[jentressler]

My gift horse has a deep wound in the corner of his mouth. His past teenage rider apparently tore it with the bit. It has been there for at least three weeks, and is still quite swollen, and an open wound. I wash it out daily, and slather it with tri care ointment. It was already treated for infection, with daily penicillin injections, as well as injections directly into the lip. The most recent approach was to use silver nitrate on it. It has changed in appearance in the past week, showing pink tissue now, as opposed to being totally black, when I first got him.
The question is, how do you help a wound like this to heal? It obviously can't be bandaged, it's fly season, it's in the mouth, so just eating exposes it to all kinds of activity.
The horse is very good natured about all the treatments. The lip corner is swollen to about 1 1/2 inch out from where it would normally lie, and is firm to the touch.
Any info, opinions or similar stories would be helpful! Thank you so much.

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

are you feeding an anti inflamatory of some sort as well? When you felt the affected area did you notice any warmness? Honestly your best bet is to just keep up on your wound care as you do not want this swelling to affect his mouth permanently which if left untreated and allowed to swell unchecked can happen...

when you say it's changed from black to pink is that within this past week or what how long of a time span has it been?

 

[jentressler]

Changes in color of wound

Yes, the change to pink coloration, from black tissue, has been in the past week. I always view pink tissue as a sign of healing. Not sure, in this case... The black may have been from the silver nitrate, and now it's wearing off.
He is on an anti anflammatory supplement, and I just assume he will have a marked scar in the corner of his mouth. I don't intend to ever use a bit on him, and am picking up a bitless bridle, today.
It amazes me that someone could do so much damage to him with a bit; I never got the full story of how it happened. I know he doesn't tie, so maybe the rein got snagged on something, and he did it himself, in reaction to the pressure... Training him to tie is on the agenda, but I would like to get him healed, first.
He also had soreness/stiffness in his shoulders from being over worked- they were using him for drill team and barrel racing, which was pretty hard on him. Poor guy- he's a big framed, big muscled quarter horse, and it put a lot of strain on him.
Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

Yes, the change to pink coloration, from black tissue, has been in the past week. I always view pink tissue as a sign of healing. Not sure, in this case... The black may have been from the silver nitrate, and now it's wearing off.
He is on an anti anflammatory supplement, and I just assume he will have a marked scar in the corner of his mouth. I don't intend to ever use a bit on him, and am picking up a bitless bridle, today.
It amazes me that someone could do so much damage to him with a bit; I never got the full story of how it happened. I know he doesn't tie, so maybe the rein got snagged on something, and he did it himself, in reaction to the pressure... Training him to tie is on the agenda, but I would like to get him healed, first.
He also had soreness/stiffness in his shoulders from being over worked- they were using him for drill team and barrel racing, which was pretty hard on him. Poor guy- he's a big framed, big muscled quarter horse, and it put a lot of strain on him.
Thanks for any feedback!

No you're very right this type of healing (IE very fast) is a sign that you're most likely just dealing with a superficial wound. It's also beneficial that you don;t see the gums in the bar area (presuming this is from the bit of course) of the horses mouth aren't 'weeping' blood or pus then you've very likely beat out infection and should have a healthy and happy horse very soon.

oh yeah and also from wht you've told me it's a lot more likely that the swelling is not due to the skin wound but the actual trauma from the injury (bit yielding teen)

I've found that corona brand horse ointment and/or hoof alive works wonders on scars and regrowth of hair and both are fairly inexpensive and found at all feed stores... I even use them on myself and boy do I have a lot of battle wounds lol.

yay

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

out of curiosity though what percentage of silver nitrate do you use or do you dilute with water?

It could have been a damaged/chipped bit which is actually really common because the chips can be so tiny you can hardly even notice them but they'll still rip their poor gums to shreds

I can't say I've seen a steel bit chip however I have seen the aluminum and aluminum alloy's chip.

Thats really unfortunate for him but he seems to be under really good care and I'm sure he'll be real thankful when it's all said and done. He ought to be real good natured if he lets you fuss about with his mouth, lol mine would try to nibble me for sure.

 

[jentressler]

Well, you are very kind, and I feel encouraged with your responses. I just got back from the barn, and he is looking better. I cleaned up and sprayed it with Vetericin, and the vet was there, and she said that a longer healing time would be expected, and we are doing all the right things to help him. She was also not a fan of the silver nitrate, in this application. As to the dosage of silver nitrate, they are sticks, and I didn't ever use them, so didn't notice the strength. They're still in their tube, at the barn.
Yep I really love this horse, and can't wait to know that he is 100% healthy. He seems very happy in his new home, and his new owner.

