Need an idea for a wrap

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:28 am

My colt cut is leg pretty bad just below the knee and of course the wrap we keep putting on slip and expose the flesh.

We have tried every idea and type of wrap to get it to stay but them dang joints just have to move...lol

Any new ideas on wraps for a location like this?

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 2:08 pm

The only way I have ever had a knee or hock wrap really stay up securely was to wrap the whole lower leg, with a separate quilt butting under the knee or hock wrap, to stop it from slipping.

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:00 pm

I did try that too......he is moving around alot of course because I have him stalled so the extra movement is not helping.

We even tried wrapping upwards and guct tape the whole thing in place....the second attempt is staying so far but the day is not over yet.

LKR · Postby **LKR** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:08 pm

If you can't keep the wrap on, what about leaving it off and applying Shreiner's every day? You put it on twice a day, cold water hosing it off before applying it the next time. It heals cuts so there is virtually little, if any scar. We had a mare that got a v shaped cut on her shoulder that extended down into her forearm. It was as nasty as any I have seen. Put stitches in but she got them rubbed and they came apart in 2 or 3 days. We flushed it with cold water and squirted the Shreiner's on it twice a day. Healed great, with minimal scarring, was done and over with within about 6 weeks. Vet was impressed. He said we were looking at 3 to 6 months when he put the 27 stitches in it. Good luck.

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:58 am

I did think of no wrapping but my worry is proud flesh as it is right below a joint and the best place in the world to develop proud flash.

I have some great topical's to prevent proud flesh or scaring but if not wrapped and him being an active little guy, even stalling, it is going to get dirty.

I have learned also over the years that hosing everyday defeats the purpose. You are hosing away new cells and does take longer to heal. Is best to hose every 4 to 5 days after the initial 2 to 3 days to get swelling out etc.

Thanks!!

LKR · Postby **LKR** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:57 am

You are right about the hosing, we did back off after 3 or 4 days to every 2 or 3 days, I forgot that. The beauty about the Shreiner's is you don't develop proud fleshor it is minimal and you can use equiade or some such stuff to get rid of it. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress and what ultimately worked for you.

Mood Swings · Postby **Mood Swings** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:03 pm

Have you tried elastoplast? I find that it sticks so well that it is hard and unpleasant to remove, however it is effective.

karenkarenn · Postby **karenkarenn** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:32 pm

A maxi pad and --
Betadine and sugar MIX IT... It works WELL!
Apply it and it will take care of proud flesh.

Think about it, Maxi pads are designed to take movement.
or get some Vetricyn.....
But my best guess because I went downt the same road that you have been. A pad and Betadine and sugar mix

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:46 pm

I have plenty of different things to help the wound, that I am not in need of, it is an idea to keep the wrap on a joint. It slips down because of constant moving, and gravity, then exposes the flesh. I only wrap for about 5 days or so then I let it air and heal.....I have yet in my 30 plus years doing horses ever found anything that will stay on a joint wound....it is so frustrating.

But....I have never heard of Elasotoplast. What is it and where would I buy it?

Jessi P · Postby **Jessi P** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 8:50 am

If all you want to accomplish is keep the wrap on the wound how about a spider bandage?

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:00 am

Elastoplast is just a Really Sticky Bandaid, made of gauze with a really thick adhesive. A maxi pad is not going to stop your wrap from slipping.

If your wrap is slipping, it might be a technique issue. To stop it, you have to immobilize the joint (or reduce its mobility by at least 70%) and have sufficient padding and tension. A knee would, in my opinion, require at least two very big, VERY thick quilts, and two or three vetwraps. There is always an underwrap, in my jobs, that is a pressure bandage on the wound site itself. In this case of a knee, I would wrap from the narrowest part of the forearm to the pastern. When wrapping the lower leg, tension is not the maker of bandage bows, folds or incorrectly placed seams are. Provided your padding is thick enough (I like 1-1/2" or more) then your vetwrap can be sheeted really tight. I don't change this daily. My wraps are never loose and just don't slip. I change this as often as I think, based on healing (2-4 days) as required to monitor, hose and re-medicate the injury. Proud flesh can be scraped off with a bic razor. You might want a twitch on the horse for that.

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:24 pm

Thanks. I would not of ever used a thicker bandage but will give it a try.

kezeli · Postby **kezeli** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:50 am

[quote="Jessi P"]If all you want to accomplish is keep the wrap on the wound how about a spider bandage?[/quote]

Spider is the best way to go but a lot of people don't know how to put them up. Needs a demo, I had to teach a vet how to put one up :)

oleos93 · Postby **oleos93** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:36 am

I did learn the spider wrap in my course in 95, it was part of the vet practical you had to pass to get certified. Not to many people even know it exists and to be honest I was pleasantly surprised someone mentioned it......

But in this case it did not stay very well.

But he looks so much better and just had to go to daily wrapping every time I saw it had slipped. He is just so active and loves to lay down in his stall so that made for a lot of slippage.

Thanks!!!

klasqh · Postby **klasqh** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:44 pm

We've just been through this with a yearling QH filly - cut her left front leg just a little to the inside right under the knee. Vet told us to use two wraps - the first one of thick cotton padding from about 3 inches below the wound all the way down to the foot. Then vet wrap pretty tight that part except don't go over the top of the cotton completely. Then dress the wound with usual medication - thick layer of cotton that rests on the lower bandage to stop it from slipping down. Then wrap the top really tight and overlap down past the lower bandage. This worked on a really rowdy filly - allowed us to leave the bandage on for longer periods of time for faster healing. Don't know but might work for you.