Caring for wound - wash or not?

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Bessy

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Jun 20, 2005
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Wilts & Glos
My mare cut her hind coronet band last week. It was fairly deep, but not enough to worry the vet with (bear in mind having to call her out in the snow - I didn't want to put my vet at risk unless it was an absolute emergency), and there was only heat and swelling for the first day, and nothing since. The flappy bit of skin where it was cut has started to harden, die and curl up and the wound looks pretty clean. I have been cleaning it with antiseptic wash at night, then putting intrasite gel on it, then before she gets turned out in the morning I have been putting a waterproof antiseptic on it (such as Sudocrem), and then the snow has kept it pretty clean. The thing is when I bring her in and wash the cut (which I have just been doing with a syringe, so not touching it with any material matter) it aggravates it, opens it up again and makes it weep a bit. I can't decide whether I should stop washing it, and just keep applying antiseptic, or to keep washing it hoping it will stop weeping every time I wash it? Having kept the wound this clean for a week, I don't want to risk her getting an infection now.
 
If weeping could poultice to draw anything in out?

I wash first couple days with wounds then leave (depending on cut) First couple days I normally apply dermisol, then after when I want it to start drying and scabbing – wound powder / purple spray.
 
I'd probably stop washing it and just keep the antiseptic cream on or silver spray? Could you just ask your vet? (know what you mean about not wanting to get them out i nthe snow - ours wouldn't have been able to get to us for the last few days unless they rode down 3 miles on a quad!)
 
If the wound looks ok I would stop washing it now and just put something antiseptic like purple spray on it once a day or whatever ever you you usually use. The scab will make a healing environment for the wound and washing it will just keep knocking the scabbed over bits off. Obviously keep a close eye on it and check it every day. It is such a worry when they do something like that! Hope it is all better soon.
 
Thanks guys, I think I'll see how it goes not washing it for a couple of days as it seems everytime I wash it, I'm opening it back up. Will keep applying antisceptic. As there is no heat or swelling, and it has been a week now, I don't think I need the vet at this stage. Just think its one of those annoying places which takes ages to heal !!
 
You want to make sure proud flesh doesnt grow or it wont heal properly. Cut the shrivelled flap off and get some Dermisol cream from the vet of if your local saddlers has an SQP they can prescribe it for you.
 
Thanks littlepony, I do actually have some dermisol somewhere. Had it from the vet a few months back for something else - didn't use much of it though as I found it seemed to "rub off" too easily. Will give it another go.

Sorry if I'm being a bit dim, but how would I make sure "proud flesh doesnt grow"? Think at the moment the flap that's started to shrivel may bleed if I cut it off - might have to wait a few days to do that as its quite a thick bit of skin. Have left her in today to see if I can try and get it to dry up a bit.
 
I never use any kind of cream or goo or ointment.

Just plain clean water, or pevidine to start to get it clean, then after a poultice I dry dress it, if it's still gucky pevidine then rinse in clean water.
 
I would be wary of over washing and too much antiseptic or hibiscrub because it can encourage proud flesh to form. As others have said, I use Dermisol for a couple of days and then powder or terramycin spray.
 
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