Antibacterial soap/scrub – recommend Betadine (iodine) or Nolvasan (chlorhexidine). Scrub to clean minor wounds. The scrub should not be left in the wound, use saline to flush the wound before wrapping.
Antibiotic ointment – after a wound is cleaned and dried with a sterile sponge or gauze, you may apply an antibiotic ointment (e.g., Nolvasan, triple antibiotic, or Neosporin) to decrease the chance of infection. CAUTION – always consult your veterinarian before applying ointment because a wound that needs to be sutured should NOT have ointment applied to it.
Rolled Cotton – Used for scrubbing and cleaning wounds
Hand and Bath towels – can be used to cover, support and apply pressure to large wounds until a veterinarian arrives.
Ice bags or chemical cold packs – can be used to prevent or reduce swelling from blunt trauma or reduce bleeding or swelling at the edge of a fresh wound. Other applications for the use of ice include shrinking hives, treating head injuries sustained during loading/unloading and swollen injection sites.
Rubbing alcohol.
Scissors – wide, blunt end bandage scissors.
Latex gloves.
Tweezers – can be used to remove splinters, thistles, or other fragments that might be lodged in your horse’s skin. Do not pick at wounds aggressively as this can deepen foreign bodies and elicit a dangerous reaction from the horse. Your veterinarian may need to remove deeply embedded foreign material surgically with the use of sedation.
60 cc syringes – used to clean and flush wounds.
Sterile saline – is used to flush wounds
Thermometer – is used to take your horse’s temperature so you will know whether she has a fever before you contact your veterinarian.
Stethoscope – can be used to monitor the horse’s heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal sounds before your veterinarian arrives.
Pliers and wire cutters – to aid in removing the horse from accidents involving fences and other wire items. A fencer’s tool that combines a wire cutter, hammer and pliers is best.
Hoof pick.
Clinch cutter and shoe puller – if a shoe gets loose or twisted every horse owner should know the proper way to remove a shoe because proper and early removal may prevent injury to the hoof wall and the horse.
Banamine paste – oral anti-inflammatory agent.
Acepromazine tablets – oral tranquilizer.
Horse blanket/cooler – in certain situations such as tying up and shock horses may need to be blanketed even in warmer weather.
Fly and insect repellant.
Epsom salts – is used as a foot soak for abscesses and other foot pain.
Magnapaste and Ichthamol – are used to help “draw” infections or abscesses to the surface and are especially useful for hoof wounds.
Poultice – a number of poultices are available for use in helping to reduce leg swelling.
Needles and syringes – talk to your veterinarian about possible injectable medications, such as banamine and xylazine that may be beneficial if you are trained in giving IM and/or IV injections.
Bandage Materials
Cotton Gauze squares (4-inch squares) – The gauze squares are used for cleaning cuts and scrapes and can also be used for packing bleeding cuts or as pressure underneath a surface wrap. Use self-sealing bags to keep opened packs of gauze clean and dry.
Sterile gauze sponges and pads (sterile gauze and telfa pads) – Have a wide variety of sizes on hand to cover minor cuts or wounds.
Sheet cotton – thin cotton wraps used as the first layer of a standard leg wrap. Usually, four sheets are rolled together and applied to the leg and then tighter gauze or elastic wrap is applied. The cotton sheets supply support and cushion.
Ace bandages.
Brown gauze rolls.
Equine leg bandages – quilted standing wraps and polo bandages.
Adhesive tape (1 inch and 2-inch rolls) – used to help hold bandages in place.
Vetrap and Elasticon – are usually the last layer of a leg wrap and provide support and compression. Elasticon is the strongest and works well holding bandages in place and can be used to help keep debris from entering the tops and bottoms of bandages.
Duct tape – works well for foot wraps, and it is inexpensive, water resistant and molds well to the hoof wall.
