Effect of wound location and the use of topical collagen gel on exuberant granulation tissue formation and wound healing in the horse and pony.

This study examines how the application of a collagen gel on wounds in different areas of the equine body, specifically on the dorsal fetlock and metatarsal regions, impacts the formation of granulation tissue and overall wound healing. The results revealed no significant difference in the wound healing process, regardless of whether the collagen gel was applied or not.

Study Details

• The study involved 6 horses and 3 ponies wherein 36 standardised cutaneous limb wounds were surgically induced. Out of these 36 wounds, 18 were treated with a collagen gel while the remaining 18 were left untreated for control comparison.
• The collagen gel was applied at varying times after the wound was made: immediately, 2 days later, and 7 days later. These sets were referred to as groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
• Four key aspects were measured: the amount of wound contraction, size of the granulation bed, epithelial covering, and total wound size.
• In addition to these measurements, skin and wound biopsies were taken to assess the healing process at a microscopic level.

Results

• The data analysis did not find any significant differences in the production of granulation tissue, rate of epithelialization, and wound contraction between the collagen-treated wounds and the control wounds.
• The total healing time and the final scar size were also similar, regardless of whether the wound had been treated with collagen gel or not.
• However, the study found a notable difference in the healing patterns of wounds located in the fetlock region versus the metatarsal region.
• All wounds enlarged up until the 15th day, but the fetlock wounds enlarged significantly more than the metatarsal wounds.

The results from this study suggest that the use of a topical collagen gel does not significantly impact the wound healing process in horses and ponies. However, the location of the wound does play a role in the healing process, as wounds in the fetlock region enlarged more than those in the metatarsal area.