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WOUND MANAGEMENT
5
EQUINE MATTERS
Wound Case Study:
HOOK NORTON
VETERINARY GROUP
Veterinary Surgeon
Sally Hodgson
XLVets Practice
Hook Norton Veterinary
Group, Oxfordshire
The horse's owner had dressed the wound
with a disposable nappy, gamgee and
Vetrap to hold the flap in the place it had
come from; as a result there was very little
swelling of the skin flap or the injured
leg. This made stitching the wound much
easier and probably resulted in faster
wound healing.
On arrival at the clinic, the horse was given
anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatment,
and was sedated to allow thorough cleaning
and stitching of the wound. A firm bandage
was placed over an absorbent dressing;
the dressing was changed daily for seven
days, during which time discharge from
the heavily contaminated wound gradually
decreased. Absorbent dressings were then
used for a further three days. As expected the
wound then began to break down, and the
sutures were removed. The largest area of
breakdown was at the top of the wound
(approximately 10cm x 5cm), with smaller
areas of exposed tissue along the wound
edges. Most of the skin flap had attached
securely to the tissue underneath. The open
areas of the wound consisted of healthy
granulation tissue and showed signs of
beginning to grow new healthy skin.
From this point onwards the wound was
dressed every 3 to 5 days under a firm
bandage with sterile manuka honey
dressings. The horse continued its course
of 'bute and antibiotics. There was a small
set-back when bandaging was stopped
too early; without support from the bandage
the wound broke down again and grew
larger instead of smaller until bandaging
was resumed. The wound had healed in
1 month and bandaging was then stopped.
The owner reported that the horse was out
hunting again 11 weeks after the original
injury. The success of this case was aided
enormously by the prompt and correct first
aid treatment given by the owner at the time
of injury. Skin wounds on the lower legs that
do not receive prompt treatment take much
longer to heal and have a greater number
of complications during healing.
A
16 year old hunter gelding presented to the equine clinic 90 minutes after sustaining
a large skin wound to the front of the right hind cannon whilst out hunting. The horse
had caught the leg in sheep netting.
Sally Hodgson BSc (Hons) MA VetMB MRCVS
Hook Norton Veterinary Group
The wound during healing showing the
secured skin flap and new skin at the
wound edges.
11 weeks after the injury the wound is
completely healed and the horse is back
in full work.