FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Wound Repair Regen / Aberrant wound healing in the horse: naturally occurring con...
Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society2013; 21(3); 365-371; doi: 10.1111/wrr.12018

Aberrant wound healing in the horse: naturally occurring conditions reminiscent of those observed in man.

Abstract: Impaired wound healing represents an enormous clinical and financial problem for companion animals and humans alike. Unfortunately, most models used to study healing rely on rodents, which have significant differences in the healing and scarring process and rarely develop complications. In order to better simulate impaired healing, the model should strive to reproduce the natural processes of healing and delayed healing. Wounds on the limbs of horses display similarities to wounds in humans in their epithelialization/contraction ratio, genetic influence as well as dysregulated cytokine profile and the spontaneous development of fibroproliferative disorders. Veterinarians have access to advanced wound therapies that are often identical to those provided to human patients. Wound research in large animals has resulted in new wound models as well as a better understanding of the physiology, immunology, and local environmental impact on both normal and aberrant wound healing. One such model reproduces the naturally occurring fibroproliferative disorder of horses known as exuberant granulation tissue. Comparisons between the normally healing and impaired wounds provide insight into the repair process and can facilitate product development. A better understanding of the wound healing physiopathology based on clinically accurate animal models should lead to the development of novel therapies thereby improving outcomes in both human and veterinary patients.
© 2013 by the Wound Healing Society.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2013-02-26 PubMed ID: 23441750DOI: 10.1111/wrr.12018Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper discusses the study of wounds and their healing process in horses, which is similar to that observed in humans. The study suggests the use of these larger animal models for investigating wound healing processes, abnormalities, and their potential treatments. This is with the ultimate goal of developing new therapies that could be beneficial for both human and veterinary patients.

Animal Models and Wound Healing

  • The focus of this research is on impaired wound healing, a problem that has significant clinical and financial implications in both human medicine and veterinary care.
  • Conventionally, animal models, especially rodents, are used to study this process, but the results derived from such models can be inaccurate due to the significant differences in the actual mechanism of healing and scarring between rodents and humans.
  • To overcome this challenge, the researchers recommend the use of larger animal models – and specifically horses – as they display a closer resemblance to humans in their natural process of healing and delayed healing.

Similarities between Wound Healing in Horses and Humans

  • The researchers observed that wound healing in horses’ limbs shared significant traits with humans, including the ratio of epithelialization to contraction during the healing process, the influence of genetics, and the profiles of cytokines, which are small proteins involved in cell signaling during the immune response.
  • Additionally, they noted that horses spontaneously develop fibroproliferative disorders, which are abnormal growths in the connective tissues – similar to some complications seen in human wound healing.
  • Veterinarians can apply advanced wound therapies on horses, many of which are identical to those used on human patients.

New Insights Gained from Large Animal Models

  • Use of horses in wound research has resulted in the creation of newer models of wound healing and a better understanding of how various factors, like physiology, the immune system, and the local environment, impact healing processes.
  • The researchers developed a model that replicates a fibroproliferative disorder seen in horses known as exuberant granulation tissue.
  • By comparing the healing process in both normal and impaired wounds, the researchers observed that these studies can provide important insights into how repairs occur, potentially aiding in product development for wound care.

Implications for Future Treatments

  • A crucial goal of this research is to use the insights gleaned from these animal models to develop new treatments for wound healing.
  • By improving our understanding of the physiopathology of wound healing through the use of clinically accurate animal models, novel therapies that enhance treatment outcomes for both human and veterinary patients can be developed.

Cite This Article

APA
Theoret CL, Wilmink JM. (2013). Aberrant wound healing in the horse: naturally occurring conditions reminiscent of those observed in man. Wound Repair Regen, 21(3), 365-371. https://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12018

Publication

Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society
ISSN: 1524-475X
NlmUniqueID: 9310939
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 21
Issue: 3
Pages: 365-371

Researcher Affiliations

Theoret, Christine L
  • Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada. christine.theoret@umontreal.ca
Wilmink, Jacintha M

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Biomedical Research / methods
    • Cicatrix / prevention & control
    • Disease Models, Animal
    • Horses
    • Humans
    • Wound Healing / physiology
    • Wounds and Injuries / therapy

