Equine wounds refer to any physical injuries that occur on the skin or underlying tissues of horses. These injuries can result from various causes, such as trauma, surgical procedures, or environmental factors. The healing process of equine wounds involves a complex series of physiological events, including inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling. Factors such as wound location, size, and the horse's overall health can influence the healing process. Effective management of equine wounds often requires an understanding of wound types, healing stages, and potential complications. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, treatment strategies, and outcomes associated with wound healing in horses.
Jørgensen E, Pirone A, Jacobsen S, Miragliotta V.The re-epithelialization process in equine wound healing is incompletely described. For epithelial cells to migrate during embryogenesis they undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); this phenotypic transition occurs during wound healing in humans and rodents, but it has not been investigated in horses. Objective: To investigate keratinocyte differentiation and EMT in equine experimental excisional limb and body wounds healing by second intention. Methods: Six adult research horses. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect expression of the differentiation markers cy...
Gupta RC, Lall R, Srivastava A, Sinha A.Hyaluronic acid (also known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate) is naturally found in many tissues and fluids, but more abundantly in articular cartilage and synovial fluid (SF). Hyaluronic acid (HA) content varies widely in different joints and species. HA is a non-sulfated, naturally occurring non-protein glycosaminoglycan (GAG), with distinct physico-chemical properties, produced by synoviocytes, fibroblasts, and chondrocytes. HA has an important role in the biomechanics of normal SF, where it is partially responsible for lubrication and viscoelasticity of the SF. The concentration of HA and its ...
McCoy AM, Arrington J, Yau PM.The protein content of amnion is thought to be the primary contributor to its efficacy as a biological dressing for wounds. Protein elution into antibiotic processing media has been reported, but the effect of antiseptic-based processing methods is unknown. Amniotic membranes were collected from eight healthy mares. Samples were collected after removal of gross debris. Tissues were subsequently divided and processed with either 0.05% chlorhexidine or 2% iodine/0.25% acetic acid. After protein extraction and trypsin digestion, the proteins were labeled with 8-plex iTRAQ tags, combined, and anal...
Mandel HH, Sutton GA, Abu E, Kelmer G.Infection and dehiscence of simple lacerations is common in horses, and consistently effective methods of prevention are yet to be found. Honey has been shown to promote wound healing when applied topically; however, intralesional application prior to wound closure has not been reported. Objective: To examine whether intralesional application of medical grade honey (MGH) would reduce the incidence of infection and dehiscence following wound closure. Methods: Prospective, open-label randomised block design clinical study. Methods: Lacerations, treated by field practitioners, were divided into t...
Harman RM, Theoret CL, Van de Walle GR.Significance: Cutaneous wounds are a major problem in both human and equine medicine. The economic cost of treating skin wounds and related complications in humans and horses is high, and in both species, particular types of chronic wounds do not respond well to current therapies, leading to suffering and morbidity. Recent Advances: Conventional methods for the treatment of cutaneous wounds are generic and have not changed significantly in decades. However, as more is learned about the mechanisms involved in normal skin wound healing, and how failure of these processes leads to chronic nonheal...
Kamus L, Rameau M, Theoret C.Wounds are among the most common medical conditions affecting horses and have a major economic impact on the horse industry. Wound healing in horses is distinct to that documented in other species, and often results in delayed healing and extensive scarring, with compromised functional and aesthetic outcomes. To date, there is no conventional method objectively proven to accelerate healing or to successfully prevent complications associated with second intention healing. Several effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) may be particularly useful to the management of wounds in horses. ...
Lanci A, Merlo B, Mariella J, Castagnetti C, Iacono E.A complex feedback of growth factors, secreted by a variety of cell types, is responsible for the mediation of skin healing. Despite the recent advances in wound healing management, this fails up to 50% and skin wounds can still be considered one of the main causes of morbidity, both in human and veterinary medicine. Regenerative medicine, involving mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), is nowadays a promising solution for skin wound healing. Indeed, MSCs are involved in the modulation of the inflammatory local response and cell replacing, by a paracrine mode of action. Local application of equine...
