave me a fine mist shower. Didn't worry about fluid entering my skin but was terrified of breathing it in as I rapidly drove my tractor to my barn for repair, holding my breath most of the way.
Farwell

 

[N80]

I never saw a high pressure hydraulic wound while in med school but we did learn about them. The main point was that even though the entry wound looks small (and there might not be an exit wound) the actual tissue damage can be extensive and invisible externally. The high pressure fluid basically dissects between layers of muscle, skin and fascia and can extend far beyond the entry wound. If I remember correctly (I'm not a surgeon), treatment in severe cases can involve opening the wound along its entire path to clean out the fluid and prevent infection.

 

[Farwell]

Sorta like the injection guns they used on me when I joined the Army and got all of my shots. I really am careful when around high pressure equipment but I know that they can get you when you least expect it.
Farwell

 

[RobA]

I wound up fixing the leaks myself. 2 of the fittings came loose - real loose. By the way, I thought I lost only about 1 quart of hydraulic fluid - turns out I was down 3 gallons!!

Thanks once again for the good advice.