🩹 Vet Guide: Axillary Wounds in Horses | 2025 Treatment Tips for Foreleg-to-Chest Injuries 🐴

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Not all wounds are visible or obvious—some, like **axillary injuries**, can be deceptive in appearance but serious in impact. These are wounds that occur in the **crease between your horse’s foreleg and chest**—a high-motion zone called the **axillary region**. 🧠🩸

While they may seem like small lacerations, wounds here are particularly dangerous due to their depth, location, and the way they allow air to be sucked under the skin. In rare cases, they can even lead to **pneumothorax**, a potentially life-threatening condition. 😨

📍 What Is the Axillary Region?

The axilla is the area under the horse’s front leg where it meets the body—**like the equine equivalent of an armpit**. It’s highly mobile, sweaty, and difficult to keep clean—making it an easy target for cuts and a challenging area for healing. 🐎🩺

🩸 Why These Wounds Are Dangerous

Axillary wounds often appear minor on the surface, but can tunnel **8–12 inches upward** due to the way tissues separate in this area. That deep tract can form a **one-way valve**, where air can enter but not escape. 🌬️⚠️

This allows **air to travel beneath the skin**, creating a condition called **subcutaneous emphysema**. Your horse may look inflated—like an air mattress with legs. 😳

🚨 Risk of Pneumothorax

In some rare but severe cases, air from an axillary wound can enter the chest cavity and compress the lungs, causing:

• 🐎 Shallow, rapid breathing
• 😰 Increased respiratory effort
• 💥 Collapse or reluctance to move

This is called a **pneumothorax**, and it’s a medical emergency. A vet must insert a needle or catheter into the chest to release the trapped air and **prevent suffocation**. 🩻🛑

🧪 How to Identify Subcutaneous Emphysema

Here are the signs to watch for after a wound near the foreleg:

• 🎈 Puffiness or swelling under the skin—feels like bubble wrap
• 📈 Swelling that spreads across the neck, chest, or flank
• 🐴 Normal behavior despite abnormal skin inflation

💡 Tip: Press gently on the puffed-up area—if it crackles under your fingers, it’s likely air trapped under the skin.

🩺 Treating Axillary Wounds Safely

These wounds need immediate veterinary attention. Here's what the treatment process often includes: 📋

1. Thorough Exploration and Cleaning

• 🧽 Wounds are often deeper than they appear—your vet will probe and flush

2. Preventing More Air Intake

• 🧵 Deep packing with **sterile gauze** is essential to block air flow
• 🪡 **Partial suturing** helps reduce bacterial contamination and air leakage
• 🩹 If suturing is impossible, a **bandage may be sutured in place** as a barrier

3. Antibiotics and Monitoring

• 💊 Infection risk is high due to sweat, motion, and poor drainage
• 📉 Close monitoring for respiratory signs is crucial for days after injury

📱 Ask A Vet: Real-Time Wound Support

The Ask A Vet app is your go-to tool for wound care advice, emergency signs, and follow-up care:

• 📸 Upload photos of any suspicious wound for expert triage
• 🎥 Record breathing or swelling progression
• 📋 Get step-by-step wound management instructions
• 🚨 Flag emergencies like emphysema or pneumothorax fast

✅ Axillary Wound Safety Checklist for 2025

• 👀 Always inspect cuts between the foreleg and chest—never assume it’s minor
• 💨 Look for signs of subcutaneous air or odd swelling
• 🧪 Deep packing and wound closure are vital to prevent complications
• 🩻 Watch for signs of chest air buildup (pneumothorax)
• 📱 Use Ask A Vet for real-time wound tracking and support

📲 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Axillary wounds are sneaky. What looks like a minor nick can rapidly become an air-trapping pocket that causes whole-body swelling—or worse, a lung-compressing emergency. Don’t hesitate. **Call your vet at the first sign of injury in this area**, and use the Ask A Vet app to document, monitor, and manage with professional guidance. 🧠💙

Download the Ask A Vet app to keep wound support, emergency alerts, and daily care tracking in your pocket—because not every wound is as minor as it looks. 🐎📱