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

Yeah I was concerned about the silver nitrate tbh I would just use plain ol' peroxide because it's pretty safe to use orally and if the horse eats it the enzyme peroxizomes will break it down into o2 and h2o (water and oxygen) at the cellular level... Its awesome he lets you tend to his mouth properly and you have the know how to treat him appropriately. it's still pink? not more red and no puss discharge still, right? so long as it stay that way and continues that way I wouldn;t worry too much and keep up on your cleaning until its healed to prevent infection of the gums which can spread to the jaw bone, blood, and brain which canand will kill when left unchecked.

you can also go to health food stores and use collodial silver which is an antiseptic. this will help the immune system (help against infection), the Silver works by disabling the oxygen-metabolizing enzyme (one-celled bacteria fungi and viruses) so that they cant reproduce (suffocates these foregin bodies), this is helpful because unlike antibiotics which onlyfight a dozen or so things this will kill a much wider variety of things that could inhibit healing properly and to date I have yet to come accross a study which shows resistance to this form of antiseptic unlike with antibiotics which a resistance can be developed... Colloidal Silver has been tested and shown to be effective against more than 650 different disease causing pathogens... none of these pathogens were able to survive a min in collodial silver solution. You can apply this directly ont he affected area but it can even be effective by adding to grain or water so this could be really helpful for your prolonged healing time estimation.

hope this helps and if it sounds like something youre interested in id be happy to explain more and maybe help figure out if this is something viable for your baby

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

sorry i meant peroxsomes are microbodies found within cells that contain enzymes which oxidize toxic substances such as peroxide ... they're not enzymes >.< woopsies lol don't wanna misinform

 

[jentressler]

Wound is uglier, 2 weeks later...

Well, our little mouth wound has become a big weepy bloody lesion, in the corner of his mouth. He doesn't seem all that painful there. When I first saw pink tissue, I saw it as a sign of healing, but now I wonder if he has some kind of healing issue. I sprayed it with wound kote this morning... seems like it needs to dry up. I know fly season doesn't help, but there is not deterrent for that. He eats well, feels healthy, is fine when ridden. I really need to see some sign of this thing healing! Maybe I'll go back to the silver nitrate sticks. I'll see if I can post a picture here, of his sore.

 

[trailhorserider]

I don't want to be one of those folks that always hollers "call the vet" but if the wound is going backwards in progress, maybe a vet would be in order. ( I read he was getting injections and such, so you've probably already done that, but if it isn't healing properly mentioning it to the vet again would be a good idea.)

I know I always worry myself to death anytime my horses get a health issue. Normally for small things I do treat them myself. But if they aren't getting better I would be wanting a vet's opinion.

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

I don't want to be one of those folks that always hollers "call the vet" but if the wound is going backwards in progress, maybe a vet would be in order. ( I read he was getting injections and such, so you've probably already done that, but if it isn't healing properly mentioning it to the vet again would be a good idea.)

I know I always worry myself to death anytime my horses get a health issue. Normally for small things I do treat them myself. But if they aren't getting better I would be wanting a vet's opinion.

I agree, an infection is going to need to drain and that may require it being manually done.

is there any way you could be mistaking pink tissue for proud flesh?

 

[Ashleysmardigrasgirl]

if what you're seeing is proud flesh you ought to cut that out or have your vet cut it out as it will inhibit the granulation tissue formation which is what covers the wound creating a scab. If left untreated the proud flesh will grow into a lump near the wound and stop scabbing which keeps the wound open and prone to infection

 

[Trinity3205]

Yep time for the vet. The mouth is a very important place for the long term well being of the critter so get thee to a vet. It probably will need excised to clean fresh margins and possibly stitched together so it can heal if its like im imagining it.

 

[jentressler]

The vet was consulted before I got the horse, when it first happened. I also spoke with my vet last week, without having her look at it, and she said we are doing all the right things for it. We are thinking it's just opening on the outside of the corner of the mouth due to the pressure of the swelling. Thanks! If it doesn't show improvement soon we will call the vet out again.
Hubby is not a horse person, and he thinks it looks like the swelling has gone down, and the vet said it will take awhile to heal.

 

[jentressler]

Don't see it as proud flesh

There is no granulation of the tissue. It's just an open sore. We clean it and treat it twice daily. There is no pocket of pus. He's been treated twice for infection prevention, and I don't like over use of antibiotics. Of course I could go buy another bottle, but don't think it's indicated. He feels great, eats well, no lethargy at all.
When I got him, the very inner corner of the mouth was where the tear was, and now the open part of the wound has migrated to the exterior area. I can use the silver nitrate sticks to cauterize it again, but am not a fan, although I read it's very successful on human canker sores.
No, it's not in my budget to have the vet out, and also I worked as a vet tech for several different vets in the past, and feel fairly competent to deal with most issues.

 

[Trinity3205]

I would be quite worried.

A. because mouth wounds typically heal very very quickly. (lacerated tongue and damaged mouth corners and bars, tongue almost completely severed from spooking and tossing rider, stepping through loop nylon reins and fighting the reins and bit around his leg. Nutcracker snaffle sliced it almost in two) healed in less than a month)

B. because its gotten worse and has no visible healing margin.

Im sorry, but at this point, I think you at least need to take some cell pictures and phone is a favor from a real vet. To do less is irresponsible IMO. I get dealing with things yourself...I also am capable of many many treatments on my own... but there is a time for a truly educated opinion and you are taking a risk of possibly needing much more involved treatment down the road anyway by letting this fester and get worse. I would say again that this likely needs to be excised and stitched up if its at the corner of the mouth like im thinking.