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Learn how to deal with a lacerated horse leg laceration.

Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM | November 30, 2021 | Horse Care, Injuries and Wounds, Wound Management

The blood drops on the horse's legs will definitely affect your morning riding plan. If you look closely, you will find that the culprit is not just abrasions, because the wound extends to the deeper layers of the skin above the fetal membranes. Needing stitches may not seem bad enough, but you do want to keep it clean and help it heal. So, besides delaying the ride for a few days, what else can you do?

First, call or text your veterinarian with a photo of his or her wound so that he or she can assess its severity. Wounds near the joints are at risk of contaminating the surrounding synovial structure and require professional evaluation. Otherwise, your veterinarian can guide you in the next steps.

Here, we will delve into wound care-especially when the horse's leg is injured.

If you have a horse that accepts you to touch and explore the wound, you may be able to remove debris and contaminants through good cleaning.

"Any lavage (rinse or flush) is fine, even if you only use tap water," said Erin Denney-Jones of DVM, owner of Florida Equine Veterinary Services near Orlando. "Sterile saline with or without (preservative) Betadine (Povidone-iodine) or chlorhexidine solution is fine, but usually the owner can only use a garden hose for spraying wounds."

When using disinfectants, it is best to dilute them, because the full concentration is toxic to the tissues you are treating. For dilution, add 20-25 ml chlorhexidine or 10 ml Betadine per quart of water. 

"Don't use hydrogen peroxide because it is known to replace and kill cells, and it also causes pain when used, so horses may become very active," said Danny Jones. "Peroxide can very well remove blood from the legs (not directly on the wound) or clothes."

After removing most of the contaminants, you can gently clean the wound with disinfectant soap (chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine) if your horse allows it. It is important to rinse thoroughly to prevent the soap from damaging the keratin cells of the skin.

Conversely, if you even try to check his wound and your horse will hiss, it is safer to just spray it with a hose or wait until your veterinarian can take care of it. No wound is a reason to risk injury.

Check your records to make sure your horse has received the latest immunization against life-threatening tetanus in the past year. If you do not know the immune status of your horse, ask your veterinarian to use a tetanus toxoid booster vaccination.

We will continue this article, assuming your horse is willing to let you personally touch his wounds.

Related content | How to help horse wounds heal

Related content | How to help horse wounds heal

After cleaning the wound as much as possible, let it air dry while collecting the bandage material. Denney-Jones recommends bandaging all wounds that are not just abrasions or abrasions but are located under the knee or hock joint to help reduce swelling. There are several uses for bandages:

All these ingredients help to create an optimal healing environment. Although it is difficult or impossible to accelerate healing, there are many ways to slow or compromise it. The goal is to "do no harm."

â <"My first choice for bandages (if the wound is contaminated) is to use wet-to-dry applications," said Danny Jones. "Use diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine, lightly soak the gauze, put it directly on the wound, and then wrap it appropriately. When changing the bandage, clean the wound with wet gauze, and then gently wipe to remove water or secretions. Paper towels It looks clean and can be used for new bandage applications."

Another technique involves applying a water-soluble antiseptic ointment and a non-stick dressing to the wound, covering it with a filler, and using an adhesive bandage material to hold it in place.

In some cases, such as in humid, rainy, or snowy environments, using a double-layer bandage can help keep the inner layer dry and pollution-free for as long as possible. This means wrapping a bandage on the wound, and then wrapping another smaller bandage on the first bandage.

Denney-Jones practices in a subtropical climate, which is much wetter than Colorado, where I live, and makes a unique difference in wound management.

"Our warm and humid environment is conducive to the growth of bacteria and fungi, which can interfere with wound healing," she explained. "If a horse goes to drink water and immerses its wound in a pond or lake, we will also encounter pythiosis (a skin infection) problem. The nickname for the skin problem is "Florida leech", although it is (by) a kind of Summer sores (thermophilia caused by the skin deposits of Habronema gastric fly larvae) are more aggressive and difficult to treat fungal organisms (by). With this in mind, it is best if the wound is bandaged or has any open ulcers Keep these areas clean and dry, and keep horses away from water sources such as ponds and streams."

