Let's talk about equine wound care...when to wrap and when to not. Photo by Colleen Peachey.
I’m one of those people that tend to overreact when I notice something amiss with one of my horses. At the slightest hint of a problem, I immediately pull out the barn first aid kit and start taking temperatures. And if something really seems off, and there is no apparent reason for it, I call the vet without delay.
Fortunately, the majority of the time when something looks out of place, it is not something serious. For the most part, I see minor cuts and scrapes…and so I reach for some of the basic wound care items in my first aid kit. In those cases, cleaning the affected area and then applying an aerosol bandage is sufficient.
However, sometimes a deeper cut or laceration requires some extra treatment and care to make sure that it heals properly. The idea is to make sure the wound stays clean and covered, so that it can heal. But what factors should you consider when making the decision of whether to bandage or not?
Check out this article over at Equus Magazine’s website to read up on some tips to help you decide whether to bandage a wound or not. And while you’re there, make sure to check out the two video resources included on changing bandages.
And then check out some of the other headlines from This Week in Horse Health News, presented by Absorbine.
Top Winter Hoof Care Tips: Have you considered how you will care for your horse’s hooves during the upcoming cold and snowy winter months? Two veterinarians recently offered their opinions on how you can help keep your horse’s hooves in good health during the upcoming cold season. [The Horse]
Shelter Preferences of Horses and Donkeys: A British study of horses and donkeys will be undertaken in order to help determine their preferences of shelter in different weather conditions, including wet and cold conditions, as well as sunny and buggy conditions. The study will be a year long undertaking, which will monitor 150 horses and donkeys. [Horsetalk]
Equine Gastric Ulcers: How much do you know about treating a horse with gastric ulcers? Head over to TheHorse.com to check out this video to gain an up to date understanding of this condition, which features Dr. Frank Andrews of LSU. [The Horse]
Cold Weather Leg Wrapping: Is there a benefit to wrapping a horses legs in the winter, in the hopes of aiding circulation in very cold temperatures? Check out this Q&A post over on TheHorse.com that offers an opinion from Raul Bras, DVM, CLF on this very topic. [The Horse]
