Project seeks Data on Horse Wound Management

Horse owners in the UK are being invited to take part in a new project to help improve the management of the skin and flesh wounds that are a common type of emergency in horses. Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham teamed up with the equine charity, The British Horse Society, to launch the Equine Wound Project which is now available online.

The Project is asking horse owners to submit information, including photos, about their horse’s initial wound, as well as the subsequent assessment, treatment process and healing outcome. Information is submitted to the University where veterinary researchers want to learn about any type of equine wound regardless of size and whether it has been treated by a vet, so they can capture information on a wide range of injuries.

The BHS and the University’s equine veterinary team envisage that the analysis from this research will result in new, freely-accessible educational resources to support decision-making, helping to improve owners’ recognition and care of wounds.

Professor Gary England, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham and one of the research project supervisors, said: “The University and the British Horse Society have had a very successful previous collaboration through the REACT colic campaign. We are delighted to be working together again on this new initiative, working closely with horse owners to gather new evidence on wounds and wound healing in the horse, which we plan to use to develop similar high-quality educational resources.”

The Equine Wound Project website can be found at www.bhs.org.uk/wounds