# proud flesh



## ClassicalRomantic (Jun 2, 2009)

I would get the vet out to check him over! I would also invest in Vetericyn. you can google it! I bought some for my mare and it is a miracle! you probably could of prevented that from happening if you started using this stuff right away! I will never be without it on hand ever again!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

whatarush, I see that you are a new member here - welcome to the Horse Forum! Your post was a little hard to understand (call me an old fogey! I need punctuation and non-text speak, haha) but what I think you're asking is whether there is a better way to deal with proud flesh than cutting it off?
In my (very inexpert) opinion, cutting it off is the best way to deal with proud flesh, especially if it is a large area. There are very caustic substances out there that will inhibit or even eat a small amount of proud flesh, but unfortunately they cannot distinguish between healthy flesh and the over growth, so you have to be very careful in the application. As well, with it being a caustic substance, it can sting if the nerve endings are near to the surface. 
When my horse developed proud flesh with a nasty cut he got, my vet recommended letting the cut fill in as quickly as possible, and that meant allowing a bit of proud flesh to form. He did develop a large mass of proud flesh. The vet recommended cutting off the proud flesh and then using a cortico steroid/furacin mix to control any excess growth from there on in. 


**Warning - links are to very graphic images
Day 1:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/alixisthebest/closeup.jpg
Proud flesh:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/alixisthebest/dec5.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/alixisthebest/dec5side.jpg
Proud flesh being removed:




After having proud flesh removed:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/alixisthebest/Cut/HindLegDec9004.jpg
Last stages of healing:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/alixisthebest/Cut/cutsmall.jpg

Now, he has a bit of a bump on his fetlock and a scar, but looking back, I think I did all I could to prevent as much cosmetic disfiguration as possible.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I just wanted to add - while some products are advertised as prohibiting proud flesh, and encouraging a faster rate of healing, most times they also are very caustic (they sting, a lot!) and greatly encourage scarring.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I was told to use wonder dust to prevent it. Maybe it has something to do with the carbon?


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## Curly (Mar 21, 2007)

The proud flesh is a protective mechanism for horses, its a soft vascular tissue that grows fast to close the wound. I've pealed or cut it off with good success but most would probably more comfortable having a vet do it. There's a powder you can put on it to prevent it but it also slows the healing. I believe its called "wonder dust", be careful what wounds you use this stuff on, many vets say not to use it at all. Mine recommends using it only when absolutely necessary. Its kind of an acid I understand. :evil:

Compression can prevent proud flesh pretty well. I cut some off a horse last spring and the vet had me wrap it fairly tight and leave it alone. He said the continuous cleaning people do every day or so is actually harmful, and causes proud flesh because it re-aggravates the wound and activates the proud flesh response. 

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

Wonder dust isnt that bad. Ive accidently puffed it in my mouth before, and I was fine. I use it once on wounds that are looking like they're growing proud flesh, then leave it alone.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Curly said:


> The proud flesh is a protective mechanism for horses, its a soft vascular tissue that grows fast to close the wound. I've pealed or cut it off with good success but most would probably more comfortable having a vet do it. There's a powder you can put on it to prevent it but it also slows the healing. I believe its called "wonder dust", be careful what wounds you use this stuff on, many vets say not to use it at all. Mine recommends using it only when absolutely necessary. Its kind of an acid I understand. :evil:
> 
> Compression can prevent proud flesh pretty well. I cut some off a horse last spring and the vet had me wrap it fairly tight and leave it alone. He said the continuous cleaning people do every day or so is actually harmful, and causes proud flesh because it re-aggravates the wound and activates the proud flesh response.
> 
> Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.


Very good advice. The reason some vets are against Wonder Dust is because of what I explained above - it's a caustic substance that does prevent proud flesh, but it can also prevent healthy tissue from forming as well. Another reason that vets may not recommend it is because it can encourage scarring. 



sillybunny11486 said:


> Wonder dust isnt that bad. Ive accidently puffed it in my mouth before, and I was fine. I use it once on wounds that are looking like they're growing proud flesh, then leave it alone.


I would just like to point out that the reason it didn't sting your mouth is because it's not an open wound with exposed nerve endings. Just like you can eat salt or lemon juice no problem, but it greatly irritates a wound - does that make sense?


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

> I would just like to point out that the reason it didn't sting your mouth is because it's not an open wound with exposed nerve endings. Just like you can eat salt or lemon juice no problem, but it greatly irritates a wound - does that make sense?


 
I totally get it. Actually I bite my cheeck alot so I probably had an open sore, but I was trying to point out it didnt burn me. Im sure it is caustic, thats why it works. 

