🩺 Complete Vet Guide 2025: Equine Wound Care Essentials | Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

Meta description: 🛠️ A vet’s 2025 guide by Dr Duncan Houston on equine wound care—first aid, vet care, bandaging, complications & prevention, with Ask A Vet support.

1. 🧭 Why Prompt Wound Care Matters

Wounds are the second most common emergencies in horses, and if not managed quickly and correctly, they can escalate into serious threats involving infection, proud flesh, or even joint damage :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Swift action can save time, money, and your horse’s health.

2. 🩸 When Injuries Happen: First Aid to Protect

2.1 Assess the Situation

• Ensure safety—calmly approach and assess for seriousness.
• Large wounds, punctures, eye involvement, or head/joint wounds? These need emergency vet attention :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

2.2 Control Bleeding

Pressure is your friend: use clean gauze, bath towels or cotton, and bandage. Hold for at least 5–10 minutes. Severe bleeding? Continue until professional help arrives :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

2.3 Clean Safely

• Small wounds: rinse gently with cool water, then use diluted antiseptic like Betadine or chlorhexidine and follow with saline :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Facial wounds: stick with saline; avoid harsh antiseptics near the eyes :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
• Puncture injuries or embedded objects: don’t remove—veterinary assessment first :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

3. 🩺 What Your Vet Will Do

When I arrive as the attending vet, here’s my usual protocol:

• Clipping: Remove hair to better visualize and clean the site :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
• Debridement: Excise dead tissue and foreign debris for healthy healing :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• Suturing: Close lacerations within 8 hours if possible—especially those involving joints, tendons or face—to limit proud flesh :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Bandaging/casting: Especially below the knee/hock, to protect and support :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Antibiotics & NSAIDs: Systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are often prescribed :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
• Tetanus booster: If overdue by over 6–12 months, vaccination is essential :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.
• Advanced options: Wet-to-dry bandages, foam dressings, hydrogel tops, regional limb perfusion (RLP) for deep limb infections :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.

4. 🩹 Bandaging Techniques That Work

4.1 Basics for Below the Knee/Hock

Layering counts:

1. Non-stick “gel pad” or sterile dressing.
2. Absorbent pillow layer (roll cotton).
3. Pressure layer (brown gauze). Wrap clockwise on right legs, counter-clockwise on left :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.
4. Secure outer layer (VetWrap or Elastikon).

Change staging as needed—from twice daily initially to less often later :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.

4.2 Managing Pride Flesh & Granulation

Proud flesh is overgrowth on distal limb wounds that haven’t been closed :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}. Treatment includes surgical trimming, corticosteroid cream, and supportive bandaging to encourage healthy healing.

4.3 Foot & Hoof Injury Care

For puncture wounds or bruises in the hoof, a hoof boot with padding or poultice maintains cleanliness and prevents weight-bearing pain :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}.

5. 🧪 Prevent Complications & Promote Healing

• Keep it moist: Moist wound environments heal faster—use hydrogels or foam dressings after initial cleaning :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}.
• Drainage: Use drains for abscesses or fluid pockets as needed :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}.
• Manage swelling: Standing wraps or boots help to prevent edema and promote comfort :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}.
• Exercise: Gentle hand-walking speeds lymphatic flow—avoid confined stall rest beyond 7–14 days :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}.
• Nutrition: Good diet supports tissue repair.

6. ⚠️ Watch for Trouble Signs

• Heat, swelling, discharge, foul odor – infection signs needing vet re-evaluation.
• Proud flesh overgrowth—needs professional trimming.
• Signs of tetanus—stiff gait, lockjaw, heightened sensitivity :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}.
• Joint involvement—reduced movement, swelling near joints warrants immediate care :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}.
• Puncture wounds—require deep cleaning and vet monitoring.

7. 🔄 Advanced Therapies: Hydrogel, RLP & Maggots?

Hydrogels under bandages stimulate granulation and epithelial growth :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}.

Regional Limb Perfusion delivers high antibiotic concentration to infected limbs with fewer side effects :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}.

Maggot debridement therapy is sometimes used for chronic, non-healing wounds—maggots consume dead tissue and disinfect the wound :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}.

8. 🛡️ Prevention Starts Ahead

• Prevent hazards—remove sharp objects, maintain fencing.
• Regular grooming identifies small wounds early.
• Use protective boots during turnout or transport :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}.
• Keep tetanus vaccines current :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}.
• Maintain clean stalls and dry paddocks.
• Monitor herd interactions to reduce bites and trauma.