Kamus LJ, Theoret C, Costa MC.To use next generation sequencing to characterize the microbiota of horses during healing of skin wounds in two anatomical locations (body and limb) known to present different healing patterns; and to investigate the impact of bandaging on bacterial communities of skin wounds located on the limbs of horses. Full-thickness skin wounds were created on the distal extremity of both thoracic limbs and on one lateral mid-thoracic wall of four healthy horses. Limb wounds were randomly assigned to bandaging or not. A full-thickness sample was collected with a biopsy punch from intact thorax and limb s...
Frees KE.The goal of wound cleansing and care is the control or removal of tissue infection to allow healing in the most functional, cosmetic, fastest, and least expensive manner possible. This is accomplished through the removal of debris and necrotic tissue while reducing the bacterial load via careful use of mechanical techniques and cleaning agents, accepting that some level of tissue trauma will result. Keep in mind that the benefit of a clean wound must be weighed against the trauma inflicted in the process of cleansing. Veterinary health care professionals should take steps to reduce hospital-ac...
Leise BS.Topical therapies are used in equine wound healing to clean and decontaminate the wound environment after acute injury and to promote healing and decrease the risk of infection once the wound has initially been treated. Evolving antibiotic resistance has prompted judicious use of systemic antimicrobials, particularly in the treatment of local infections, such as wounds. The use of topical antiseptics to disinfect acute wounds and topical antimicrobials to manage chronic wounds is necessary to achieve successful healing. In addition, many topical medications can alter the wound environment to p...
Gaughan EM.An accurate and timely diagnosis of the systemic and local tissue influences of a wound are essential to target successful treatment measures and reach the best result for an affected horse. A complete physical examination should be completed for any wounded horse and appropriate systemic therapies instituted. Visual and manipulative examinations aid in the complete understanding of wounded tissues. Imaging and invasive diagnostic techniques also have value in determining the extent of a wound. Considering what tissues are involved from an inside-out perspective can assist in developing a comp...
Dahlgren LA.Wound management in horses can strike fear in some and passion in others. Wounds are common injuries in horses of all descriptions and requires exceptional knowledge and care to achieve a successful outcome. New treatments to overcome the critical challenges with equine wounds are always desired: managing dehisced and/or nonhealing wounds, managing exuberant granulation tissue, and ultimately achieving a functional tissue coverage. Regenerative medicine represents a broad set of tools with great promise to manipulate the deficiencies recognized in equine wound healing and improve the outcome.
Ludwig EK, van Harreveld PD.Equine septic synovitis commonly occurs secondary to traumatic wounds. The distal limbs of horses have minimal soft tissue protection, thus wounds in these areas are more likely to involve adjacent synovial structures. Synovial sepsis can be debilitating due to difficulties clearing established infections and the degenerative changes that result from ongoing inflammation. Prompt diagnosis allows for immediate treatment, improving the prognosis. Goals for successful treatment of infected synovial structures due to wounds include early and accurate recognition of the condition, rapid resolution ...
Eggleston RB.Distal limb wounds in horses heal substantially different than trunk wounds, commonly resulting in exuberant granulation tissue and exposed and sequestered bone. Surgical intervention of severe rectovaginal lacerations in the mare should be delayed until the tissues have heeled and scar tissue has remodeled. Wounds resulting in severe hemorrhage require appropriate emergent fluid therapy and potentially transfusion therapy.
Eggleston RB.Successful management of equine wounds relies on knowledge of the stages of wound healing, factors that can alter those stages, how healing stages can be manipulated, and adherence to the principles of wound healing. Challenges that complicate wound management include the inability to immobilize and/or confine equine patients, and maintain a clean environment during the critical initial stages of healing. Because of these challenges, the equine practitioner relies heavily on bandaging and external coaptation techniques to successfully treat and manage wounds. The type of bandage used is dictat...
Kamus L, Theoret C.This article aims to help the practitioner by providing the tools to decide which type of closure or healing is best in a given situation. An overview of the main criteria and the different approaches to wound closure is presented. Each wound must be considered as a unique problem that requires a clinician to take into account all of its characteristics and limits to determine the best management approach.
Hanson RR.Suitable use of prophylactic antimicrobial drugs for wounds depends on the accurate selection of appropriate antibiotics, dosing regimen, and duration of use. Regional intravenous delivery and intraosseous infusion of antibiotics are pivotal to a successful outcome for deep-rooted infections, inadequately perfused tissue, and infected wounds containing biofilm. Antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads are predominantly helpful for wounds that have a poor blood supply and for those containing surgical implants that must remain in place.
