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Skin wounds are frequent in horses, whatever their stage of life. Its implications for athletic horses are even greater. According to a study carried out with the purebred English breed, 7% of the injuries that lead to the early retirement of these animals are associated with injuries. Therefore, it is importan to know how to take care of these cases, using, for example, a healing ointment for horses, in addition to other solutions.

In this article, see how to care for equine wounds!

Types of wounds in horses

Wounds in horses can be the result of surgery, trauma (such as “bruises”, the effect of poor saddle fit; or a kick), neoplastic processes (such as sarcoids, melanomas and squamous cell carcinomas) and fungal infection (ptiosis) or parasitic (habronemosis). The degree of difficulty in treating these wounds involves several factors, such as:

• The location and extent of the wound: mobility and irrigation of the horse’s body area interfere with the healing process, as does its size and depth;
• The degree of microbial contamination: wounds can be classified as clean (surgical incisions in tissues with less presence of microorganisms), clean-contaminated (surgical incisions in the gastrointestinal, urinary or respiratory system), contaminated (caused by trauma, with the presence of pus) or infected (presence of bacterial proliferation, foreign bodies or necrotic tissue);
• The type of healing: first-intention (when suturing is performed soon after the trauma), second-intention (excessive tissue loss or the presence of infection makes suturing unfeasible, but it can also occur in non-surgical trauma) or third-intention (suturing is performed after removal of underlying tissue).

All tese characteristics are observed by the veterinarian in order to guide the most appropriate treatment, as well as to pass a prognosis, which means a more accurate prediction of recovery.

How to treat wounds in horses?

Long before you think about using a healing ointment for your horse, the first step in treating wounds is to remove all external materials that are in the wound and get in the way of healing. Therefore, two processes must be carried out:

• Cleaning: refers to washing the wound using a solution to remove microorganisms and other residues;
• Debridement: using chemical solutions or mechanical means to remove materials adhering to the wound, stimulating the edges of the wound to facilitate healing later.

What can we pass on horse injuries?

The indication of what to apply in a horse wound must be done by the veterinarian. But, in any case, it is interesting that some solutions are present in the stud farm’s pharmacy for use in wound healing and in the recovery of animals, allowing them to return to their activities.

Hygiene

For initial cleaning, Tergenvet® solution can help remove crusts and secretions. As a surfactant, sodiul lauryl sulfate also favors the penetration of other compounds, without harming the tissue. For site antisepsis, preventing wound infection, you can use the antimicrobial solution Furanil®.

Treating infected wounds

In the case of wounds that are already infected, Vetaglós® ointment des an excellent job. Its antimicrobial association is highly effective in combating various microorganisms that may be present in skin lesions. The presence of vitamin A in its composition helps in the maintenance and regeneration of the skin. Urea, in addition to increasing the antimicrobial activity of sulfadiazines, helps in the hydration and removal of substances deposited on the skin.

Healing

Finally, to aid the skin regeneration process, Alantol® horse healing ointment can be used. It has, in its composition, two substances that contributeto the recovery of the injury:

• Allantoin: promotes epithelial stimulation, accelerating the healing process, keratolytic activity, providing greater elasticity to the scar, and hydration;
• Zinc oxide: it has drying power and helps in the healing process due to its antiseptic and epitheliazing action.

Despite the suggestions above, each wound may evolve at different times, and it is important to have the help of a veterinarian to guide which is the best solution to be used in each case. Now go to your neares Vetnil distributor for the best wound management products. The right treatment, given at the right time, can define your champion’s future!