How to Treat Basic Horse Wounds 101

It’s never fun seeing your horse in pain, but sometimes accidents happen and treatment needs to be administered. In the case of minor abrasions and lacerations, knowing basic first aid on horses might save you a costly call to the vet, however, when it doubt always make sure your vet has a look to properly treat anything that’s out of your league.

Here’s how to treat basic horse wounds:

• Puncture wounds:

Using responsible judgement here is key. If the wound is pulsing, you need to call your vet immediately whilst trying to stop the bleeding. You have about 10 minutes before the minor injury becomes a huge concern. As with humans, if the object is still lodged in the skin, leave it there. By pulling it out you may be causing more damage and create more bleeding than you can handle.

However, if none of the above seem to be present, flush the wound gently with water or a saline solution, and apply pressure to the wound. In order to test the depth of the wound, use a Q-tip and gently enter the wound, whilst swabbing the saline solution inside the wound. Repeat this process on a daily basis, before covering it with a bandage.

Remove scabs that form on a daily basis to prevent bacteria from growing underneath the scabs, and ask your vet to administer antibiotics, just in case.

• Lacerations:

Judging by the size, area, depth and cause of the cut, you can easily decide if a vet needs to be called. Apply pressure on the wound and clean the area with a diluted antiseptic solution.

Remember to call your vet, as your horse may need antibiotics to prevent infections that may occur from the cause of the cut. Keep the area dry and clean, but allow the wound to ‘breathe’ as much as possible. Cover with a bandage if need be.

• Abrasions:

As abrasions are not as serious as lacerations and puncture wounds, you may not need to call the vet. Instead, rinse the area with large amounts of water. The best way is to use the garden hose and use a disinfectant to further clean the area.

If you suspect any deeper injuries, call your vet and let them inspect further. Keep swelling down through daily hydration and possibly an ointment prescribed by the vet.

Recommended horse wound treatments to use:

1.       Irriderm – an aid in promoting the healing of wounds, fungal skin infections, and lacerations.

2.       Equiwash – an antiseptic wash used as opposed to a horse shampoo.

3.       Rigly Wound Treatment – a paint-on aid in treating cuts, sores, burns and abrasions.

4.       Rigly Plastic Skin – an aerosol sprayed over infected wounds to prevent contamination.

Sources: http//www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/horsewounds.shtml

http//equimed.com/health-centers/first-aid/articles/horse-first-aid-for-puncture-wounds-abrasions-and-lacerations-0