I’ve been involved with horses all my life, yet I’m continually amazed at how little I know about them. And, I’m not alone. It seems like everyone’s just stumbling around trying to figure out the best way to re-invent the wheel for an animal that has us beat by millions of years.
I mean, you’d think an industry that has an impact of $101.5 billion on the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a hefty chunk of that going into new technologies on everything from equine cloning to stirrups, would have someone in it who could come up with a “one size fits all” handbook; something we would actually follow, or at least not argue about. Ah, but when it comes right down to it, we’re searching for answers in a world that’s steeped in folklore, so it’s no wonder we find it hard to come to terms on even the smallest point. But, sometimes I wonder, with all our good intentions, do we do more harm than good?
Like take the other day, for instance. My friend noticed that her horse had an open wound above his tail when she brought him in from the pasture (we all know how that goes - put a horse in a 1,000 acre field with a sharp stick at the farthest corner, and not only will he find it, he will most certainly impale himself). Anyway, the wound didn’t seem serious enough to call the vet, so she did what she’s always done, she cleaned it by pouring on povidone iodine antiseptic solution. Hhhmmm, I’d heard that wasn’t such a good idea, but since there are as many opinions as there are ways to ride a horse, I decided to check with Dr. Patricia Provost, VMD, DACVS, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine to be sure, and for futures, unfortunately.
Equine Wounds Described
Partial thickness wounds
Caused by a sharp or jagged object
Do not penetrate through all layers of the skin
Cut edges stay close together
Bleeding is usually controlled easily
Full thickness wounds
Object cuts through all layers of the skin and may also penetrate the deeper underlying tissue
The skin edges will often gape open
Bleeding is often quite substantial
Puncture Wounds
Commonly caused by a stake or nail
Generally do not create much blood flow, unless a major blood vessel is punctured
Abrasions
Usually involves only the skin and hair
Typically caused by friction i.e., a rope burn
Treatment
Contact your veterinarian if the situation involves eyes, muscles, bone, or is located over a tendon sheath or joint, or, the horse is lame on the injured limb, has a fever, or if the wound is likely to have penetrated the chest or abdomen
Step one is to control the bleeding
Apply steady pressure with a clean bandage or towel for at least five minutes
If blood is spurting from the wound before pressure is applied, or if after several minutes the blood is soaking through the pressure bandage, call your veterinarian
Once the bleeding has subsided, the wound needs to be cleaned
Hose it with a moderate flow of water to flush out the dirt and debris
Use a clean wet cloth for wounds on the face
When the wound has been cleaned, assess the damage
If the skin edges are separated, it may be necessary to have the wound sutured
Do not remove the bandage to clean if the bleeding is severe enough for you to have called your veterinarian – just wait for his/her arrival
Do not apply antiseptics, detergents, creams or powders as they interfere with healing; however, a mild antibiotic ointment may be applied to prevent desiccation (drying out)
And remember, if your horse does not have a current tetanus vaccine (within the year), contact your veterinarian to get a booster shot to avoid the risk of tetanus
There it is in black and white; another judgment rendered. Am I going to tell my friend about my findings - sure, but is she going to change her ways? Now, that’s a question . . . and a story for another day.
I mean, you’d think an industry that has an impact of $101.5 billion on the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a hefty chunk of that going into new technologies on everything from equine cloning to stirrups, would have someone in it who could come up with a “one size fits all” handbook; something we would actually follow, or at least not argue about. Ah, but when it comes right down to it, we’re searching for answers in a world that’s steeped in folklore, so it’s no wonder we find it hard to come to terms on even the smallest point. But, sometimes I wonder, with all our good intentions, do we do more harm than good?
Like take the other day, for instance. My friend noticed that her horse had an open wound above his tail when she brought him in from the pasture (we all know how that goes - put a horse in a 1,000 acre field with a sharp stick at the farthest corner, and not only will he find it, he will most certainly impale himself). Anyway, the wound didn’t seem serious enough to call the vet, so she did what she’s always done, she cleaned it by pouring on povidone iodine antiseptic solution. Hhhmmm, I’d heard that wasn’t such a good idea, but since there are as many opinions as there are ways to ride a horse, I decided to check with Dr. Patricia Provost, VMD, DACVS, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine to be sure, and for futures, unfortunately.
Equine Wounds Described
Partial thickness wounds
Caused by a sharp or jagged object
Do not penetrate through all layers of the skin
Cut edges stay close together
Bleeding is usually controlled easily
Full thickness wounds
Object cuts through all layers of the skin and may also penetrate the deeper underlying tissue
The skin edges will often gape open
Bleeding is often quite substantial
Puncture Wounds
Commonly caused by a stake or nail
Generally do not create much blood flow, unless a major blood vessel is punctured
Abrasions
Usually involves only the skin and hair
Typically caused by friction i.e., a rope burn
Treatment
Contact your veterinarian if the situation involves eyes, muscles, bone, or is located over a tendon sheath or joint, or, the horse is lame on the injured limb, has a fever, or if the wound is likely to have penetrated the chest or abdomen
Step one is to control the bleeding
Apply steady pressure with a clean bandage or towel for at least five minutes
If blood is spurting from the wound before pressure is applied, or if after several minutes the blood is soaking through the pressure bandage, call your veterinarian
Once the bleeding has subsided, the wound needs to be cleaned
Hose it with a moderate flow of water to flush out the dirt and debris
Use a clean wet cloth for wounds on the face
When the wound has been cleaned, assess the damage
If the skin edges are separated, it may be necessary to have the wound sutured
Do not remove the bandage to clean if the bleeding is severe enough for you to have called your veterinarian – just wait for his/her arrival
Do not apply antiseptics, detergents, creams or powders as they interfere with healing; however, a mild antibiotic ointment may be applied to prevent desiccation (drying out)
And remember, if your horse does not have a current tetanus vaccine (within the year), contact your veterinarian to get a booster shot to avoid the risk of tetanus
There it is in black and white; another judgment rendered. Am I going to tell my friend about my findings - sure, but is she going to change her ways? Now, that’s a question . . . and a story for another day.
