My horse has cut his leg. What could or should I do to prevent proud flesh from forming?
Proud Flesh is excess granulation tissue that the body produces during the healing process. It is important to fill in deficits or holes left by injuries but when it becomes excessive and grows above the surrounding skin level it inhibits the growth of new skin to cover the wound. Once it has grown above the skin level the skin healing stops.
General recommendations to prevent proud flesh from forming include the application of a firm compression bandage to the wound site if possible and the application of topical medications such as Proud Aid or Yellow Lotion directly onto the wound (either underneath the bandage or on their own on wounds that cannot be bandaged). Your veterinarian may also supply you with other prescription products to assist with the wound healing process and prevent the formation of proud flesh.
If bandaging a wound, ideally it should be continued until new skin has completely covered the wound.
Surgical excision by a veterinarian of large amounts of proud flesh may be faster than what can be achieved through the application of topical medications.