Equi-First Aid Tennessee

11/12/2025

11/03/2025

Great info on Fura-Zone!! 🛑

🧴 It is Medicine Monday! And it is all yellow. That is right we are talking about Furacin or Fura-zone Ointment (Nitrofurazone). Not all wound products are created equally and may be a detriment to wound healing.

💛 Nitrofurazone is a topical water-soluble ointment with antibacterial properties for superficial wounds. And it is commonly used in combination with DMSO gel as a “sweat” for horses with cellulitis. Nitrofurazone should never be used on open wounds. Research has shown that nitrofurazone inhibits wound healing by as much as 24%.

☣️Nitrofurazone is associated with carcinogenicity, defined as the potential of a biomaterial to promote tumor formation. This has led to many horse owners throwing out their supply due to this risk.

🩺 We always recommend seeking veterinary advise and an exam when it comes to wounds. Wounds may involve important structures including bone, tendon sheaths and/or joints. It is important that wounds be thoroughly examined by your veterinarian so they can recommend appropriate diagnostics, treatment options and possible referral to an equine hospital.

❌ Now, Fura-Zone is no longer available; other nitrofurazone products are still available.

10/28/2025

10/21/2025

Good little read on Kissing spine. 🐎

Studies have shown that in horses with kissing spines (overriding or impinging dorsal spinous processes), the interspinous ligament often becomes inflamed or fibrotic.

This chronic irritation can lead to:

🔹 Increased sensory nerve fibers (hyper-innervation)
• This phenomenon, often referred to as neuronal sprouting, is common in chronically inflamed or damaged tissues.
• It heightens the area’s sensitivity to mechanical pressure, movement, or even mild touch.

🔹 Clinical Relevance
• This explains why horses with kissing spines can display dramatic or unpredictable behaviors under saddle, even if they don’t show clear signs of lameness.
• Pain from hyper-innervated tissue can be sharp, localized, and exacerbated by back movement, especially when the saddle or rider compresses the spine.

Massage therapy can be a powerful tool for horses with kissing spines.

Massage helps by:

✅ Reducing muscular tension
✅ Improving circulation
✅ Releasing fascial restrictions
✅ Reducing pain and discomfort
✅ Alleviate compensatory patterns that contribute to pain.

Over time, this support allows the horse to adopt a healthier posture—lifting through the thoracic sling, engaging the core, and reducing pressure between the spinous processes—ultimately promoting better movement and comfort.

🧠 Bonus Insight

This kind of neural adaptation is also observed in humans with chronic back pain, where ligamentous or fascial structures develop increased nociceptive input, contributing to pain sensitization and sometimes movement avoidance behaviors.

* The interspinous ligament connects the spinous processes of adjacent thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. It supports spinal stability and helps limit excessive flexion. In conditions like kissing spines, it can become inflamed, thickened, or fibrotic, contributing to pain and restricted mobility.

Massage with Myofascial Release can be a Real Game Changer for Horses with Kissing Spines - https://koperequine.com/massage-can-be-a-game-changer-for-horses-with-kissing-spines/

10/12/2025

08/28/2025

Here’s a great little read on what they thought were gastric ulcers.

08/28/2025

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF PROUD FLESH? 🔎

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

08/19/2025

Colic- this is a topic I am unfortunately passionate about. I have dealt with a medically managed colic along with a grueling 8 hour long colic surgery🤯

Colic is an upset digestive system.

COLIC DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE. Be aware. Stay prepared.🐴

Colic is the number one vet emergency today and the most common cause of death in horses.

Recognizing signs early can lead to a quicker recovery❤️‍🩹

Colic symptoms are not always aggressive, which is why being confident in your skills & knowing your horse is very important.

Symptoms Include 👉🏼

😟Pawing
😟Laying down/rolling
😟Looking/ biting at their sides
😟Loss of appetite
😟Dehydration/ tacky gums
😟Changes in manure
😟Restlessness/ lethargy
😟Agitation
😟Increased heart rate (pain indicator)

💡 Early detection, confidence & first aid can determine the outcome.

First Aid 👉🏼

⛑️Stay calm
⛑️Take vitals
⛑️Call your vet
⛑️Document everything
⛑️Remove food but provide fresh, clean water
⛑️Consult your vet for medication recommendations
⛑️Prep for transport

Why did my horse colic? 👉🏼

🐴Diet changes
🐴Stress
🐴Gas
🐴Dehydration which leads to impaction
🐴Foreign materials such as hay string were ingested
🐴Intestinal spasms leading to twisting
🐴Parasites/ improper deworming
🐴Moldy feed/ forage

Types of colic 👉🏼

🫩Gas
🫩Impaction- sand, enteroliths
🫩Displacement
🫩Torsion/ twisted gut
🫩Strangulation

How do you prevent colic? 👉🏼

👍🏼Provide fresh, clean water daily
👍🏼Exercise / Turnout
👍🏼Psyllium product for sand/ debris
👍🏼Provide ample forage
👍🏼Proper parasite control
👍🏼Proper dental care
👍🏼Introduce any diet changes slowly

How is severe colic managed? 👉🏼

🚑Medically in a clinic or at home
🩺 IV fluid therapy
🩺 Closely monitoring
🩺Pain medications
🩺Mineral oil/ laxatives

🚑Surgery
🩺If medical management doesn’t improve the horse’s condition, surgery may be necessary

Colic Myths 👉🏼

🧠Walking your horse will prevent colic from getting worse. TRUTH: walking your horse is a great way to keep your mind off the issue, keeping you calm. It does prevent your horse from rolling but can also overexert your horse in a time where they need to be conserving energy.

🧠Your horse pooped so they’re in the clear. TRUTH: If your horse poops mid colic episode sure that’s great BUT that manure could have been sitting in the re**um prior to the colic episode. Meaning your horse is still in pain and still dealing with the colic. Food can take up to 72 hours to pass through the entire digestive system. Manure output needs to be monitored closely and one to two poops does not mean your horse is in the clear.

🧠You shouldn’t allow your horse to lay down during colic. TRUTH: You can allow your horse to quietly lay down during an episode. They are in pain and much like us, laying down and taking a minute is comfortable. Do not allow your horse to roll as this can make the colic worse.

08/18/2025

Stay aware. Be prepared!! 🐎

07/31/2025

07/19/2025