A Leg Up If you frequently trail ride or camp where there are rattlesnakes, Nelson recommends taking along two pieces of regular garden hose, six to eight inches long. “These can be inserted into the nostrils [after lubricating the ends with moisture] if the horse is bitten or has had any severe trauma to the front of the face and it’s swelling,” she says. “Make sure the hoses extend up to where the bone begins.” The bony part of the face will hold the passages open; it is the soft tissue below the bone that will swell. Eye injuries, or any wound near the eye or lids, should be seen by a veterinarian to make sure the eyeball itself isn’t damaged and that the lids can close normally. “If the eyelids can’t close, the horse is at risk for losing the eye because it will dry out,” says Nelson. “A laceration through the lid should not be left to heal by itself.” “Lid lacerations can be severe and require immediate attention,” says Wilson. “Often they can be sutured, though you may have to move some skin to close the defect.” Corneas can be sutured, and cornea grafts may be necessary to cover or protect the cornea. Long-term results range from loss of the eye to a simple scar with no sight loss. Ear wounds can be challenging; underlying cartilage damage can be a complicating factor. “Cartilage does not heal well because it doesn’t have a good blood supply,” says Wilson. “The affected cartilage may need to be cut away and may affect the final appearance of the ear. Once the traumatized tissues have been removed, ear lacerations can be sutured like any other wound. If skin or cartilage was lost, however, skin-sliding techniques may be needed to move skin to the site, or skin grafts utilized to minimize scar tissue. If scar tissue develops, the ear may lose mobility and the horse won’t be as cosmetically pleasing.” Lip wounds can also be difficult to repair. Often the injury will be in the corner of the mouth if the horse catches it on something and splits it upward, or it may be a puncture wound into the mouth. “Due to saliva and constant movement while eating, these wounds may not heal well on their own and need to be repaired,” says Wilson, and adds that they may require a three layer closure, which means separate suturing of the inside of the mouth, the subcutaneous tissues, and the outside skin, to keep saliva from getting into the layers and breaking down the suture lines.
Tongue Injuries
Cuts on the tongue may result when a horse steps on the reins and jerks his head up, is tied with bridle reins and pulls back, or falls and hits his head and bites his tongue. The cut is usually across the tongue rather than lengthwise and can often be sutured. “A cut tongue should be repaired, if possible,” says Wilson, “but if all else fails and you have to amputate the tongue, the horse seems to get along fine.” These horses learn how to maneuver food in the mouth. Many times you just find the scar, or the horse may have part of the tongue missing, and you don’t know when it happened. A cut tongue will bleed profusely because of its abundant blood supply, but once the bleeding stops you may not be aware of the injury unless you look in the horse’s mouth. “Most of the blood supply is on the bottom,” says Wilson. “A large portion of the top
Definitions A bruise is a surface injury that doesn’t break the skin but may cause damage to the muscle underneath, resulting in swelling due to bleeding under the skin or lymph seeping from the injured tissues. Applying cold water immediately after the injury can help prevent or reduce swelling, since this slows the circulation and constricts the small blood vessels. An abrasion is scraped skin. It may bleed or ooze a little if the top layer of skin is removed. A soothing ointment can keep the area soft as it heals. An incised wound is a clean cut or slice. If the cut is deep, it may bleed profusely if veins or arteries have been cut. A laceration is a cut with torn, irregular or jagged edges. Healing may be slow, due to extensive tissue damage. A puncture is a small-diameter hole made by an object that penetrates the skin and deeper tissues. There is always risk for damage to underlying tissues if the puncture is deep, and risk for infection if it closes up on the outside and leaves a pocket of contamination inside.
Volume 42, No. 12 | 195