Bryant HA, Dixon JJ, Weller R, Bolt DM.The diagnostic value of positive contrast radiography in the work-up of suspected synovial infection in horses with limb wounds near synovial structures has yet to be systematically evaluated. Objective: To determine the specificity, sensitivity and positive and negative predictive values of positive contrast radiography for identification of synovial infection in a population of horses with limb wounds. Methods: Retrospective case study comparing the performance of positive contrast radiography to the gold standard of synovial fluid cytology in horses presenting with limb wounds in the vicini...
Harman RM, He MK, Zhang S, VAN DE Walle GR.Impaired cutaneous wound healing is common in humans, and treatments are often ineffective. Based on the significant emotional and economic burden of impaired wound healing, innovative therapies are needed. The potential of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-secreted factors to treat cutaneous wounds is an active area of research that is in need of refinement before effective clinical trials can be initiated. The aims of the present study were to (i) study which MSC-secreted factors stimulate dermal fibroblast (DF) migration in vitro and (ii) evaluate the potential of these factors to promote woun...
Varasano V, Marruchella G, Petrizzi L.The healing of wounds located on the equine distal limbs can often be impaired, which can result in exuberant granulation tissue and its associated aesthetic alteration and functional failures. Although a number of therapies have been developed and assessed, the treatment of these wounds still presents challenges. This report describes the treatment of exuberant granulation tissue in a horse using an intra-lesional injection of 4% formaldehyde solution. The successful outcome of this treatment suggests that further investigations are required in order to better evaluate its efficacy, as well a...
Mund SJK, Corbett C, MacPhee DJ, Campbell J, Honaramooz A, Wobeser B, Barber SM.Horses often sustain cutaneous wounds and healing can be prolonged and difficult to treat. Compared to body wounds, limb wounds heal slower and are more likely to develop exuberant granulation tissue. Differences in healing rates and exuberant granulation tissue formation is attributed to abnormal cytokine profiles. CXCL8 and its receptor CXCR2 are involved in acute inflammation whereas CXCL10 and its receptor CXCR3 are involved in inflammation resolution. β- arrestin-2 regulates inflammation through internalization of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) including CXCR2 and CXCR3. Gene expres...
Wise LM, Bodaan CJ, Stuart GS, Real NC, Lateef Z, Mercer AA, Riley CB, Theoret CL.Bandaging of limb wounds in horses leads to formation of exuberant granulation tissue (EGT) that retards healing due to protracted inflammation, aberrant vascularisation and delayed epithelialisation. EGT is not observed if wounds are left undressed or when wounds are on the body. A previous study showed that short-term administration of proteins derived from orf virus dampened inflammation and promoted epithelialisation of open wounds in horses. Here, we investigated the impact of orf virus interleukin-10 and vascular endothelial growth factor-E on the development and resolution of EGT. Excis...
Textor JA, Clark KC, Walker NJ, Aristizobal FA, Kol A, LeJeune SS, Bledsoe A, Davidyan A, Gray SN, Bohannon-Worsley LK, Woolard KD, Borjesson DL.Distal extremity wounds are a significant clinical problem in horses and humans and may benefit from mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy. This study evaluated the effects of direct wound treatment with allogeneic stem cells, in terms of gross, histologic, and transcriptional features of healing. Three full-thickness cutaneous wounds were created on each distal forelimb in six healthy horses, for a total of six wounds per horse. Umbilical cord-blood derived equine MSCs were applied to each wound 1 day after wound creation, in one of four forms: (a) normoxic- or (b) hypoxic-preconditioned cells ...
Pereira RCDF, De La Côrte FD, Brass KE, da Silva Azevedo M, Gallio M, Cantarelli C, Dau SL, Cezar AS, Inkelmann MA.Wounds localized on the distal limbs in horses are difficulty healing. No studies have been conducted to evaluate homologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect upon applying autologous PRP, homologous PRP, and autologous PRP gel on the wound healing process of wounds on the distal limb of horses. To study a possible correlation between the platelet count and wound healing time, four skin wounds of 4 cm2 were surgically created on the dorsolateral aspect of the third metacarpus in eight healthy adult horses. Each skin wound was randomly treate...
