WOUND MANAGEMENT

The majority of wounds can be managed with basic first aid measures, however some can be more serious and require urgent attention.

When to Call the Vet:

For full skin thickness wounds that may require sutures / staples
For any wound near a joint or tendon sheath
Wounds bleeding profusely
Deep wounds with muscle or bone involvement evident
If the horse is lame with a wound
Wounds with a foreign body involved. Foreign bodies should be left in place until the vet arrives where possible. This includes penetrating injuries to the foot e.g. nails. In the case of a nail in a foot, it is helpful for the vet to be able to take an xray with the nail in place to check the position in relation to important structures such as the pedal bone, navicular bursa and deep digital flexor tendon. If there is a risk of the nail penetrating deeper by leaving it, then we may request that you take a video of it being removed and carefully mark the point of entry.

If in doubt, please contact us for advice. It may be helpful to get a photo of the wound sent across to us.

Basic First Aid

If bleeding, apply a clean dressing and bandage. It is important to apply firm pressure to the area and leave the bandage on until the vet arrives.
Heavily contaminated wounds should be cleaned – this could involve hosing initially to remove mud or debris. Very dilute hibiscrub or saline solution may be used for wounds that are not heavily contaminated.

Bandaging a Wound

A primary layer e.g. soffban should be used to hold a dressing in place. There are several types of dressing, and we are happy to advise on the most suitable choice on a case by case basis.
Cotton wool or gamgee should form the secondary layer.
A conforming bandage such as knit-firm should be used over the cotton wool.
A cohesive bandage (vet wrap) should be used for the final layer.

Poulticing

For a hot poultice soak the poultice in boiling water that has been allowed to cool to avoid risk of burning.
The poultice may be held in place by a thin bandage such as soffban, or a nappy.
Next, use a cohesive bandage such as Vetrap or Coflex.
Finally cover with a water proof layer – we use duct tape, but some people may cut bits of plastic feed bags for this purpose.

Recommended Items for a Basic First Aid Kit