The Patient
Unit 7: Wound Healing & Management
Topic 5: Wound Healing in Different Species
The Horse
Proud Flesh
There are some characteristics which characterise the healing of equine wounds:
- fibroblastic activity is early and very marked;
- wound contraction on the lower legs in limited;
- a typical patient will have a wound that is contaminated, with a high degree of tissue trauma, there will be increased difficulty of immobilising the wound and the owner will try many different commonly inappropriate treatments before veterinary consultation;
- excessive granulation tissue (`proud flesh') protrudes above the normal skin surface; treatment is difficult and prevention is much more rewarding than trying to effect a cure!