# proud flesh



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I've had good luck using Prouds Off. I ordered it from Valley Vet so don't know if a places like TSC or Rural King carries it.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

My vet had me using hemorrhoid ointment under a wrap to prevent proud flesh on a huge lower leg wound. Worked great! But I don't know if it will take it off if you already have it protruding above the hairline. But it might be a stop-gap until you can get the vet out.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I had a colt slash his side open from elbow to flank. Stitches broke down leaving a heck of a hole. I was sent some pfwondersalve which worked a miracle. 

Time line from this to healing below was around six weeks. Total healing was about ten weeks. The last little bit seemed to take ages! 



















https://pfwondersalve.com


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

In surgery clinic we use silver nitrate sticks aka caustic pencil for proud flesh. Its like a cotton bud (i think maybe its also known as a q tip????? Lol sry). For a small wound like describe they serve well. Make sure you read instructions and watch a video but its not a big deal and you can repeat applications. They are suitable use for many animals as have seen them used on both domestics and equines!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I haven't dealt with proud flesh since the 60's. 

I knew there had to be something better than brown paper towels and the original "Shake 'n Bake" for chicken, lollol

Yep, that is what we used "Back in the day", way out in the country Covered the proud flesh with Shake n Bake, then wrapped with a brown paper towel (which were very common in those days), then a lot of hospital tape.

And it worked -- took several weeks and not 100%, but it worked to a large degree.

Doesn't that give you the warm fuzzier about eating Shake n Bake, lollollol


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Ok. I have heard of PF wonder salve, proudsoff, equaide, etc. I wish I knew what the active ingredients are. 
I'll look at the store and see if I can find caustic pencil. 
I also read baking soda works, and since I have that sitting around the house I'm going to give it a try today, then if it doesn't work out I'll try ordering something else or look at the stores. We have practically no horse stores around here, the closest one is a good 30 min away and after that it's an hour + drive to get to anything. However, we are in the outskirt of the city, so something more human oriented and less horse oriented may be easy to find.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Proud flesh is very common on leg injuries. ( Less common for any injuries not on the legs. )


ProudsOff works VERY WELL for proud flesh. But it is very potent and it is important to only apply it exactly where you need it. I've been "graced" with lots of lower leg injuries with my horses so I always keep some on hand. You can also use plain OTC hydrocortisone cream. It's not as strong as the ProudsOff but it will work too.



I had tried PF Wonder Salve on one of my horses in the past. Personally, I didn't like it. I didn't like how I couldn't get it off. It creates almost a second skin, so to speak that is supposed to be easy to remove and then put on a new layer. I don't know if it was the colder temps (winter in ND) or what, but it didn't work quite like it was supposed to. 



If it's small, you probably wouldn't need the vet to cut it off. While proud flesh does bleed a lot (since it is so heavily vascularized) horses usually don't have a lot of feeling in it. Just get a sharp loose razorblade and you may be trim it off yourself, and then follow up with ointment if it tries to come back.


Remember: Proud flesh is simply EXTRA granulation tissue above the level of the skin. This is what causes a wound not to heal b/c the new skin can grow over the wound if the proud flesh is too elevated. So long as you keep the face of the would even and level, then new skin can grow in and cover. I say this so that people don't over-apply ProudsOff or any other ointment. These protects inhibit healing (which is needed to get rid of the proud flesh) but if you use these products when you DON'T have proud flesh, well, then the wound won't close. So only apply them if there is proud flesh that needs knocking back.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

I've had good luck with honey. People buy the super expensive kind but I use stuff from the farmers market. Give that last little area a good thick coat of it and put a dressing (half a kotex if it's that small) and wrap it. The wrap will act as compression and the honey can stimulate the rest of the healing process in some horses. It may take another week or two. If the dressing stays in place you can change it every two to three days. As always, if it develops drainage or odor, time to call the vet.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Such an informative thread!
Let us know how things go, op!


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

walkinthewalk said:


> I haven't dealt with proud flesh since the 60's.
> 
> I knew there had to be something better than brown paper towels and the original "Shake 'n Bake" for chicken, lollol
> 
> ...



