Nutrition to help healing?

[ponymum]

My horse is just home from a week in horspital after a cut above his hock caused by wire fencing. The vet was unable to stitch so the treatment is bandaging until adequate granulation tissue has been formed. Fortunately the injury is mainly superficial and he has avoided damaging things like tendons and ligaments etc. Can anyone suggest anything I can feed him to help the healing process? He usually has Alfa A Oil and speedibeet with some balancer and carrots. He doesn't put on weight easily so I don't have to restrict his diet too much while he is on box rest. I have a box of Aloeride that I won in a competition but haven't used, would this help? Any suggestions to speed things along gratefully received. Thanks

 

[tallyho!]

If you are receptive to homeopathy and herbs, I can suggest hepar sulph or arnica to aid wound healing.

Turmeric in food is good for wound healing too.

Consider detoxifying herbs like nettle, milk thistle and mint to boost the immune system. Also, adding a teaspoon of salt will help the body rid itself of toxins.

I'm getting to grips with coconut oil as a good healing oil, but my experience with it is still limited.

 

[ponymum]

Thanks for that, suggestions well worth trying. What sort of quantities are we talking for the turmeric and herbs?
I forgot to say, he is also on ad lib haylage. I just want him to heal so he can go out, he gets so miserable on box rest but until it has healed enough for the bandage to come off, he has to stay in.

 

[tallyho!]

If dried herbs, I'd give a handful a day. You can make it into a "tea" by soaking it in with the speedibeet. All the goodness will hydrate and be easier to digest. If fresh, say, nettles as they are all just coming up now, you can give a handful fresh. Also good for kidneys is dandelion and cowparsley which is in season now. Rough chop into each feed for about a week or two. Or just intersperse into the hay for added interest.

Turmeric, just a teaspoonful.

 

[flintfootfilly]

I'd just make sure he has a full ration of a good balancer every day. That's probably your best way of trying to meet all his basic nutritional requirements.

Sarah

 

[tallyho!]

Beware what balancer you choose... Soya based ones are very pro-inflammatory so best go with powdered forms rather than pellet forms.