The frequency of changing horse bandages depends on the environment and the amount of discharge from the wound. "In the beginning, we had to change the bandage every day, especially when the wound was leaking, because there would be water under the bandage," Danny Jones said. "Once the wound is healed, we change it every two to three days. Sweat and skin peeling will produce a sticky surface secretion, which is wiped clean with dilute chlorhexidine on a gauze pad."

Related content | How to bandage a horse's wound

Related content | How to bandage a horse's wound

However, do not continue scrubbing the healing wound, as it will prevent skin cells from successfully filling the wound bed.

If you cannot use a clean surface to change the bandage, place the affected limb on a towel, blanket, or bed sheet to eliminate soil and fecal contamination.

Local antiseptic ointments can help keep tissues moist and flexible, while powders and sprays tend to dry out tissues, which can be counterproductive in dry climates. Water-soluble products are best because they are not as warm as petroleum ointments and you can easily wash them off. Only apply petroleum ointment to the skin under the wound to prevent the serum from oozing out of the burn. Be sure to discuss with your veterinarian which ointment is best for your horse’s wound.

"If the wound is stitched," Danny Jones said, "the first three to five days of bandaging will help reduce swelling and prevent the horse from chewing on the wound and removing the stitches."

Anyone who has to take care of a wound that needs a long dressing knows how expensive it is. Reusable bandage materials are available in the market, helping to reduce the cost of changing the bandage each time.

Once the entire wound has formed epithelial tissue (the foundation of the skin), you can stop the dressing. I like to wrap the wound with a bandage until it is about a quarter the size and has a beautiful pink epithelial layer on it. Then, a protective spray such as an aerosol bandage (for example, AluSpray) can prevent flies from flying away and protect the wound from dirt. Denney-Jones said that in some cases, such as in humid climates, spraying medicine may leave sweat underneath, while in dry climates, it may help.

The granulation tissue is red, and sometimes bleeding scar tissue fills the gaps in the wound. It is part of the normal healing process, but when it grows extensively, it is called "proud flesh" or vigorous granulation tissue. This usually occurs in movable areas, such as limb joints, where the healing tissue constantly bends and breaks the connections between cells. Because proud meat inhibits healing, your veterinarian should take steps to manage it.

Usually, we use a scalpel to remove the proud flesh, make the level of the wound flush with the edge of the skin, and then apply topical medicine. I have achieved great success with the combination of triple antibiotic ointment, corticosteroid cream and collagen ointment. Then I wrapped the wound with a bandage and left it alone for 5 to 10 days. The combination of the medication and the slight pressure of the bandage should allow the tissue to reshape to be flush with the skin, so epithelial cells begin to form an outer skin layer.

When you put on the bandage, apply gentle pressure to help stop the proud flesh and swelling. Denney-Jones recommends that the owner pay attention to the bone protrusions (seamoid bone, carpal accessory bone at the back of the knee, fly node) when dressing. Protect these areas with cotton pads before applying bandages; otherwise, the pressure may cause sores that are difficult to heal.

Use quilts or roll cotton pads along long bones and joints to make comfortable bandages that will not affect blood supply or tendons. Pull the bandage material over the anterior surface of the long bones and joints, while laying it on the surface of the posterior tendon instead of pulling it. If cotton or quilts are not available, feminine sanitary pads or baby diapers can be useful pads to protect the skin and tendons from bandage pressure.

The direction you use the bandage does not matter. Bandage your legs in any way that is most comfortable for you, and achieve the ideal effect of consistent coverage and light pressure. The most important thing is to stretch it evenly when applying, don’t wrinkle, and make sure it’s not too tight or too loose. If it is too tight, the bandage will compress the tissues and affect the blood supply. If it is too loose, it will sag and may slip, which can frighten the horse to react violently and cause self-injury.

