Severe lacerations with bleeding:
Using a clean dressing, apply pressure with your hand directly over the source of bleeding.
Gently clean the wound with a cold water hose only if it is severely contaminated by dirt and other debris.

Do not apply any medication, disinfectant or ointments to any wound that may require suturing because these may cause tissue damage that can interfere with the suturing procedure. As a general rule, the less done to the wound before presentation to the veterinarian for suturing the better.

If the horse will be transported to a veterinary clinic or if there will be a delay before the veterinarian arrives, apply a clean pressure bandage directly over the wound. Use plenty of padding between the injury and the bandaging material. Elastikon and/or Vet-wrap should be applied firmly enough to lessen bleeding but not so firmly as to cut off circulation. Always leave some of the padding material showing at the top and bottom of your wrap. Tourniquets are not recommended for use by untrained personnel.

Stabilize the injured limb in the first few minutes following the occurrence of a severe orthopedic injury. This will prevent further injury to the affected limb and its blood supply and will reduce the pain experienced by the animal.

If a commercially designed splint is not available, you can make one with a pillow and several rolls of Elastikon tape or Vet-wrap type bandages. Wrap the pillow around the leg and apply the tape pulling the pillow as tight as you can while wrapping. After several rolls of tape have been applied, the bandage will become very stiff, thereby stabilizing the leg. This is only a short-term solution which will need to be replaced with more permanent stabilization as soon as possible.

When using tranquilizers in a severely injured horse, use a very low dose. These animals easily fall into shock and higher doses of tranquilizers can compound low blood pressure complications.

Reprinted with permission of the copyright holder and the Center For Equine Health. The materials offered in this article are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult your veterinarian in matters regarding the health of your animals.

The research conducted by the UC Davis Center for Equine Health is supported with funds provided by the Oak Tree Racing Association, the State of California pari-mutuel fund, and contributions by private donors. Please visit The UC Davis Center For Equine Health website for addtional information at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh

The Horse Report: Writer/Editor: Laurie FioEditor/WriterCenter for Equine HealthSchool of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaOne Shields AvenueDavis, CA 95616-8589phone: (530) 752-4434fax: (530) 752-9379e-mail: ltfio@ucdavis.edu