If you use it once when you see the flesh growing you get it there on that outside layer. It kills that stuff and it can continue heal underneath. I wouldnt use it everyday, or on every cut. I think I have the same bottle I bought for my first horse, ten years ago. I wouldnt use it on a huge would like your horse had. Im sure that would hurt like hell. Did you figure out how your horse got that wound? I think I would have freaked out seeing all that blood coming out.


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## Curly (Mar 21, 2007)

JustDressageIt said:


> it's a caustic substance




Yep, "caustic", thats the word I was looking for. Sometimes its a bummer having a limited vocabulary. :? 

On a horse I had 20 years ago I had some proud flesh coming in on a hock injury. I was able to peal it all off in one quick pull. It came off real nice and in one clump. Normally it takes a razor or something. One hates to do this to your horse but sometimes its for the best. Some horses get it more than others.


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## whatarush43 (Nov 30, 2009)

i just want to say thank you for welcoming me and thank you for all the info. im just getting back into horses again after being away from them for about 20 years and i have forgot most everything i lerned lol. but i do remember why i had them back then. again thank you for your help


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## Curly (Mar 21, 2007)

JustDressageIt said:


> Now, he has a bit of a bump on his fetlock and a scar, but looking back, I think I did all I could to prevent as much cosmetic disfiguration as possible.


I just had time to look at the video and pictures you included on your post. WOW! That was a nasty cut and a terrible place to have it. It looks like it came together nicely. Does the horse favor that leg at all? How long did it take to heal up to the last picture? Was he twitched or drugged for the flesh removal or did he just stand and take it? 
My 6 year old gelding had a cut nearly that bad on the rear of his front foot. He was pretty good about letting us doctor it but he finally got to the point where he had had enough. I had to twitch him to doctor it. It sucks, we work so hard to build trust into our horses then we have to do this to them. 

It's amazing how well these wonderful animals heal.


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## whatarush43 (Nov 30, 2009)

a friend of mine told me to use scarlet oil and after useing it for about a week he said i should be able to peel the proud flesh off. has anybody used it and if you did what was yhr out come. thanks


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Curly said:


> I just had time to look at the video and pictures you included on your post. WOW! That was a nasty cut and a terrible place to have it. It looks like it came together nicely. *Thank you. It took about 8 months total to get to the point where it was scarred over..* Does the horse favor that leg at all? *Not at all - if not for the scar, I'd forget what leg he hurt! He was sore for the first few days after incurring the injury, then was fine from then on in.* How long did it take to heal up to the last picture? *The first photo was November 18, the last photo was in April sometime.* Was he twitched or drugged for the flesh removal or did he just stand and take it? *He was heavily sedated - only for the proud flesh removal though. For everyday doctoring, I stuck a feed tub in front of him and he stood there calm as could be. *
> My 6 year old gelding had a cut nearly that bad on the rear of his front foot. He was pretty good about letting us doctor it but he finally got to the point where he had had enough. I had to twitch him to doctor it. It sucks, we work so hard to build trust into our horses then we have to do this to them. *I agree, and I'm stunned to this day that he took it so well, and that he's completely sound on it. *
> 
> It's amazing how well these wonderful animals heal.


My answers are in blue and bolded  I hope your horse healed up well too!


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## 5cuetrain (Dec 11, 2009)

Lots of opinions--lots of choices about proud flesh. One concoction--yes concoction--that works for me is granulex, wonder dust, dsmo and furicyn. Mix it and apply twice a day. Use gloves for sure.

Old Vet showed this to me 10 years ago and I've been usin it ever since.


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## HyTec (Jan 9, 2010)

Check out EQUAIDE.com, great for exuberant granulation tissue!! Doesn't harm healthy tissues, just reduces the "proud flesh", doesn't sting like most other products either!!

Also, scraping at the flesh, or burning it also kills the healthy cells, and they can't tell where those nerve endings really are located when they cut/burn either. Pressure bandages reduce the circulation to the tiniest of vessels- the ones meant to provide blood and nourishment to those healing skin cells - once clamped down by that bandage- it can't help to heal, so the proud flesh pushes through once the bandage is released, again- not helping heal the wound in the end. 
Proud Flesh - EQUAIDE


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## whatarush43 (Nov 30, 2009)

thanks hytec i will order some and try it and let you all know how it works


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## chivas (Mar 16, 2011)

Hi Curly re your past discussions on proud flesh. So I have been picking/scraping proud flesh away from my filly's wound, each morning and aftrnoon I'm picking/scraping it away! Does this sound right to you? Also there is a hard piece along the upper edge, I can grab it between my fingers, should I cut this away? What do I do to this area then? You sound like you know what your talking about re proud flesh! Please help!


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