Preventing proud flesh

[frugalannie]

It may be that everyone but me knew about this, and if so I apologize. Otherwise, consider this a PSA of sorts. New mare got in a kicking match with a pasture mate and received a gash on her hind cannon bone. Rads normal, didn’t need stitches but vet wanted me to be aggressive about proud flesh. I knew the drill: pressure wrap etc.

But another vet friend was visiting who was formerly equine but now small animal. She suggested using silicone bandages which are used in humans to prevent scarring. Hmmm. I went to my usual on-line providers and found a great product which I won’t advertise here, but it’s silicone scar removal tape for people. I was able to cut a short strip to cover the wound, then I put two layers of vet wrap over it that were just tight enough to hold it in place. I changed it every 24 hours at first and then every 48 for a couple of more days. The wound looked gray and mushy when bandages were changed but that wiped right off with a gentle gauze pad and there was no sign of infection below just healthy pink margins growing closer. After about 10 days I discontinued it and voila: no proud flesh.

Might be useful to talk about with your vet if you’re in this situation.

[candyappy]

Many different approaches to treating proud flesh. I always prefer not to wrap but successfully used Wonder Dust.

For those who like to wrap it sounds like a good option. Glad it worked. Proud flesh is awful to deal with and sadly most of us have on multiple occasions.

[walktrot]

I’m using Equaide, which is a liquid that you paint on the wound. It protects the wound from proud flesh. I’ve also used it on 20+year old proud flesh on the back of one hind pastern. It took a couple of days and there was pink skin. Tried it on a few small hock sores (he was pasture boarded until last year) and it worked for that. He had a gash on his face and it helped the recovery. I tried it because I was given a container of something including copper sulfate. When I looked at it online I found that copper sulfate can damage healthy skin around a wound and new tissue in the wound. Proud flesh doesn’t have nerves so I can pick it off with a fingernail. He has some left in the pastern area but it is inside a crease.

It does what the manufacturer says it will do. When I use it I don’t start rubbing yesterdays off while cleaning the wound. I hold a gauze pad with some chlorhexidine scrub and let it soak, wiggling it around a little bit. I take off whatever is easy to remove and put a little more Equaide on. When I bought the first little jar a few years ago I thought it was ridiculously expensive. I’m on my 3rd. When it sits for a while it gets a clay-like layer in the bottom. Put a tiny bit of water in and mix it with the popsicle stick. The stick and a tiny brush are included.

[ChocoMare]

Got the same results with Preparation H! Clean gently with Nolvasan Surgical Scrub. Dry thoroughly. When it was raw/ugly, I mixed equal parts Prep H to Bacitracin. Apply on a non-stick pad, wrap with Cotton Wrap and once around the vet wrap. Prep H is designed to shrink tissues and it does just that!

[Jo]

I use a product recommended by my vet - PF Wonder Salve. It was incredible to see my mare’s leg heal after she tried to de-glove herself.

[frugalannie]

Learning a great deal here. Thank you all.

[Weezer]

These are all great tips! Thanks to frugalannie for starting this discussion!