Basics of wound care
What are the first steps for wound care?
Catch & calm to prevent further injury
Stop the bleeding: apply pressure using clean cotton or bandage
Compress/cold water to reduce swelling
Contact veterinarian: DO NOT remove foreign objects, ask if medications/tranquilizers are needed
Clean wound to reduce risk of infection with disinfectant
What type of open wound is caused by clean, sharp-edged object (ex. scalpel blade), usually will require sutures (stiches)?
Incision
How do you begin treating an open wound?
First & most important = STOP THE BLEEDING
Apply direct pressure to the area, leave for 5 minutes then recheck, if still bleeding, re-apply pressure and wait for clotting
Sterile gauzed placed over wound, apply snug bandage over top
Tourniquet – severe bleeding only, place above wound (between wound and the heart) until bleeding stop
Name the two types of fractures (Fx).
Open Fx (skin is broken)
Closed Fx (skin is intact)
What are the types of bleeding?
Arterial – blood is squirting out, bright red in color, under pressure, requires immediate attention
Venous – blood is oozing/dripping out, darker in color, stop the bleeding with direct pressure for 5 mins, then assess the wound
What are two simple things to do for superficial vs. severe wounds?
Superficial wounds: apply antibiotic ointment & wrap
Severe wounds- leave clean/dry (NO ointments/powders) so veterinarian can suture
What is the terminology for a superficial wound?
Only top layer of skin is affected, abrasion
After initial treatment, how do you care for open wounds?
1. Remove wrap/reset wrap daily
2. While wrap is off each day, check wound for signs of infection, clean with antibacterial product as needed
3. Keep wrapping the wound until granulation tissue has filled in or scab has formed
4. Administer antibiotics as prescribed by your veterinarian
What are the 7 types of fractures?
Simple
Comminuted
Complete
Incomplete
Compacted
Open/Compound
Avulsion
What is always recommended when working with horses in any context?
Regular tetanus vaccines
What types of wounds need sutures?
Wounds that penetrate full thickness of the skin
Wounds on the nostrils, lips, or eyelids where a flap of skin has been created
Any wound where underlying tissues/structures have been exposed
(Ideally, wound should be sutured within 4 hours of occurrence for best healing results)
What is a puncture wound?
Deep wound caused by a long sharp object puncturing the skin (ex: nail)
Will NOT be sutured because needs to heal from inside out
Risk of infection
If object is still in the horse’s skin or foot, DO NOT REMOVE IT!
X-ray to see if any important structs (like a joint) are involved, and any internal damage from the puncture that might not be visible on the outside
What are the treatments for closed wounds?
Cold therapy first to control swelling and stop internal bleeding, after first 24hrs, alternate between hot & cold therapy, encourage healing w/ better circulation
Define each type of fracture
Simple: break occurs in one line, splitting the bone in two pieces
Comminuted: multiple fracture lines, many bone fragments
Complete: bone fragments are completely separated
Incomplete: bone is partially jointed together, fracture line involves one side of the bone, stable
Compacted: bone fragments are driven into each other
Open/Compound: skin is broken, bone is exposed to outside environment
Avulsion: a piece of bone is pulled away by a tendon or ligament
Describe eye injuries
*ALWAYS ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY!
Signs of eye discomfort = closed eye, squinting, tearing, discharge
Abnormal color: grey/cloudy on surface of eye
Obvious trauma to eyelid or area around eye
*CALL VETERINARIAN!
List the common wound dressings
- Silver spray
- Therahoney
- Silver sulfadiazine
- Fura-zone
What is a laceration?
Traumatic skin injuries typically with jagged edges, goes through full thickness of skin, may require sutures if there is enough skin left to use
CALL VET!
High risk of life-threatening infection if joint or tendon sheath affected
DO NOT PUT ANY OINTMENTS, JUST CLEAN WITH WATER & DRY!
What are the common signs of infections in horses?
Pain
Heat/redness
Fever
Swelling
Discharge – thick substance coming from wound, white/yellow/green (pus)
Serum – normal wound discharge, clear yellow fluid
How do you treat a fracture?
Severe fractures may require euthanasia
Intensive surgery: screws/plates/pins/wires
STRICT stall rest in a straight stall
Stabilization of the fracture: stack wrap/cast/splint
Name and define the types of closed wounds
Contusion: bruise, caused by blunt force trauma, damages tissue but does not break the skin
Hematoma: pool of blood under the skin caused by damage to a blood vessel under the skin