Now we've stepped up to BLUE PAPER SHOP TOWELS or maxi pads, Underwoods, and baking powder... and vet tape!


Sometimes diapers.



I will never forget... earlier this summer I was loading the camper with a 5 gallon bucket filled with 'equine first aid' items: Pads bought from the salvage freight place in town (At a huge discount) in varying absorbancy and sizes, vet tape (neon green and bright pink), Walgreens foam athletic tape/wound wrap, a spray bottle of Underwoods...and what really threw him: A new can of baking powder.


He kept trying to send it into the house. I kept taking it away from him and putting it BACK IN THE BUCKET and putting the bucket BACK IN THE 5th wheel.


He also didn't know how to take the 'burn spray' or the spray bottles of hydrogen peroxide.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> Now we've stepped up to BLUE PAPER SHOP TOWELS or maxi pads, Underwoods, and baking powder... and vet tape!
> 
> 
> Sometimes diapers.
> ...


That is too funny, lollol

Sometimes the old fashioned ways still work best, don't they:cowboy:


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

walkinthewalk said:


> That is too funny, lollol
> 
> Sometimes the old fashioned ways still work best, don't they:cowboy:



Hey, I'm very Whatever is on Hand Practical with first aid care, both for myself, my kids, my husband, our dogs and cats and now, the horses. Cows? Ye gads. I'm not doing it. I've been wadded up by an upset momma cow before. Nope. nope. nope. Call the vet, call a cowboy buddy out, you do whatever you gotta do. Shoot them with a tranq dart... whatever. I'm not doing it. I'd ten times rather treat an injured upset horse than a cow. Horses seem to KNOW you're trying to help. Cows don't care. Someone is going to PAY FOR THE PAIN they're feeling.


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## buggy (Aug 8, 2016)

I had a mare that ran through a high tensile fence. All four legs had ugly wounds and then of course proud flesh. I had really good results with equaide. it was pricey- but I only used one jar. I needed something that didn't need to be wrapped and wasn't caustic. She had very minimal scarring for the extensive wounds that she had.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Stupidly I cut myself with a saw across the base of my thumb. I couldn't be bothered to go get it stitched so just taped it up couple of days later I used the Wonder Salve on it and it was healed in days. Never stand when applied so I doubt it is caustic.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I would probably use the prepared products now that I'm near town. But...

I've used cola drinks on proud flesh in the past with good results. (It's also good at removing rust on metal). One of my kids used the cola option on a scar she had from a compound fracture. Worked well. Much less costly than what the plastic surgeon wanted to charge!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

boots said:


> I would probably use the prepared products now that I'm near town. But...
> 
> I've used cola drinks on proud flesh in the past with good results. (It's also good at removing rust on metal). One of my kids used the cola option on a scar she had from a compound fracture. Worked well. Much less costly than what the plastic surgeon wanted to charge!


That's good to know about cola and proud flesh

When I was a kid, I used cola to get the rust off my bicycle spokes from sitting over the winter in the old chicken coop. Shined those spokes right up, lollol


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Here is the label info on Prouds Off.


PROUDSOFF™
Creative Science
*PROUD FLESH OINTMENT*
*Proudsoff™* Ointment is for use in the Control and Removal of “Proud Flesh” from Horses, Cattle, Sheep and Goats.
• Effectively removes “Proud Flesh” Leaving Healthy Tissue and Reduced Scarring
• Effective Yet Painless
• Easily Applied
• Economical
Indications: For control and removal of proud flesh from horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
Contains:
Cupric Sulfate
45%
Inert Ingredients
55%
Directions: Cover entire area affected by proud flesh with a thin coating of *Proudsoff™* once daily. Dead tissue and debris from previous use must be removed before each application. This can be done with cotton or a soft gauze. Do not wash the lesion. Discontinue use when all proud flesh has been removed. Do not use on wounds that do not contain proud flesh.
Packaging: 3 Oz jar (85 Gm), 12/case


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

I wonder if I can buy cupric sulfate at home depot or something. 
Isn't that a pool chemical? Ok, kinda kidding but...