Mardassi A, Turki S, Mbarek H, Hachicha A, Chebbi G, Benzarti S, Abouda M.Combat-related facial injuries involve various lesions of the mouth, the eye sockets and the facial bones. The goal of this study is to precise the particularities of these affections and their therapeutic management. Methods: A retrospective study was performed about 56 cases of combat-related facial injuries over a period of 5 years (2010 - 2014). Results: Our study included 56 male patients with an average age of 29 years (20-37). The trauma occurred during a real security intervention in all the cases. It was isolated in 18 cases and associated to other lesions in 38 cases. Clinical examin...
Rosanowski SM, MacEoin F, Graham RJTY, Riggs CM.Complications following open standing castration (OSC) in Thoroughbred racehorses are well recognised but variation in their prevalence and severity between populations is not well documented. Objective: To describe the prevalence and severity of complications in the 30 days following OSC. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of veterinary clinical records relating to horses that underwent OSC between July 2007 and July 2012. Methods: Complications were graded on a severity score from N, no complications, to C3, severe complications. Additional data were accessed for each horse including age,...
Plummer CE.This article describes the natural responses of the immune system and the cornea to injury and infection. The process of reepithelialization and reformation of stromal collagen is discussed, as are the clinical signs and manifestations of the effects of the healing response when it is routine and when it is pathologic. Excessive inflammatory or immune responses by host tissues can cause further damage that may be present from the antecedent injury or the effect of a pathogen. The clinical signs and manifestations of wound healing as well as potential therapeutic interventions are described.
Bernard W, Divers TJ, Whitlock RH, Messick J, Tulleners E.Clostridium botulinum and type-B C botulinum toxin were isolated from a necrotic wound that developed subsequent to castration in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. The horse had clinical signs of botulism and was successfully treated with wound debridement, C botulinum type-B antitoxin, potassium penicillin, and supportive care.
Haspeslagh M, Van Hecke LL, Hermans K, Chiers K, Pint E, Wilmink JM, Martens AM.Distal limb wounds in horses often show aberrant healing due to a slow inflammatory response. In human medicine, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is used for the treatment of chronic wounds with a similar inflammatory response. Objective: To compare the effect of NPWT to calcium alginate dressings on the healing of (non) contaminated equine distal limb wounds. Methods: Controlled experiment. Methods: Circular wounds were created on the left and right dorsomedial metacarpus of 10 horses. In five horses, the wounds were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In...
Tóth F, Schumacher J, Castro F, Perkins J.To describe and evaluate full-thickness skin grafting of equine wounds. Methods: Case series. Methods: Adult horses (n=6). Methods: A full-thickness graft was harvested from the pectoral region with the horse anesthetized or standing and sedated after local anesthetic infiltration. Grafts were attached to the cutaneous margin of the wound with staples and/or sutures if the horse was anesthetized or if the recipient site was desensitized. Cyanoacrylate glue was used to attach the grafts to the cutaneous margin of the wound of 3 horses. Medical records were reviewed for history, physical examina...
Zeyner A, Harmeyer J.L-carnitine, a betaine derivative of beta-hydroxybutyrate, is found in virtually all cells of higher animals and also in some microorganisms and plants. In animals it is synthesized almost exclusively in the liver. Two essential amino acids, i.e., lysine and methionine serve as primary substrates for its biosynthesis. Also required for its synthesis are sufficient amounts of vitamin B6, nicotinic acids, vitamin C and folate. The first discovered ergogenic function of L-carnitine is the transfer of activated long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane into the mitochondrial m...
Byrne KM, Vierck J, Dodson MV.Equine satellite cells are responsible for muscle healing and regeneration in the mature horse. We describe the in vitro cell culture conditions required for clonal populations of equine satellite cells to undergo both proliferation and differentiation. Our hypothesis is that these in vitro conditions model regeneration of muscle and can be used to evaluate potential therapeutics. In this study, 2 areas of satellite cell response were tested: proliferation of clones induced by growth factors, and fusion induced by culture conditions. Equine satellite cell clones showed differences in their res...
