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  Discussion on Hip bone skin abrasion injury
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Member:
Pamm

Posted on Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 11:24 am:

In February my horse had an accident resulting in the skin over the point of one hip being scraped off. The wound is 4"x4" and was more severe than just taking off the hair. It had healed nicely with daily application of a mild cleaner, antibioitic ointment lightly, alternating with Vit. E after the scab was well formed and pink skin regenerated.(but no hair growth around the edges- and that's ok with me) During the summer I used a little furacin spray on top to keep the flies off. It took until approximately June for the wound to close; now the center 2" is pink skin and the outside all around 2" is healthy black skin. I then started riding him only 30 min or so to avoid too much movement in that joint. Until June he was "off" while riding him as it was bothering him while it healed. He has very, very sensitive skin and heals slowly. About 8 days ago he must have rolled and reopened the center, right over the hip bone, a slice from top to bottom about 3" long.It separated about 1" wide and is now forming a scab. However the skin on the side of this new cut will die due to the separation. Various Vets recommended I continue the same treatment but us AluSpray bandage on top. They did not think that the center skin needed to be cut off to encourage healing. My Vet said if he continues to break it open it may require a skin graft. The surgeon I spoke with said that that area should not require a graft and that it will likely not take. What is your position on a skin graft on this area, and what do you reccomend using on the wound to speed up the healing? I am desperate to get this healed to the point where he won't continue to re-injure it. How many times can he re-injure it without it becoming a serious abcess or something? This horse can not stay in all day-he will freak out!!And he always lays down in his stall anyway. I am so upset with this set back and not riding this horse for so long. When it startsto heal over my Vet also said to lightly ride the horse to avoid scar tissue forming on the injury. Please help. Thanks very much for any reccomendations you may have. Pam Melroy}}
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Aug 27, 2005 - 12:33 pm:

Hello Pam,
I would recommend you care for the wound as outlined in our article on wound care at, Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Wounds / Burns. I too think this is a difficult spot to get a graft to take do to the pressure on the skin here but agree with the surgeon, as long as the horse does not keep reinjuring the wound it should heal. But you may be better waiting for the wound to heal before you ride unless you are very careful.
DrO
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