Wounds

Horses can wound themselves in any scenario – being ridden, in the field, in the stable or when travelling. Wounds vary from minor grazes that will heal without veterinary attention to major wounds that require emergency surgery under general anaesthetic. 

When to call the vet? We recommend you contact the vet in the following situations:

-          The wound is close to a joint, tendon sheath, or eyelid

-          The wound is full skin thickness and longer than 1cm

-          The wound is bleeding profusely

-          The horse is lame

-          There is a discharge or smell from the wound

If in doubt about any of the above please contact us and we can at least discuss the case or view a photo to help you decide if the wound needs seen by a vet or not.

Managing minor wounds at home

​

Any wound should be initially cleaned with clean running water ie hose. Once you have cleaned it, if you are in doubt about any of the above points please call a vet and keep the wound clean until it is examined. If you are satisfied that the wound does not require veterinary attention then we recommend it is thoroughly cleaned with hibiscrub or salty water (1 teaspoon salt in a pint of water). Continue to clean twice daily until healed. Most wounds heal best when left open without a bandage.

​

TAKE CARE WHEN CLEANING WOUNDS ON THE LIMBS OR HEAD AS A NORMALLY QUIET HORSE MAY KICK OR STRIKE OUT WHEN IN PAIN. If you cannot safely clean the wound then please contact us and we can sedate the horse for a thorough clean and assessment. 

Proud Flesh

Proud flesh (exuberant granulation tissue) can occur when the body starts to produce too much new tissue in response to a healing wound. It is more likely to occur on wounds in lower limbs, in high motion areas or in contaminated (dirty) wounds. It can be recognised as appearing like a red wart, or a red soft area which appears to be higher than the normal skin line. It will bleed easily. 

Proud flesh needs careful management, either with specific creams or debridement (which may need to be repeated on several occasions) so please call us if you suspect your horses wound may have developed proud flesh. If let unmanaged the wound will not heal. 

Tetanus

It is possible for a horse to contract tetanus from any wound and therefore it is vital that your horse is kept up to date with tetanus vaccines. If they have not been vaccinated or you are unsure then please contact us immediately so we can administer antitoxin in the event of a wound.