how do i bandage an injury on the inside of a horses hock?

Question

all genuine answers greatly appreciated!

the wound is about five centimetres across and is little more than a deep graze. just need to keep it clean because shes stabled and 22 years old.
thanks for the answers so far!

Answer 1

In most cases it is not necessary to bandage a leg wound. Wrapping can be tricky and if you do it incorrectly you will cut off the blood flow which will result in additional swelling in the area or you may cause more infection if the wound if left open. First of all take a garden hose and flush out the wound thoroughly. Then take an antibiotic ointment (I prefer Furzol) and spread it onto the wound, making sure that you push the ointment into the wound as best as you can. I do this once a day until the area begins to dry up between applications. Then I will treat the area with a spray-on antibiotic once a day just to keep a new infection from forming. In leg injuries it is common for a horse to develop "proud flesh," which is an overcompensating growth of skin and muscle. If this begins to happen, then peel off the proud flesh with your fingers until pink skin is revealed, then apply Wonder Dust daily until the wound heals level with the rest of the leg.

Answer 2

if the wound is little more than a deep graze then I would suggest that bandaging is probably unnecessary - you can cause more problems by putting a bad bandage on a horses leg than putting a good barrier cream (dermobian is fantastic stuff if you have any, otherwise try to get a gel barrier cream like intrasite gel -try boots again) on & letting the air naturally dry the wound out. I would really suggest that if it is just a graze then this is the best plan of action, keep it clean & keep & eye on it but don't panic! Just be certain that your mare is happy to bear weight on her leg, can flex her joint comfortably & there isn't any excessive swelling.

If the wound is actually a cut then I would get a big enough peice of human melolin (from boots or any chemist - exactly the same as vets use), if you have some soft bandage such as softban which is like a thin cotton wool bandage then great, you can secure it with that before vetwrapping over it. If not, then either use a peice of fybergee or gamgee to hold the melolin in place before bandaging.
If possible, use vetwrap or another similar self adhesive bandage on top of what ever you are using to pad out the melolin. If you haven't got this then you will have to use a decent stable bandage but it will be a bit harder to make the bandage stay in place.
start by bandaging above the hock, you need to do at least 2 loops around the leg to secure the bandage. Remember that hock joints flex so it needs to be fairly tight to prevent the bandage from slipping as your horse moves around her box.
next, bring the bandage across the wound to secure the dressing & do a turn around below the hock, go diagonally back across to the top of the hock & do a turn around the leg again above the hock. Keep working around the hock in this manner until you have used all of your bandage. Leave exposed the very front of the hock where the leg flexes, also the point of hock as these are both place that can get sore from pressure points with bandages, especially if you aren't used to doing it. Really you should then pop a stable bandage on her back leg below her hock (if it over laps her hock bandage slightly this is fine as long as you don't over tighten) and as always, you should bandage her other back leg for support as is she is sore she will favour her bad leg & put more weight on her good leg.

I wouldn't recommend a poultice or peroxide personally. A poultice may well may an otherwise clean wound start drawing, it is also scientifically proven that a poultice is only effective whilst its temperature is hotter than the horses temperature, you then get left with a goeing mess that could rub the horses leg - great on foot abcesses but not cut legs. As for peroxide, i know it is good at cleaning wounds but ever tried dodging a horses back leg when you put it on? It stings like crazy, a decent saline solution or hebiscrub (both available from boots) are much safer & just as effective.

Of course, any wounds over joints can become more serious if the horse gets an infection in the joint. If your horse has a lot of heat & swelling or becomes non-weight bearing on that leg it is imperative that you get a vet to look at your horse immediately as the wound then can become a risk of sceptic joint & a require joint flushes, however I am sure that if the cut is just a graze your mare will be fine!

hope this helps!

Answer 3

1) The first step is to anchor the bandage by a couple of turns above the hock..Then make a diagonal and anchor it below the joint...

2) Then use a figure oe eight pattern to include the whole joint takning care not to put too much pressure over the point of the hock..

3) Repeat until most of the joing is covered, then finish with some horizontal turns below the hock..It may help to apply a seperate stable bandage up on the cannon to the bottom border of the hock bandage..This provides a ledge to prevent the hock bandage slipping....


The hock is a very difficult joint to bandage,combining as it does an awkward wedge shape with considerable movement..Use an adhesive bandage,so that each turn of bandage sticks to the one it partly covers...

Answer 4

You can't really "bandage" a horse's hock but you can medicate it. I'm not sure what kind of injury your horse has but if it is an open wound, clean it really well with clean water and apply some kind of medication such as corona (a greenish looking gooey ointment). If it is swollen, you should cold hose it for about 20 minutes a day then apply poultice. Poultice is this white stuff (it kind of reminds me of play doh or something) that your rub onto the area and all around that part of the leg, when it dries (it usually takes about 5-10 mins to dry) it will harden and kind of act as a cast. When you are ready to take it off, you can just pick it off or hose it off. You can buy poultice and corona at your local feed store or tack shop. Make sure you wear a rubber glove when using the corona or just wash your hands off right after wards. Good luck! I hope your horse feels better!

Answer 5

First of all how large is the wound? You can ask your vet for something call new skin, (in the horse world not called this) but he will know what you are talking about. It is a liqiud that hardens to close the wound. You may have to apply it a couple of times. The only draw back is that is is a little painful at first application. Make sure you have help to hold your horse!!

Good luck

Answer 6

Some vets sugest that you not bandage at all, but in you circumstanses, putting a little gauze pad over it (not cotton, it will get in the wound) and wrap with vet wrap. wrap so that you can fit one or two fingers in, and leave an area on the back of the hock free to allow move ment, and on the front, not where the wound is. it is best to change it every day to alllow the wound to air out.

Answer 7

I generally use a triple antibiotic that you buy in a regular store to place on the wound itself to prevent any infections from occurring. I then cover it with a 4 x 4 sterile sponge and then I take coban (a nonstick tape except onto itself) and wrap it around the leg. Coban can be bought in a horse section of a petstore, feedstores carry it, and so do regular super markets. The first three days to a week, change the bandage daily after this, the injury should be nearly healed.

Answer 8

I personally would not bandege it if your horses is in the stable just keep it clean with an iodine sprey. If you bandege it, it will become stiff and and swollen and then you will have lameness to deal with aswell!! hope this helps

Answer 9

Here is some advice from a professional, this website lists everything you need and every step to take. It's very easy to follow. Best of luck to you and your horse, I hope it get's to feeling better.

http://www.dclahdvm.com/Articles/HockBandages.htm

Answer 10

if it is at an angle so you can bandage it than yes , if not just put peroxide ( or what ever you use) on the injury. this may be hard to do if this horse isn't completely tame , if its too hard just let it heal on its own ( but check on it just in case). if it is really serious get a vet to put medicine on it and then bandage. hope that helped.