Afonso AC, Sousa M, Pinto AR, Cotovio M, Simões M, Saavedra MJ.As in human medicine, in veterinary medicine, chronic wounds are often related to polymicrobial infections and the presence of a biofilm, which compromises the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches. In this study, a Lusitano mare presented a 21-day-old chronic wound that was only being treated with an antiseptic. A swab sample was collected, and three isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and one of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. S. aureus did not show resistance to a panel of antibiotics. However, the P. aeruginosa isolate showed a resistance profile to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones, ...
Wilmink JM, Nederbragt H, van Weeren PR, Stolk PW, Barneveld A.The contribution of wound contraction to wound closure determines the speed of second intention wound healing and it has been shown that significant differences exist with regard to both contraction and inflammatory response between horses and ponies and between various areas of the body. In this study, the contraction capacity of fibroblasts from limbs and buttocks of 4 Dutch Warmblood horses and 4 Shetland ponies was studied in vitro, in order to determine whether differences in wound contraction are due to differences in the inherent contraction capacity of the fibroblasts or to differences...
Steel CM, Robertson ID, Thomas J, Yovich JV.To investigate the effects on wound healing of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a topical treatment to full-thickness, excisional wounds of the distal limb of horses. Methods: A randomised block study using four horses, each with wounds assigned to four treatment groups. Methods: Four adult Standardbred geldings. Methods: Four, 4 cm2, full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsomedial and dorsolateral aspect of the metacarpus or metatarsus of each limb of four horses, giving a total of 64 wounds. For each limb, wounds were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: no treatment (contro...
Wilson DA.The equine practitioner can positively influence wound healing by dispensing appropriate treatment in the first few hours after injury. Positive actions in the early period include hemostasis, meticulous cleansing and debridement of the wound, the use of effective but nonirritating products to disinfect the wound, closure (if indicated)with minimal tension on the suture line, the judicious use of drains,and ensuring adequate tetanus protection. Furthermore, a thorough assessment of the wound and the patient in the initial period after trauma provides pertinent information on prognosis. Finally...
Jørgensen E, Pirone A, Jacobsen S, Miragliotta V.The re-epithelialization process in equine wound healing is incompletely described. For epithelial cells to migrate during embryogenesis they undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); this phenotypic transition occurs during wound healing in humans and rodents, but it has not been investigated in horses. Objective: To investigate keratinocyte differentiation and EMT in equine experimental excisional limb and body wounds healing by second intention. Methods: Six adult research horses. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect expression of the differentiation markers cy...
Dart AJ, Dowling BA, Smith CL.Wound repair is a complex series of coordinated events regulated by a delicately orchestrated cascade of cytokines and growth factors that restore the structural integrity of damaged tissue. Manipulation of the growth factor profile or wound environment through topical application of therapeutic agents could positively influence the rate and quality of wound repair. Transforming growth factor-beta,platelet-rich plasma, activated macrophage supernatant, and growth hormone are sources of mediators that may facilitate wound healing. Solcoseryl, ketanserin, tripeptide- and tetrapeptide-copper comp...
Hendrickson D, Virgin J.The rate and outcome of wound healing are determined by many factors,some of which are already in effect when the horse is first presented to the veterinarian. A thorough understanding of wound healing principles,coupled with clear client communication, should enable the practitioner to minimize the number of additional factors that may exacerbate the initial situation.
Ford TS, Schumacher J, Brumbaugh GW, Honnas CM.Full-thickness, circular (4-cm diameter) cutaneous wounds were created on the metacarpi and metatarsi of 6 horses. Immediately after wounding, 1 wound on each horse received a meshed, split-thickness skin graft (0.64 mm) obtained from the ventrolateral aspect of the horse's thorax by use of a pneumatic dermatome, whereas a second wound received a meshed, full-thickness skin graft obtained from the pectoral area. In addition, sections of split-thickness and full-thickness grafts were refrigerated in a solution of McCoy's 5A medium, to which equine serum (10%) and gentamicin sulfate solution (16...
Fretz PB, Li Z.Low energy helium-neon laser irradiation was administered to full thickness skin wounds (3 cm x 3 cm) on the dorsal surface of the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joints and cranial surface of the tarsocrural joints of eight horses. The effects on wound healing were analyzed statistically. There were no differences (p > 0.55) observed in the rate of wound healing between the low energy laser irradiated wounds and the control wounds. There was a significant difference (p < 0.006) observed in the rate of healing between the anatomical sites. Tarsal wounds healed more rapidly than fetlock...