    Citations

    This article has been cited 32 times.
    1. Zhang Y, Bao Y, Li Z, Jin Z. A Novel Nude Mice Model for Studying the Pathogenesis of Keloid. J Cosmet Dermatol 2025 Jun;24(6):e70284.
      doi: 10.1111/jocd.70284pubmed: 40488291google scholar: lookup
    2. Campebell RC, Oliveira AB, Fagundes JLA, Fortes BNA, Veado HC, Macedo IL, Dallago BSL, Barud HS, Adorno J, Salvador PAV, Santos PS, Castro MB. Evaluation of Bacterial Cellulose/Alginate-Based Hydrogel and Frog Skin Dressings in Equine Skin Wound Healing. Gels 2025 Feb 3;11(2).
      doi: 10.3390/gels11020107pubmed: 39996650google scholar: lookup
    3. Ali MM, Al-Mokaddem AK, Abdel-Sattar E, El-Shiekh RA, Farag MM, Aljuaydi SH, Shaheed IB. Enhanced wound healing potential of arabincoside B isolated from Caralluma Arabica in rat model; a possible dressing in veterinary practice. BMC Vet Res 2024 Jun 29;20(1):282.
      doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04128-2pubmed: 38951783google scholar: lookup
    4. Liu ZX, Liu GQ, Lin ZX, Chen YQ, Chen P, Hu YJ, Yu B, Jiang N. Effects of Staphylococcus aureus on stem cells and potential targeted treatment of inflammatory disorders. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024 Jun 27;15(1):187.
      doi: 10.1186/s13287-024-03781-6pubmed: 38937829google scholar: lookup
    5. Ribeiro G, Carvalho L, Borges J, Prazeres J. The Best Protocol to Treat Equine Skin Wounds by Second Intention Healing: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2024 May 18;14(10).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14101500pubmed: 38791717google scholar: lookup
    6. Charlotte C P, Benoit B, Olivier M L. The effects of a synthetic epidermis spray on secondary intention wound healing in adult horses. PLoS One 2024;19(3):e0299990.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299990pubmed: 38451976google scholar: lookup
    7. Cantatore F, Pagliara E, Marcatili M, Bertuglia A. Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in Horses: A Scoping Review. Vet Sci 2023 Aug 6;10(8).
      doi: 10.3390/vetsci10080507pubmed: 37624295google scholar: lookup
    8. Caruso M, Shuttle S, Amelse L, Elkhenany H, Schumacher J, Dhar MS. A pilot study to demonstrate the paracrine effect of equine, adult allogenic mesenchymal stem cells in vitro, with a potential for healing of experimentally-created, equine thoracic wounds in vivo. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1011905.
      doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1011905pubmed: 36452146google scholar: lookup
    9. Helal IE, Al-Abbadi HA, El-Daharawy MH, Ahmed MF. Enhancement of chronic wound healing with maltodextrin/ascorbic acid gel: a clinical evaluation of distal limb wounds in horses. J Anim Sci Technol 2022 Sep;64(5):997-1007.
      doi: 10.5187/jast.2022.e52pubmed: 36287738google scholar: lookup
    10. Brock AK, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Howard EA, Huntzinger KD, Lawhon SD, Bryan LK, Cosgriff-Hernandez EM, Cohen ND, Whitfield-Cargile CM. Wound swabs versus biopsies to detect methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in experimental equine wounds. Vet Surg 2022 Nov;51(8):1196-1205.
      doi: 10.1111/vsu.13872pubmed: 36102600google scholar: lookup
    11. Di Francesco P, Cajon P, Desterke C, Perron Lepage MF, Lataillade JJ, Kadri T, Lepage OM. Effect of Allogeneic Oral Mucosa Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Equine Wound Repair. Vet Med Int 2021;2021:5024905.
      doi: 10.1155/2021/5024905pubmed: 34950446google scholar: lookup
    12. Jørgensen E, Bjarnsholt T, Jacobsen S. Biofilm and Equine Limb Wounds. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 27;11(10).
      doi: 10.3390/ani11102825pubmed: 34679846google scholar: lookup
    13. Nolff MC. Filling the vacuum: Role of negative pressure wound therapy in open wound management in cats. J Feline Med Surg 2021 Sep;23(9):823-833.
      doi: 10.1177/1098612X211037873pubmed: 34428942google scholar: lookup
    14. Cequier A, Sanz C, Rodellar C, Barrachina L. The Usefulness of Mesenchymal Stem Cells beyond the Musculoskeletal System in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;11(4).
      doi: 10.3390/ani11040931pubmed: 33805967google scholar: lookup
    15. Wise LM, Stuart GS, Sriutaisuk K, Adams BR, Riley CB, Theoret CL. Anti-fibrotic Actions of Equine Interleukin-10 on Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1-Stimulated Dermal Fibroblasts Isolated From Limbs of Horses. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:577835.
      doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.577835pubmed: 33195583google scholar: lookup
    16. Berry-Kilgour C, Cabral J, Wise L. Advancements in the Delivery of Growth Factors and Cytokines for the Treatment of Cutaneous Wound Indications. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2021 Nov;10(11):596-622.
      doi: 10.1089/wound.2020.1183pubmed: 33086946google scholar: lookup
