The normal horse may have about 7% of its body weight in blood, i.e. a thousand pound horse about 9 gallons. Thus, loss of a few pints is not life threatening. However, most of us feel compelled to reduce blood loss from a hemorrhaging wound. Hemorrhage below the knee or hock is best controlled with a pressure bandage applied directly over the wound. Clean absorbent material i.e. gauze pads, should be place over the wound followed by cotton padding then secured with gauze or vetwrap. This should not be so tight as to cut off blood flow i.e. not a tourniquet. The bandage should be left in place several hours even it becomes blood soaked. The blood soaked bandage can be replaced later with a clean dry wrap. Wounds around the pastern may bleed severely and often require that the entire hoof be included in the wrap to be effective.
Large gaping wounds i.e. wire cuts on the forearm, chest or other muscular areas usually have minimal blood loss due to muscle constriction at the site. "Blood stopper" powder and purple sprays are of little or no benefit in the control of significant hemorrhage. It is preferable to use an antibacterial or sulfa powder to protect the wound. Wounds which may be sutured should be kept moist and free of contaminants; i.e. no purple spray or blood stopper powder. Furacin ointment or soluble wound dressings are a good choice. A sterile saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt per quart of boiled water) or a "weak tea" color prepodyne solution can be used to irrigate wounds.
Deep penetrating wounds should be explored for foreign material i. e. wood. Sometimes a prepodyne soaked gauze pack placed into the wound will aid drainage and reduce swelling.
Bleeding wounds in the sole of the hoof can become serious problems. A penetrating wound in the sole should be pared out to allow drainage. The wound should be packed with prepodyne soaked cotton and bandaged. These injuries sometime require surgical treatment and extensive antibacterial therapy.
Lacerations of the lips, tongue and scalp heal quickly and are often candidates for cosmetic suture repair. Eyelid lacerations should be sutured to preserve the ability to collect tears and protect the eye.
Injuries to the eye itself may be difficult to evaluate. The horse often closes the eyelid and there is considerable tear formation. The cornea often becomes cloudy as a result of the inflammation. The frequent use of an ophthalmic ointment (no cortisone) will reduce the irritation of a corneal abrasion.
Rope burns around the pastern or those that encircle a limb require special attention. Left unattended an encircling rope bum can restrict circulation and lead to serious complications below the wound. The area should be kept moist i.e. furacin ointment under a padded bandage. The use of phenylbutazone to reduce inflammation is of great benefit.
Hoof wall fracture i.e. shoes tom off, bleeding quarter cracks, wounds
through the coronary band etc. are special problem the require a combination
of veterinary and farrier skills. Any flap or fragment may need to
be pared or rasped off. Bleeding wounds should be packed with prepodyne
soaked gauze and bandaged. An Easy Boot may be necessary to protect
the foot and allow the horse to travel.