🩹 Vet Guide: Healing Equine Wounds with Platelet-Rich Fibrin | 2025 Proud Flesh Management & Regenerative Therapy 🐴

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Equine lacerations—especially on the lower limbs—are notorious for slow healing, infection, and excessive scar tissue known as **proud flesh**. These wounds are not only unsightly—they’re painful, prone to chronic infection, and often cause **long-term lameness**. 🧠🐎

One innovative tool gaining traction in equine wound care is **platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)**—a regenerative product made from the horse’s own blood. In this 2025 guide, I’ll explain what PRF is, how it compares to platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and why it’s a game-changer for treating stubborn equine wounds. 🧬🩸

🧪 Why Leg Wounds Are Hard to Heal

The lower legs have **minimal soft tissue coverage**, poor blood supply, and are subject to constant motion. That makes wound contraction and epithelial migration **slow and difficult**. ❗

Challenges of Lower Limb Wounds:

• ⚠️ High risk of proud flesh (excess granulation tissue)
• 🧫 Frequent contamination and infection
• 📉 Delayed healing or wound breakdown
• 🕒 Long-term care requiring weeks or months of bandaging

These wounds are often **unsuturable** or sutures fail due to motion or tension. That’s where regenerative therapy helps. ✅

💉 Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): The First Generation

PRP has been used for years to aid healing because it’s rich in **growth factors** that stimulate cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. But it has a limitation: PRP is a **liquid**. 💧

Problems with PRP:

• 💦 Difficult to keep on wound surface
• 🩸 Easily diluted or lost during drainage
• ❌ Not ideal for open or vertical wound surfaces

🩹 Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF): A Better Solution

Platelet-rich fibrin solves these issues by transforming the regenerative power of PRP into a **solid, stable matrix**. Developed for equine use by veterinarians, PRF is made by spinning a blood sample to isolate a **fibrin clot** rich in platelets. 🧬

How It Works:

• 🩸 Blood is collected from the horse
• 🔬 Red cells are removed, leaving a soft fibrin “membrane”
• 📦 The PRF is applied to the wound or sutured into place

Benefits of PRF:

• 🧠 Sustained release of growth factors
• 🧬 No foreign proteins—**completely autologous**
• 💪 Stimulates healing with **less scar tissue**
• 🔒 Acts like a biologic bandage—adheres to tissue

🧠 Why PRF Reduces Proud Flesh

Platelets in PRF are **naturally activated** when applied to injured tissue. They release stored **anabolic growth factors** that regulate each phase of wound healing: 🧪

• 📈 Initiation – stimulates immune cell recruitment
• 🛠️ Propagation – promotes fibroblast and capillary growth
• 🧬 Remodeling – accelerates epithelialization and reduces fibrosis

This results in **quicker healing with less granulation**, reducing the need for debridement or surgery. ⚕️

🧬 What Kinds of Wounds Benefit Most?

PRF is ideal for:

• 🦵 Lower limb lacerations
• 📉 Chronic or non-healing wounds
• 🧫 Infected or necrotic wound beds
• 🩹 Proud flesh-prone locations (like cannon bones or fetlocks)

🩺 How to Apply PRF in Practice

Once prepared, the PRF matrix can be:

• 📦 Flattened into a membrane and **sutured into the wound**
• 🩹 Used under bandaging as a contact layer
• 🧠 Used alongside other wound therapies (antibiotics, debridement)

As the wound heals, the PRF is **gradually absorbed** by the body—no need for removal. 🧬✅

📲 Use Ask A Vet for Wound Healing Advice

The Ask A Vet app supports horse owners navigating wound care and advanced treatment options like PRF:

• 📸 Share photos of hard-to-heal wounds for expert input
• 🧪 Ask about PRF vs PRP for your horse’s condition
• 📋 Get guidance on wound bandaging and post-care
• 🧠 Track healing progress and flag infection signs early

Stay proactive with the right technology and veterinary support. 🐴📲

✅ PRF Wound Care Takeaways for 2025

• 🩹 PRF is a **solid, platelet-rich matrix** that enhances healing
• 🧬 Made from the horse’s own blood—no rejection risk
• 📉 Ideal for stubborn leg wounds and proud flesh prevention
• ⚕️ Promotes healing while reducing scarring
• 📱 Use Ask A Vet to plan and track wound care interventions

📲 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Lower leg wounds are a challenge for any horse owner—but with innovations like platelet-rich fibrin, we now have better ways to speed healing and minimize scarring. If your horse is struggling with a chronic wound or prone to proud flesh, talk to your vet about incorporating PRF into your wound care plan. 🧠💙

Download the Ask A Vet app to get help with wound assessments, PRF guidance, and real-time recovery support in 2025. 🐎📱