Help, Wound management advice

S

SmokingBabe

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Four weeks ago Minnie sustained a kick injury to her off hind (3" long and quite deep, midway between hock and fetlock). She had antibiotic's by an initial injection and then a 5 day course of powders. I poulticed daily for 10 days and have then changed the dressing once a day using dry animalintex.
The wound is healing perfectly with no proud flesh and it's very clean & dry but I'm now at a loss on how to proceed
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I feel she needs the air to get to the wound to facilitate the scabbing over process but I'm worried about the flies getting to it or her knocking it.
I'm probably being silly but does anyone have any experience , maybe there is a magic
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spray or something !
My vet is re visiting her on Monday and I'll ask her but as she isn't equine specific I'm hoping to get advice here too!!!
Many thanks
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My horse had a kick a few weeks ago, the vet bandaged it and i then had to take it off and bandage it myself becasue of swelling, she was kept in and had stitches the vet said to leave it and not to put anything on. After a few days of being bandaged all the time and just changing once a day i started just bandaging over night so it was exposed during the day to dry out, i was worried about the flies but i havent had a problem and its healed really well, when the staples came out after two weeks she was alowed out vet said not to do anything i worried about flies but no probs and its healed well so i wouldnt worry too much but just follow your vets advice, mine def healed quicker after having bandage off during the day
 
My friend's TB had a nasty kick to his hock 3 weeks ago that penetrated the joint capsule. Because he was't kept on box rest but was allowed out in a small fenced off area of the field, the wound didn't heal well to begin with. It was only last night when the vets came for about the 100th time that some early healing can be seen. There is a problem with proud flesh that they are hoping will respond to copper suplphate to burn the excess off but will have to wait and see. Some new skin is growing across although another patch hasn't re-attached itself yet and is a bit of a worry. Ned is at last on box rest and the important thing is that the vets said yesterday to leave the bandages off. A secondary problem with tight bandaging to a horse's leg is that it can damage the rest of the leg! So ned is on box rest with the bandages off with instructions to keep a VERY close eye on him. You're right that the air needs to get at it at some point. I wouldn't put any spray on. Couldn't you ring your vets and ask what she would do for an outside farm dog? Same principles. Or she could look it up in a flipping text book or phone a friend. I mean, ye gods, if she doesn't know how to treat an injured horse she shouldn't have started in the first place. If in doubt, I always err on the side of caution, but that's just me.
 
This is always a difficult stage of wound care!

Assuming the wound is all "filled in" and is no longer open (eg, it's basically just a scratch, instead of a hole), you should be ok to leave it open to the air.

If the wound is still a bit too open, keep it covered for a few more days. Once it's at this stage, you should only need to change the dressing every 2 days anyway (obviously more often if it's "gungey"). Disturbing the wound every day can delay the healing process.

Make sure you keep it clean (I would clean with salt water or dilute hibiscrub twice a day) and above all, keep the flies off it. This time of year, you won't have to worry too much about mud and dirt getting into it, so I would recommend using an ointment which will stay on (most "gels" will melt off during the day, leaving the wound open to flies), but still wash off when you clean the wound.

Vaseline creates a good barrier, so I might be tempted to use an antiseptic cream/gel on the cut itself, then plaster vaseline over the top. This would also help create a moist wound healing environment, which helps the epithelial cells move across the surface and encourages faster healing.

Is Minnie stabled at all? If so, you could cover it during the day while she's out, and leave it open at night when she's stabled. That might give you the best of both worlds.

Hope she makes a speedy recovery anyway
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Thanks Samps, I'm pleased your horse is doing well. I'm going to have to be brave as I know the air will speed up the recovery
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Ouch, that sounded a nasty wound
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It sounds like your friends horse is doing well but it is a worry until the wound has fully healed. Minnie's vet is very caring but I do seem to get alot of umming and ahhing
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Thankfully, the wound is now all ''filled in'' and not at all gungy.
You're spot on regarding my disturbing the wound by still changing the dressing every day,it bleeds a little if the dressing has stuck*pulls a sad face* I changed the dressing today so I'll leave it tomorrow, redo on Sunday and then her vet can assess her on Monday.
I will keep it very clean and thank you very much for suggesting popping vaseline on top of the ointment, I wouldn't have thought of that
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I detest flies
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Minnie isn't stabled but I guess in the future and at this stage of healing I could cover any wounds during the day and leave off at night. Why didn't I think of this
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Poor Minnie having to put up with me
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Thank you everyone for your help, it's much appreciated and very helpful <font color="blue"> </font>
 
A girl at the yard said the same thing today !!!! I've bitten the bullet and left the dressing off tonight as it's peeing it down so no chance of flies. Thank you
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Hi if it helps I had the same situation but my girls legs were nowhere near closed and they had to be out in the fresh air. They are now more or less closed and I have managed to source a thing called Netex which is used on cattle and sheep to keep flies off open wounds. It is a lot cheaper than anything with the equine word infront of it and is doing a lovely job. I liberally apply it to her scarring and scores and it is keeping the flies off beautifully.
 
Just thought of something else, Carr, Day and martin do a balm which you can put direct onto cuts which smells of citronella so should help repel the flies, you can put it on mud fever i think its called protection plus.
 
The best stuff for wounds like this is the clear gel - which hydrates the wound, and keeps it clean.
Robinson's do a cheap version, called Vetalintex or similar, in a little white tube with blue writing. There's a 'proper' version which comes in a mushroom shaped container, and your vet will be able to give you some. I can never remember the name of it ....something hydrogel, maybe?
It will help healing and keep the flies off.
S
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ETA: It's called Intrasite gel - and you can buy dressings with it on, which would mean you wouldn't reopen the wound each time you change it...
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Thanks
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After reading your reply and googling the product I've actually just phoned my vet to order a pack of 10 intrasite conformable dressings! I'm not sure whether they'll be used for this wound but they bl@@dy well will be for future ones!
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Update- as it's still raining and so no flies! I've left the dressing off. Her vet says there is a little proud flesh , shows what I know
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, so has prescribed something to deal with it, I think it's called Amostin. I have to apply twice daily and may pop a dressing over it if necessary.
Thank you all for replying, most helpful
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