Du Cheyne C, Martens A, De Spiegelaere W.Exuberant granulation tissue (EGT) is a frequently encountered complication during second intention healing in equine distal limb wounds. Although it is still unknown what exactly triggers the formation of this tissue, previous research has revealed a persistent inflammatory response in these wounds. In this preliminary study we examined this inflammatory response in EGT-developing wounds as well as in experimental induced wounds. Immunohistological stainings were performed to detect primary inflammatory immune cells (MAC387 staining) as well as pro-resolution immune cells (CD163 staining). Ou...
Freeland RB, Morello SL, DeLombaert M, Rajamanickam V.To quantify the influence of intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with amikacin on bacterial bioburden in limb wounds. Methods: In vivo, experimental. Methods: Four adult horses. Methods: Full thickness wounds created on each dorsal metacarpus were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus. One forelimb was randomly assigned to cephalic vein IVRLP with amikacin on days 2, 3, and 4 post-wounding. Biopsies on day 2 prior to IVRLP, and on days 5 and 8 were cultured to quantify wound bioburden (CFU/g). Two horses repeated the study in a crossover design, receiving IVRLP on the opposite limb (nâ...
Kaneps AJ, Hultgren BD, Riebold TW, Shires GM.Surgical incisions were made in the skin and superficial digital flexor tendons in horses. A low intensity laser therapy device was used to treat the limbs. After laser therapy was completed, skin and superficial digital flexor tendons from incised laser-irradiated, incised-control, and nonincised-control limbs were compared microscopically. Qualitative differences between laser irradiated and nonirradiated tissues were not found. The laser therapy device used in this study may be of insufficient power to affect wound healing.
Bertone AL.Second-intention healing (contraction and epithelization) is most appropriate for heavily traumatized, contaminated wounds that may have a prolonged debridement phase. Therapy during healing can promote rapid debridement and faster healing. Healing of lower limb wounds by second intention may be protracted, owing to poorer wound contraction and excessive granulation tissue production as compared with body wounds.
Dahlgren LA.Wound management in horses can strike fear in some and passion in others. Wounds are common injuries in horses of all descriptions and requires exceptional knowledge and care to achieve a successful outcome. New treatments to overcome the critical challenges with equine wounds are always desired: managing dehisced and/or nonhealing wounds, managing exuberant granulation tissue, and ultimately achieving a functional tissue coverage. Regenerative medicine represents a broad set of tools with great promise to manipulate the deficiencies recognized in equine wound healing and improve the outcome.
Dubuc V, Lepault E, Theoret CL.Wound repair in horse limbs is often complicated by excessive fibroplasia and scarring. Occlusion of the microvessels populating the granulation tissue appears to be involved in the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix during the repair of limb wounds. This study aimed to determine whether endothelial cell hypertrophy or hyperplasia, or both, contribute to microvascular occlusion and whether the pericyte is involved in this anomaly. We created 5 wounds, each 2.5 x 2.5 cm, on both forelimbs and on the body of 6 horses. One limb was bandaged to stimulate excessive wound fibroplasia. We...
Miragliotta V, Raphaël K, Ipiña Z, Lussier JG, Theoret CL.Wound healing in horses is complicated, particularly when wounds are on the limb. The objectives of this study were to clone equine thrombospondin II (THBS2) and secreted protein acidic and cysteine-rich (SPARC) cDNAs and to compare the spatiotemporal expression of mRNAs and proteins during repair of body and limb wounds. These molecules were targeted in view of their potential biological contribution to angiogenesis, which is exacerbated during the repair of limb wounds in horses. Cloning was achieved by screening size-selected cDNA libraries previously derived from 7-day-old wounds. Expressi...
Launois T, Moor PL, Berthier A, Merlin N, Rieu F, Schlotterer C, Siegel A, Fruit G, Dugdale A, Vandeweerd JM.Traumatic limb injuries are common in horses. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been proven to promote wound healing in human medicine. It has also been described for the treatment of wounds in horses. In this retrospective study, clinical records of 42 (n = 42) animals were assessed. Categories of wounds, duration of NPWT application, frequency of resetting the NPWT device, technical complications, and tolerance to the procedure were recorded. 42 wounds were classified as bony (n = 15; 36 %), articular (n = 14; 33 %), tenosynovial (n = 9; 21%), muscular (n = 2; 5%) and cuta...