I tried putting some baking soda on it and it might have taken a very very thin layer off. I left it 10 minutes. Really cleaned the area around it well. I'm thinking it might work with scrubbing with a stiff nail brush. It really bubbled with the blood that dripped out and it coagulated into a pinkish sludge on contact. I left it open with a dusting of baking soda. 

I'm going to continue the experimentation tomorrow and I will post some pictures from today and tomorrow. I'm going to try scrubbing with the brush and baking soda first, then if I get no where I'll bring some cola? and see how that works. If I end up no where good then I'll order one of the name brand products online and I'll post a daily progress photo with them. 

Hopefully I can find a cheap solution that's easy to get without having a horse specialty store or waiting a week on amazon.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Proud flesh is hypertrophic scarring. If you're still getting blood and serous drainage I would still treat it as a wound. 

From your last post it sounds like you may need to debride it. But I wouldn't treat for proud flesh yet.

The gold standard for winds is: Keep dry wounds moist, and wet wounds dry. Is there just junk covering the wound that needs to come off?


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

What @boots said plus you don't want to scrub on proud flesh. The less you mess with it the better.

@Filou, I have no idea about it being a pool chemical. Many years ago hubby's horse degloved the front of his rear lower leg in the fence and the vet had me throw hydrated barn lime on it daily then pick off the crust every 3 days by holding a wet rag against it for a few minutes to loosen. No spraying, washing or scrubbing by his orders. Once healing started if I saw proud flesh then I was to use a mixture of the lime and some type of sulphur for the next 3 days, then back to lime, etc... The problem is I can't remember the type of sulphur or the concentration to mix it in so I'm better off buying already mixed stuff. His leg healed up beautifully with only a thin line down it where hair wouldn't grow back but no raised scar.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

No, I've been debriding daily to every 3-4 days, and alternate with dabbing betadine to clean around the wound depending on how it looks. I just use my best judgement on how the thing is healing and how wet it is. I left it alone last time I wanted to clean it off really well, hoping it just needed to form a scab over that last bit so the edges would close but it seems that's not the case and it was the start of being inhibited by the proud flesh. 
This is definitely proud flesh that is sticking off. Edges of wound look good and healthy but just can't get around the protrusion. 
I did see someone who suggested scrubbing the proud flesh off, so that is where my idea is coming from. It's too small and in a difficult area, and I wouldn't feel comfortable using a scalpel to cut it back. The baking soda made the hair clean, and it looked like it was working it's way at dissolving some of the proud flesh, which to my understanding is what the topical products mainly do. The horse has been grazing in a patch of tar weed so he is regularly coming in smelling piney and flowery and covered in a sappy tar from the plants, the baking soda made it super clean. I reread my last post and can see how it sounds like it was just dirty. 
I'm thinking if I can get the proud flesh down I'll go back to wrapping it again until it shrinks even more. After a week of wrapping it needed air, but now it's been open to the air for 4 weeks.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Ok, here's how we ended up today. 
Hopefully I didn't get pics mixed up. 1st picture is after cleaning it yesterday with a sponge, water, betadine, then baking soda. It's hard to see the dimensions but it's sticking out about an 1/8th of an inch from the skin level, and just starting to mushroom over the edges. 
After leaving a dusting of baking soda on it over night it had formed a thin calloused hard black layer over the proud flesh. This was different from the typical dirt and dust. 
2nd picture is today after scrubbing with a nail brush and baking soda, then rinsing and scrubbing with cola. I also used the pumice stone on the other side of the brush to scrape away some of the protruding flesh that was starting to dissolve, which was gross but worked. I didn't get it flush with skin level all around, still a little mound in the middle, but I did get pretty darn close. Horse couldn't feel a thing. 
Then I put antibiotic ointment and wrapped it. Planning to leave the wrap on for 3-4 days then see if its started closing around the edges, see how it looks, and possibility of repeating the scrubbing and dissolving any remaining proud flesh. 
Last time I had an injury that just wouldn't close (no proud flesh) I was able to use panalog and man it closed up really quick after that. Hoping that will happen here now that it has a fighting chance. 

