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karitaz
Gold Member
England
622 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 11:42:54 AM
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Hi all - a bit long to explain the scenario I'm afraid - but any advice appreciated!
As some of you may remember Taz had two colic surgeries in April and a difficult recovery with extensive wound complications as the incision from the second surgery broke down completely. Anyway, Taz spent 6 weeks at Liphook and 6 weeks after that on box rest before gradually building up turnout in a very small paddock on the vets advice. The second surgery and complications have meant that he has a superficial hernia (swelling) under his belly which the vets knew would occur and have said it shouldn't cause him any problems. By the time he left Liphook the incisional scar was healing very well and continued to improve until he was allowed to start restricted turnout.
Anyway, the problem is that since he's been going out there have been 2 small spots (less than 1/4 size of a 5p) along his wound that won't heal. They occassionally drip serous fluid and occasionally have pink tissue exposed (raised from skin surface) but not all the time. Every now and again they look like they are drying up and then inexplicably come back again and get worse. The vet has checked them 3 times over the past 5 weeks and says I shouldn't worry - the wound itself looks strong and healthy and the hernia has no sensitivity and they've checked there is no infection. I asked about putting him back on box rest and they've said no, he needs to be going out and moving around for the muscles to regain strength and the deep tissues to repair properly. It doesn't seem to be better or worse when he's in or out either. The vet has said these wounds are only superficial so should just sort themselves out and has blamed the flies irritating for the regular breakdown of these bits (possibly worse as they kick at their bellies and swish tails between hind legs) so I've been told to keep turning him out and we've tried 3 different creams/sprays to no avail and have even tried leaving alone but the flies get at it more. I'm not cleaning it too much as it looks healthy and have been told it might disturb scabs forming and when I do clean it's just with saline solution. I've found a pink cream 'protection plus' that keeps flies away but it's a grease that still keeps the wounds wet so doesn't seem to help the healing.
It's been weeks now and I've tried everything I can think of so am asking the experts - you lot with your wealth of experience! Any ideas for drying out/healing a very persistent wound??!
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 11:50:03 AM
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Honey! Try this http://www.medicalhoney.com/
Stacks of esearch being done on it at the moment, and lots and lots of positive feedback. I have an aquaintence who is on the veterinary wound panel (she's a vet) and she absolutely swears by this!!!
Ros |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 12:01:28 PM
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| I can second the honey recommendation - especially manuka honey (availble in supermarkets). I was having great success with honey healing leg wounds until the silly horse injured himself all over again. And oddly enough it didn't seem to attract flies. |
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Clutha
Bronze Member
155 Posts |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 12:36:13 PM
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Manuka honey is great, and even raw slapped on it's fantastic. however, the better grade you get the better it works (at great expense i always buy grade 25 and keep a pot in my feed shed!). next time you have a sore throat, try it! Amazing stuff!
The advantage of the dressings is that they're impregnated with the honey, so you don't getin a sticky mess.
Ros |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 12:37:48 PM
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I was going to say Manuka honey for the healing, but I see what your saying about fly irritation I had a similar problem Arabi had some open cuts on his shoulder, the flies kept opening up the old scabs so I was keeping him in during the daytime but it wasn't enough.
Someone at the yard gave me some aluminum spray to spray on the cuts, it really did stop the cuts opening up it sort of covers the wound in silver powder, I think you can get it from your vet, I also smeared fly repellent gel around the area to help deter them. good luck hope the wounds heal soon. |
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angelarab
Platinum Member
Wales
2876 Posts |
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Berryscroft
Silver Member
England
260 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 4:47:16 PM
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Another vote for honey from me too! We have a gelding who had a small irritation on his sheath which the flies got at, I smothered it with 'Honey Heal' (Red Horse Products Ltd) which is thick,white and sticky ! Within 2 days it had scabbed over (the Honey Heal dries to a crust which stopped the flies) and hey presto! - all better !
I have used Honey Heal on various injuries and it has done the job every time - great stuff IMO !! |
     
Okehampton, Devon |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 5:17:46 PM
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I would be tempted to not put anything on the wound but cover with a clean Melolin dressing. It is fully breathable so will keep flies and dirt off and allow the serum to do its job - i.e form a scab. Just remember to stick shiney side to the wound. You'd need something like Micropore to stick it to his tummy, or some of that really sticky pink stuff. I can't remember the name right now!
I haven't never used honey but would using attract insects especially wasps?.......
Just for info Nicky, Cindy Sims stallion Harroway Harliquin had colic surgery leaving him with the same hernia you mention. It never effected him and he went on to be a prolific winner and sire. |
    
Hampshire |
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Acorn Arabians
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2052 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 7:28:17 PM
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honey and some black wound powder mixed and to stop the wasps put some vicks on it to stop them approaching.  |
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applause
Bronze Member
England
134 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 11:01:55 AM
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| Honey is fantastic, my crabbet mare decided to fight my old boar over his pig nuts, she had a massive a4 flap on her girth line that we could stitch and a mans fist size hole in the front of her chest which had severed 3 lots of muscle. It was probably about 5" deep and obviously we couldn't stitch this so used honey it was brilliant and never attracted flies or wasps, 3 long months later it was healed but you would never have believed it if you hadn't seen it! |
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xsara
Gold Member
822 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2010 : 12:20:52 AM
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| I would say silver aluminuim spray it is brill stuff covers it and lets it heal keeps flies and dirt away and also seems to help with proud flesh as any I have used it on the wounds have shrunk and healed over very quick and so easy to use. |
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vanishtrik
Bronze Member
England
136 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2010 : 11:53:54 AM
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| i would recommend manuka honey too also i have found icing sugar forms a nice scab i have used these methods several times with success |
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karitaz
Gold Member
England
622 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2010 : 8:40:39 PM
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Thanks all! Would you believe it but manuka honey was what they used on his wound at the vets at Liphook when the wound first broke down - it was massive then and healed amazingly but was dressed with a full belly bandage (which he hated being changed!) - I have to admit I assumed I wouldn't be able to use it without a dressing (I've tried local dressings but with the location and shape they don't stay put) and that it would attract the flies even more but from many of you it seems that's not the case so will definately give it a try!
Fingers crossed - I'll keep you all posted x
p.s. thanks for that info Vera - nice to think he might make it back into the ring again one day and not be too penalised... |
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Topic |
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Wound healing - any ideas?
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."