Wounds in Horses

Despite owners providing excellent facilities, wounds are common in all types of horses. An owner should have an excellent working relationship with his/her veterinarian to provide optimal care.

While waiting for your veterinarian, there are a number of things a horse owner should not do. Placing fingers in the wound can contaminate it, as can hair from clipping around the wound. Do not

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Despite owners providing excellent facilities, wounds are common in all types of horses. An owner should have an excellent working relationship with his/her veterinarian to provide optimal care.

While waiting for your veterinarian, there are a number of things a horse owner should not do. Placing fingers in the wound can contaminate it, as can hair from clipping around the wound. Do not apply medication to the wound as many antiseptics, detergents, greasy ointments, and powders interfere with healing (see “Antimicrobials and Wound Healing,” article #4280 at www.TheHorse.com). Direct pressure can be applied to the wound to stop bleeding using a thick bandage, but a tourniquet should not be applied.

Many factors must be taken into account to determine the best treatment choice. When there is excessive tension, motion, contamination, or tissue loss, suturing might not be successful and could lead to increased costs for treatment and risks of complications. Some wounds can be sutured a few days after swelling and contamination are reduced, while excessive tissue loss dictates some wounds must heal without suturing. Typically, open wounds on the body heal faster and with less complications than leg wounds.

Bandages help protect wounds from further contamination and trauma, and they provide a warm, moist environment that promotes rapid wound repair. However, bandaging body wounds is difficult, and often impossible. Therefore, veterinarians frequently recommend hydrotherapy (hosing) to cleanse the wound, increase wound circulation, and stimulate healing. An ointment might be applied afterward to the wound to prevent desiccation (drying out). Bandages stimulate proud flesh production on leg wounds, so numerous methods are used to control or prevent proud flesh, including the daily application of a topical corticosteroid cream. Severe wounds in areas of excessive motion often require a cast to facilitate healing

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Written by:

Spencer M. Barber, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, is the professor of Large Animal Surgery at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. While Dr. Barber is interested in all aspects of equine surgery, he has a particular interest in orthopedic and wound management topics. He has spoken, published and done research on various aspects of orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, besides numerous clinical investigations. His research in soft tissue includes studies on wound management and repair, and healing over-exposed corticol bone. Dr. Barber has also investigated the prevention and control of exuberant granulation tissue, as well as the role of cytokines in wound healing and their role in the formation of exuberant granulation tissue.

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