Booth TM, Abbot J, Clements A, Singer ER, Clegg PD.To describe and evaluate a technique for radical resection of the entire intrathecal component of the common digital extensor tendon (CDET) in horses. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: Seven client-owned horses. Methods: Seven horses with wounds that resulted in septic tenosynovitis of the CDET sheath were treated by complete surgical resection of the affected tendon and ablation of the tendon sheath; 5 had previous surgery that was unsuccessful. Time from initial injury to complete resection was 1-22 weeks. In 6 horses, the wound was closed primarily using a closed suction (4 hors...
Spaas JH, Gomiero C, Broeckx SY, Van Hecke L, Maccatrozzo L, Martens A, Martinello T, Patruno M.Several cytokines and growth factors play an essential role in skin regeneration and epithelial-like stem cells (EpSCs) have beneficial effects on wound healing in horses. However, there are no reports available on the expression of these growth factors and cytokines after EpSC therapy. Methods: Wounds of 6 cm(2) were induced in the gluteus region of 6 horses and treated with (i) autologous EpSCs, (ii) allogeneic EpSCs, (iii) vehicle treatment or (iv) untreated control. Real time polymerase chain reaction was performed on tissue biopsies taken 1 and 5 weeks after these treatments to evaluate...
Abisheva A, Abishov A, Khairullaeva K, Shynybayev K, Kalissynov B, Maikhin K, Kydyrmanov A, Karamendin K, Valdovska A, Syrym N.Equine rhinopneumonitis is an acute, highly contagious disease found virtually worldwide. The purpose of the studies presented in this paper is to develop a technology for the manufacture of a cell-derived equine rhinopneumonitis vaccine, as well as to assess the safety and immunogenicity of the newly developed vaccine in laboratory animals model. The object of the studies was the AK-2011 strain isolated from the horses suffering from rhinopneumonitis during an outbreak of abortions. The viability of the AK-2011 strain was assessed using a continuous line of calf trachea cells, a continuous li...
Lepage OM, Doumbia A, Perron-Lepage MF, Gangl M.Maggot debridement therapy is a long-established tool to promote wound healing. Objective: To describe and assess the results of this technique in equids with various lesions. Methods: Retrospective analysis performed on cases in which, depending on clinical case, type, size and location of the wound, maggots were applied either in direct or indirect contact with the wound. Results: Treated cases (n = 41) included horses with foot pathology (n = 9), laceration of the limbs (n = 15), other soft tissue abscesses or wounds (n = 6), fistulous withers (n = 5), other musculoskeletal infection (n = 2...
Yvorchuk-St Jean K, Gaughan E, St Jean G, Frank R.To evaluate the effect of a porous bovine-derived collagen membrane (PBCM) on the rates of wound healing, cellular events, presence of granulation tissue, and appearance at termination of the study in surgically created full-thickness cutaneous wounds of the distal portion of the extremities of horses. Methods: Treated wounds (n = 12) received a PBCM dressing and control wounds were covered with a nonadherent dressing. Forelimbs and hind limbs were cross paired; the right forelimb and left hind limb always received the same dressing application, as did the left forelimb and right hind limb. Li...
Silver IA.Wound healing is part of the normal general repair process of the body. Its efficient completion depends on many factors, some physical, eg, pH, oxygen tension and tissue tension, and some biological, eg, cell-cell interaction and feedback of extracellular matrix on to the cells which produce it. The factors which affect healing are discussed and failures and anomalies in the process described. New techniques which may improve the quality of healing in specialised tissues are explained. Recent research on wound healing has concentrated on the role of the different cell types in the process and...
Miragliotta V, Ipiña Z, Lefebvre-Lavoie J, Lussier JG, Theoret CL.Wound healing in horses is fraught with complications. Specifically, wounds on horse limbs often develop exuberant granulation tissue which behaves clinically like a benign tumor and resembles the human keloid in that the evolving scar is trapped in the proliferative phase of repair, leading to fibrosis. Clues gained from the study of over-scarring in horses should eventually lead to new insights into how to prevent unwanted scar formation in humans. cDNA fragments corresponding to CTNNB1 (coding for beta-catenin) and PECAM1, genes potentially contributing to the proliferative phase of repair,...