Also looked up cupric sulfate and it's an algaecide used in pools, it's available at home depot. Hopefully I can go a little less caustic route! I also got some hemorrhoid creme on hand and some steroid creme, but not sure if I should use either on this. 
How does the chemical in hemorrhoid creme work to combat the proud flesh?


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## Bugbegone (Jun 3, 2018)

One old remedy is meat tenderizer. You make a poultice and wrap it over night. And repeat as necessary. Had a mare slice open her front leg exposing the cannon bone. Owner was an idiot so it was all on me to debride, clean, wrap daily took about 4 weeks to heal, turned out pretty good she has a scar a little over a inch but the vet that helped me thru this said he was impressed how well it did. good luck


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I was going to also say meat tenderizer....
Some of the "old" remedies do seem to work the best for little $.
I've also heard of the honey one for all kinds of wounds and things that ail you...
And hemorrhoid cream...another that works for so many..
Baking powder is a new one to me...


Good informative thread under not so good a "ouch" situation...
This "ouch" too is changing to a positive thanks to this forums great members sharing their knowledge...
_I so enjoy this place and the members attitudes... _:smile:
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## Deodar (Apr 13, 2016)

Shake & Bake? We just used Adolph's Meat Tenderizer! haha


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I had great results using dampened paper towels. You simply stick the paper towel onto the area of the wound with proud flesh and then let it dry which forms a “skin” – like a bloke sticks sticks toilet paper on a shaving nick to stop the bleeding. Once it is dry you scrub it off ensuring that the wound bleeds.


The idea is to trick the wound into creating an epithelial layer (skin) rather than more flesh. The existing proud flesh does not have any nerve endings so it doesn’t hurt the horse but I still hated doing it when I had to.


As soon as I work out how to upload some pics - cant seem to do it straight from my computer files anymore - I will show you the results.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Hi I'm back, hopefully with some pics. Dry compression bandages will stop proud flesh developing hope fully you will see in my pic that the bandage I had on my horses leg had slipped down overnight allowing proud flesh to quickly develop.










I used the dry paper towel technique to stop anymore proud flesh developing and continued with dry bandaging until it was no longer necessary.










Hopefully my images work.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Sorry for the multiple posts! I haven't been on the forum for a while so am a bit rusty. 



Be careful of using very astringent "cleaners". The way to prevent proud flesh is to encourage the growth of skin cells, some products are harsh enough to destroy new 'good cell' growth while trying to inhibit 'bad' cell growth. Realistically, no products are necessary for the prevention of proud flesh. If it has really taken hold simply get a vet to come and scrape it back and then continue with dry compression bandages.


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## BeccaD (Oct 26, 2011)

*Underwood Horse Medicine*

Hi, Another vote for Underwood Horse Medicine!
I had a very thin skinned TB who one day had several "mystery injuries". Rough out in the pasture some days! Anyway fast forward 3 mo. and 1 wound would start to heal and then tear open again. The other was almost totally proud flesh. I tried a couple of things from the vet but no luck.
I read somewhere about UHM. The recommendation was very strong so I figured, why not? I kid you not both wounds were taken care of in 5 days! I followed the instructions exactly and was able to apply the medicine many times a day.
I was so thankful. He was gorgeous and I hated that those 2 wounds were such eyesores. He didn't deserve to have his "handsomeness" disturbed in any way! The proud flesh just fell off and the other wound closed and never opened again. I treated the the torn wound for an entire month and all was well. Hair grew back and everything. 
The stuff is amazing! 
Good luck and I hope everything works out...


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Here's a picture of 1 week later. I put the first bandage on Saturday, changed it Tuesday and then took that one off today and put a new one on. 
I'm using 3 way antibiotic ointment, cotton gauze, cotton gauze roll, then vet wrap. I put a little more pressure on the one I put on on Tuesday and on the one today, and I think it's helping, especially with that little bit of swelling and scar tissue that was persisting. 
One is before cleaning and one after. I just dabbed it off with some betadine on gauze. Hard to say if the bigger thing is getting better, but that tiny one looks amazing to me. I think I will need to keep it wrapped for another week at least, I hope I start seeing some serious closing action here, this is getting frustrating! The care isn't hard, but I just want to take him out and do fun stuff and not this haha.


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