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HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Wounds / Burns » The Treatment of Proud Flesh or Exuberant Granulation Tissue »
  Discussion on Permanent Scarring?
Author Message

Posted on Monday, Jun 12, 2000 - 9:58 am:

My daughter's yearling filly suffered three large (skin only) wounds, apparently
self-inflicted(that's another story)in February. the vet was able to stitch two of them, but the other was an open area about the size of my hand. All three have actually healed pretty well, but there are ridges of flesh where the edges of the skin came together. Will this likely be permanent? I'm hoping that given her age they will smooth out over time. Is there anything we can put on them that will help the process?

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2000 - 10:03 am:

Hello Carolyn,
I am not sure what you mean by ridges of flesh, but if the thickening is caused by scar tissue, yes it will improve in appearence as time goes on. However it may never be perfectly normal.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2000 - 10:53 am:

Hi Dr. O, yes, it's scar tissue. The areas where the wounds closed are lumpy, and quite visible (so much for her career as a halter horse!). Plus the largest wound is right where the girth will go once she is old enough to be saddled, so we're a little concerned that the area could be literally a "sore spot". Time will tell, I guess.

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2000 - 1:07 pm:

Hi Carolyn,

You could try friction massage across the scar. (against the direction of the scar) when tissue heals in an unorganized fashion using friction massage will help line up the fibers properly ie like having toothpicks scattered in a pile-if you start rubbing across the pile the toothpicks will line up all going in the same direction. I know people who have used this technique on old burn scars with success. It takes time but will help-it will also help to desensitise the area over time. Also try rubbing vit. E into the scars.

Kim

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2000 - 3:02 pm:

A friend of mine has a cutting horse who got a pretty nasty cut to her stifle area, it was very deep and long. They thought her career was over but with alot of care and therapy she is back to cutting cattle. It left a scar like the one you are describing on your daughters yearling. They did alot of massaging and kept the skin moist with bag balm. It took awhile to heal, but now they say if you didn't know about her injury and where to look you would never no she had been injured.

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2000 - 10:03 pm:

Thanks for the feedback. We hadn't thought of Vitamin E but will try that and the massage as well. She's such a pretty little thing, so I hope we can improve the appearance of these injuries.
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