After wrapping the bandage on the long bones with or without joints, place elastic tape (such as Elastikon) around the top and bottom of the bandage. It helps to add a joint above and/or below the bandage to avoid slippage.

"Stacking" is another useful technique to prevent the bandage from slipping off. Take the wrist (knee) wound as an example: “First put a complete bandage (or vertical wrap) on top of the cannon bone to contain the fetlock,” Denney-Jones said. "Then put a wristband bandage on the wound, and put enough cotton pads on the secondary carpal bones on the back of the knee to prevent friction or pressure sores. Then connect the wristband directly to the cannon bandage-a safe cannon bandage to connect the wrist The strap is fixed in place.” You can also use the stacking method on the hind limbs to prevent the bandage from slipping off.

For hock injuries, you may want your veterinarian to bandage these wounds or at least instruct you on the best method. It helps to fill the tip of the hock joint and Achilles tendon with cotton, and then wrap the entire area from the gaskin (the area between the knee joint and the hock joint) to below the hock joint. Elastic tapes like Elastikon are elastic and elastic to prevent tissue shrinkage. After wrapping the hocks in the bandage material, please be aware that the horse may react to this contraction when walking forward for the first time. Some people raised their bandaged hind legs in protest, ignoring obstacles or people jumping around, and there was a danger of falling. To prevent this from happening, after placing the hock bandage, I immediately put the horse back in place gently until he stopped responding to the bandage. This greatly reduces his risk of falling or kicking or further harming himself. Make sure there is enough space for horses, and make sure everyone and pets stay away.

Bandaging the foot requires some skill to prevent the bandage from moving upward. Denney-Jones prefers to wrap his entire foot in a bandage to prevent the material from rolling. I created a figure eight configuration on the heel bulb, which was a huge success. Then, you can use hoof boots (attached with cotton to the sides to prevent shavings or dirt from entering the boots) to further secure the bandage in place. Change your boots every day to remove debris and apply clean cotton. If confinement is not needed for the best wound healing-and boots are designed for competition-you can drive the horse out in boots.

It is important to look for signs of problems throughout the wound healing process. "If you (notice) swelling, pus, unpleasant smell, or feeling unusually hot in your legs, it's best to contact your veterinarian by phone and/or via email or text message and send a picture of the injury," Danny said- Jones. "Not all communications with your veterinarian will cost you (farm calls); if your horse is suitable for professional care, it is best to discuss the injury first and then schedule an appointment."

Another sign of a big problem is visible bones. Exposed bones are susceptible to infection, and it is important that granulation tissue forms on top of the bones as quickly as possible. However, too much proud meat covering the wound may obscure your ability to see the inside. The wound continues to grow proud flesh and does not heal, usually indicating a deeper infection or a dead bone (a piece of dead bone separated from the mother bone and loss of blood supply).

"Wounds that have not healed after about six weeks should be X-rayed (X-rays) to look for dead bones that may require surgical removal," said Danny Jones. Other problems that may prevent or delay wound healing include:

Denney-Jones advises horse owners in the southeastern United States to cover their horses with wounds in late spring, late summer and early fall to protect them from flies. In drier climates, it is still wise to cover the wound during these periods to prevent dirt and insects from entering and prevent tissue dehydration.

Through instruction and practice, you can become a wound dressing guide. Bandaging is important to create an environment where tissues can heal. The main factor for successful healing is to keep the wound clean. If you have any questions about the severity or condition of the wound, please call your veterinarian. Take a picture, send an email or text to your veterinarian, and cover the wound until you get professional advice or care.

Nancy S. Loving, DVM, owns the Loving Equine Clinic in Boulder, Colorado, and is particularly interested in managing sports horse care. Her book All Horse Systems Go is a comprehensive full-color veterinary care and conditioning resource that covers all aspects of horse care. In addition to many veterinary articles written for horse owners and professional audiences, she has also written the book "Long Distance" as a resource for endurance horse owners, body size and performance, and first aid for horses and riders.

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