Page 99 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

priority, try not to contaminate the wound further. Wherever possible, wash your hands

and use clean materials.
VetBooks.ir • Ideally a sterile, non-stick dressing pad should be placed on top of the wound and
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covered with a layer of Gamgee . If you are out on a ride and these are not to hand, a
clean T-shirt or vest can be used in an emergency. Apply pressure with your thumb or

hand, depending on the size of the wound.
• If the wound is on a limb and the bleeding does not stop within a few minutes or the

horse is agitated, these dressings can be bandaged firmly in place with self-adhesive
conforming bandages. The amount of pressure required depends on the severity of the

injury and which blood vessels are damaged.
• If the blood soaks through the dressings, use more padding and increase the pressure.

Pressure bandages should not be left on for long, so if the wound is still bleeding, call
your vet.

• Where the wound is on a site that cannot easily be bandaged, place a non-stick dressing
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onto the wound with a pad of cotton wool or Gamgee on top and hold it firmly in place.
The bleeding usually stops after a few minutes. If not, re-apply the pressure.

• If there is an obvious foreign body in the wound, pressure may be applied around it but
not directly onto it.

If the bleeding continues, the vet will clamp the bleeding vessels with artery forceps
wherever possible.

ASSESSING THE INJURY

Many small cuts and grazes can be cleaned and treated without calling the vet.

When to call the vet

Always call the vet if:

• the wound is large or deep.

• the wound is more than 2.5 cm (1 in) long and goes through the whole skin thickness
(Figure 3.6)

• the bleeding cannot be controlled

• the horse is in a lot of pain
• the lameness is more severe than you would expect from the appearance of the wound

• you suspect a foreign body is present