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  Discussion on Proudflesh
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Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 12:17 pm:

Dr O

Two weeks ago a close friend's long yearling suffered some nasty cuts to her legs after getting trapped under the metal wall of a loafing shed. She was attended to by the local vet on call who sutured her cuts and prescribed the use of nitrofuracin and corona in an alternating pattern.

My friend's regular vet came by to check the filly last week and advised switching to venflexamine (I'm not 100% if that is the exact name as I haven't seen the container) as proudflesh was forming. In addition he advised surgery to remove the proudflesh once the situation has stabilized.

My friend's neighbor is a harness racer and when talking to her this morning, he told her that an old track remedy for eliminating proudflesh is to use straight lime. Neither my friend nor I have ever heard of this before and it's sounds dreadfully caustic and painful. Have you or anyone on the HA heard of this practice? The neighbor swears by it and says it is routinely used by the track folks.

What is your take? It sounds pretty barbaric to me.

Cheers
Sue
Member:
Karent

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 12:49 pm:

I've always used a disposable razor to trim off proud flesh, switching off on a daily basis between a drying antiseptic, like scarlet oil and the next day using a tea tree oil cream, I also wrapped the wound until it started healing. Be advised when trimming the proud flesh that it can get a little bloody. This method has always worked for me and either didn't leave a scar, or only a slight scar depending on the severity of the original wound. I would personally be afraid to use straight lime. Not only is it caustic, and I'm sure very painful for the horse, I would be afraid of infection setting in.
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 3:21 pm:

Thanks for the input, Karen. Personally, I've never had to deal with proudflesh on any of my horses (knock on wood - head in my case) so my experience is woefully limited in this area.

Lime is pretty potent stuff and the thought of using it in this fashion put a shudder through the both of us. On the other hand, there are so many old methods still in use today - and many that definitely hold merit - I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinion.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 8:03 pm:

We cover the treatment of Proud Flesh including the yings and yangs of using lime and the advantages of surgery at Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Wounds / Burns » The Treatment of Proud Flesh or Exuberant Granulation Tissue.
DrO
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 10:07 pm:

Thanks, Dr O. I've copied the article for my friend.
Member:
Bravo

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 10:39 am:

Just a thought - An equine surgeon once told us to use calcium alginate wound dressing pads. We have them in stock all the time now. They are fabulous at absorbing exudate and they seem to dissolve proud flesh. They are a little expensive $6 per 4x4 but it is an idea that has worked for us. Best of luck! JJ
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 11:39 am:

Thanks, Jane. I've forwarded your info along to my friend.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 22, 2006 - 6:12 am:

Calcium alginate dressings are well accepted by the human medical field for difficult to heal wounds because of there ability to keep the wound moist while discouraging microbial growth and promoting granulation tissue. Granulation tissue, a necessary component of healing, becomes proud flesh when it is exuberant. I would have not thought such a physiological bandage would treat already formed proud flesh and though it may be helpful in its prevention by promoting more rapid wound healing I have not seen any such work.
DrO
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