    17. Wilmink JM, Ladefoged S, Jongbloets A, Vernooij JCM. The evaluation of the effect of probiotics on the healing of equine distal limb wounds. PLoS One 2020;15(7):e0236761.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236761pubmed: 32726347google scholar: lookup
    18. Lawless SP, Cohen ND, Lawhon SD, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Wu J, Rivera-Vélez A, Weeks BR, Whitfield-Cargile CM. Effect of gallium maltolate on a model of chronic, infected equine distal limb wounds. PLoS One 2020;15(6):e0235006.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235006pubmed: 32559258google scholar: lookup
    19. Mund SJK, Kawamura E, Awang-Junaidi AH, Campbell J, Wobeser B, MacPhee DJ, Honaramooz A, Barber S. Homing and Engraftment of Intravenously Administered Equine Cord Blood-Derived Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Surgically Created Cutaneous Wound in Horses: A Pilot Project. Cells 2020 May 8;9(5).
      doi: 10.3390/cells9051162pubmed: 32397125google scholar: lookup
    20. Ericson C, Stenfeldt P, Hardeman A, Jacobson I. The Effect of Kinesiotape on Flexion-Extension of the Thoracolumbar Back in Horses at Trot. Animals (Basel) 2020 Feb 13;10(2).
      doi: 10.3390/ani10020301pubmed: 32069962google scholar: lookup
    21. Winter RL, Tian Y, Caldwell FJ, Seeto WJ, Koehler JW, Pascoe DA, Fan S, Gaillard P, Lipke EA, Wooldridge AA. Cell engraftment, vascularization, and inflammation after treatment of equine distal limb wounds with endothelial colony forming cells encapsulated within hydrogel microspheres. BMC Vet Res 2020 Feb 4;16(1):43.
      doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-2269-ypubmed: 32019556google scholar: lookup
    22. Supp DM. Animal Models for Studies of Keloid Scarring. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2019 Feb 1;8(2):77-89.
      doi: 10.1089/wound.2018.0828pubmed: 31832272google scholar: lookup
    23. Isgren CM, Salem SE, Singer ER, Wylie CE, Lipreri G, Graham RJTY, Bladon B, Boswell JC, Fiske-Jackson AR, Mair TS, Rubio-Martínez LM. A multi-centre cohort study investigating the outcome of synovial contamination or sepsis of the calcaneal bursae in horses treated by endoscopic lavage and debridement. Equine Vet J 2020 May;52(3):404-410.
      doi: 10.1111/evj.13180pubmed: 31502700google scholar: lookup
    24. Jørgensen E, Bay L, Skovgaard LT, Bjarnsholt T, Jacobsen S. An Equine Wound Model to Study Effects of Bacterial Aggregates on Wound Healing. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2019 Oct 1;8(10):487-498.
      doi: 10.1089/wound.2018.0901pubmed: 31456906google scholar: lookup
    25. Kamus L, Rameau M, Theoret C. Feasibility of a disposable canister-free negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device for treating open wounds in horses. BMC Vet Res 2019 Mar 6;15(1):78.
      doi: 10.1186/s12917-019-1829-5pubmed: 30841889google scholar: lookup
    26. Kamus LJ, Theoret C, Costa MC. Use of next generation sequencing to investigate the microbiota of experimentally induced wounds and the effect of bandaging in horses. PLoS One 2018;13(11):e0206989.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206989pubmed: 30475922google scholar: lookup
    27. Wise LM, Bodaan CJ, Stuart GS, Real NC, Lateef Z, Mercer AA, Riley CB, Theoret CL. Treatment of limb wounds of horses with orf virus IL-10 and VEGF-E accelerates resolution of exuberant granulation tissue, but does not prevent its development. PLoS One 2018;13(5):e0197223.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197223pubmed: 29763436google scholar: lookup
    28. 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. Allogeneic Stem Cells Alter Gene Expression and Improve Healing of Distal Limb Wounds in Horses. Stem Cells Transl Med 2018 Jan;7(1):98-108.
      doi: 10.1002/sctm.17-0071pubmed: 29063737google scholar: lookup
    29. Harman RM, Yang S, He MK, Van de Walle GR. Antimicrobial peptides secreted by equine mesenchymal stromal cells inhibit the growth of bacteria commonly found in skin wounds. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017 Jul 4;8(1):157.
      doi: 10.1186/s13287-017-0610-6pubmed: 28676123google scholar: lookup
    30. Olofsson TC, Butler É, Lindholm C, Nilson B, Michanek P, Vásquez A. Fighting Off Wound Pathogens in Horses with Honeybee Lactic Acid Bacteria. Curr Microbiol 2016 Oct;73(4):463-73.
      doi: 10.1007/s00284-016-1080-2pubmed: 27324340google scholar: lookup
    31. de Souza MV, Silva MB, Pinto Jde O, Lima MB, Crepaldi J, Lopes GF, dos Santos HB, Ribeiro RI, Thomé RG. Immunohistochemical Expression of Collagens in the Skin of Horses Treated with Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:893485.
      doi: 10.1155/2015/893485pubmed: 26236743google scholar: lookup
    32. Bussche L, Harman RM, Syracuse BA, Plante EL, Lu YC, Curtis TM, Ma M, Van de Walle GR. Microencapsulated equine mesenchymal stromal cells promote cutaneous wound healing in vitro. Stem Cell Res Ther 2015 Apr 11;6(1):66.
      doi: 10.1186/s13287-015-0037-xpubmed: 25889766google scholar: lookup
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.