Equine wound care review sharpens focus on topical therapy choices

A VETgirl continuing education update and a Vet Times review are putting a practical spotlight on a familiar challenge in equine practice: choosing the right topical therapy for horse wounds, especially distal limb wounds that heal slowly and are prone to exuberant granulation tissue. VETgirl’s July 2025 webinar with Holly Roessner, DACVS-LA, frames the issue around matching topical products to the phase of healing, while broader evidence reviews show that no single product fits every case. The strongest published guidance still favors fundamentals first, including lavage, debridement, moisture balance, and dressing selection, with topical therapies used more selectively. BEVA’s primary care clinical guidelines note that topical silver sulfadiazine may not be suitable for acute wounds, while honey may shorten some phases of healing. (vetgirlontherun.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway is that topical therapy decisions in horses should be phase-specific and evidence-aware, not routine. Reviews and studies suggest medical-grade manuka honey can improve wound characteristics and, in some models, reduce wound retraction or healing time, while older antiseptics and some silver preparations can impair healing if used indiscriminately. Vet Times also emphasizes that many commercial topicals add little beyond what a moist wound environment and appropriate bandaging already provide, and cautions against corticosteroid creams because they can delay repair. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Expect continued interest in evidence-backed adjuncts such as medical-grade honey, ketanserin, PRP, and specialized dressings, but also ongoing scrutiny of which products actually outperform good wound bed preparation and bandage management in real-world equine cases. (vettimes.com)