How to get the final bit of a wound to heal

[kgj66]

My horse had a major incident in July where she sliced open the outside of her hind cannon bone, down to the bone, scraping of a sliver of bone.

It has healed really well, and apart from a bit of swelling last week where the bandage was too tight after it rained it has been fine ( we think this is from damage to the lymph system and her body just overreacting - it was huge!)

Anyway there is a tiny area still open, which had healed thinly over the top but has reopened again from the swelling. In the last 3 weeks it hasn't got any smaller or better. Just wondering if anyone has any bright ideas how to progress that final healing phase?

I'm thinking Manuka honey?? She currently has to be bandaged as is out 24/7 and it's muddy plus the fact she runs about a lot - I don't want to risk it being opened up more. Bandage changed every 4 days, with a clean out with sea water, natural botanica herbal cream applied, and for a few days after it reopened anti-fungal steroid cream.

Ideas are welcome!!

 

[Frosty89]

I'm a BIG fan of Manuka honey for wounds. My mare has had two fairly large lacerations in the past couple of years and it's worked wondered both time. My vet also told me it's just as good as anything she could give me and cheaper

 

[AdorableAlice]

Another vote for honey.

 

[kgj66]

Thanks guys. I did use it on the other 20 small lacerations that she had from the accident and it worked a treat, but these were all left open to the air.

Will honey be ok left under a bandage to work? The thought of it getting sticky and icky is what gets me! But I suppose if it is working it's magic, sticky or not it should be ok?

 

[AdorableAlice]

My lad had a nasty cut to a hind leg (flap wound) on top of tendon just below hock. It was packed with honey and bandaged. The dressing was changed every 2 days and the healing was amazing. No proud flesh and a tiny scar that faded quickly. It was not unpleasant to deal with.

 

[cellie]

Hi I can't comment on honey as never used it but was looking for something less sticky for my horse who had laceration on hind leg and I found aloe Vera gel finished final healing process . Pics are on vet section if u want to look it was beg June and he's fine now .

 

[GreedyGuts]

If it continues like this I would speak to your vet about the possibility of radiographing the leg to check for a sequestrum. This is an are of 'dead' bone that can occur following an injury which causes disruption to the surface of the bone. This is a not-uncommon cause of delayed wound healing/breakdown, as the bone acts almost like a foreign body.

 

[4x4]

Equine America gel

 

[diamonddogs]

Will honey be ok left under a bandage to work? The thought of it getting sticky and icky is what gets me! But I suppose if it is working it's magic, sticky or not it should be ok?

My mare got a serious overreach injury in the field, and the vet packed it with Activon (medical grade Manuka honey) and slapped on a honey impregnated dressing on top, then bandaged it, the whole thing being changed every couple of days. Four weeks on you'd never know there'd been anything wrong.

Another horse on my yard had a really deep cut on his knee last summer (you could see bone under the cut) and he had the same treatment from a different vet. It had begin to heal with a week and now he doesn't even have a white hair to show for it.

I'm convinced!

 

[Foxy girl]

It's controversial and a bit like marmite in that some people hate it and some love it, but I swear by Camrosa. My mare had a huge wound on the inside of her hock which was such a hard place to heal but within weeks Camrosa worked like a dream and there wasn't even a scar, just a darker patch of hair when it grew back (she was grey). I have used it on horses since and it's been good but not amazing - I think some horses respond better to it than others.

 

[Shysmum]

Seen great results with Hypocare spray. try the small bottle, about £5.

 

[kgj66]

Thanks everybody. I have rebandaged it last night with Manuka honey. She is going to vet on Thursday, so we will check it. X-rays were taken last month and the fragment of bone had reattached itself to cannon bone, so definitely hoping that is has not opened up again!

It has been 5 months since the original injury and I just want it to be gone- I think being bandaged for that long must be very annoying for the horse!