It can be difficult to get equine leg wounds to heal, especially when located on a high-motion joint. Additionally, the closer to the ground the wound is, the easier it becomes for dirt, mud and fecal matter to invade the wound. Wounds to the lower leg often develop excess scar tissue and granulation, as well.
A study team led by Dr. Shauna Lawless from the Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences investigated the potential use of gallium as an antimicrobial for wounds. Gallium maltolate is a semi-metallic element similar to iron; it can kill microbes that require iron.
The study used six Texas A&M horses, creating five 1-inch by 1-inch wounds on the side of the cannon bone of both front legs. Wounds on five of the horses were infected and treated with a 0.5 percent gallium maltolate and one horse was used as a control, with only petroleum jelly used on the wounds. The wounds were rebandaged twice weekly and treatment began on Day 10; biopsies were taken weekly.
Infection and biofilm formation was encouraged by placing gauze saturated with S. aureus on the wound for 48 hours. The research team found that infected wounds treated with gallium between two and four weeks after the wounding incident healed faster and had less proud flesh than the uninfected wounds.
Read the study here.
Read more at EquiManagement.
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