How to Treat Skin Grafts in Horses

Skin grafts may be used on horses that have large wounds that can not be sutured. Using a skin graft on a severe wound can offer some benefits: Skin grafts often allow an injury to heal more quickly than it would naturally heal, and skin grafts can provide a better cosmetic appearance than a slower, natural healing process might leave behind.

  1. Bandaging

    • It is essential that new skin grafts are kept completely immobile in order to allow the skin to bond completely with the animal's existing flesh. The grafted area needs to be kept tightly bandaged for at least the initial two weeks after the grafting surgery. The new skin should be kept completely protected from the environment, otherwise the graft may become detached from the existing flesh. If the graft becomes detached, the skin will die and the surgery will fail.

    Infection

    • It is absolutely essential that the area around the skin graft and the grafted skin be kept completely clean and as dry as possible at all times while the horse is recovering from the injury. An infection at the site of the skin graft can cause the graft to fail and can even make the initial wound or injury worse. It is essential to take proper precautions against infection, including keeping your horse on antibiotics and keeping the bandages around the wound clean and dry. Change bandages every two to three days.

    Limiting Activity

    • Excessive movement by the injured horse can cause a skin graft to become detached from the skin around it. It may also damage the skin graft. It is important to keep your horse as still, calm and quiet as possible during the recovery process after the horse receives the skin graft. Your horse should be kept on stall rest and let out only for limited exercise, such as hand-walking, until the graft is sufficiently healed.

    Self-Mutilation and Scarring

    • Some horses may be inclined to rub, chew on or otherwise disturb the site of the skin graft. In the case of these horses, anti-chewing products will need to be applied over the bandages that cover the wound area. In severe cases, the horse may have to be restrained on cross ties or otherwise blocked from reaching the skin graft. If scar tissue becomes a problem, corticosteriods are typically given to reduce the development of problem tissue.