The Humble Bungee Cord Scores in Veterinary Medicine

This mare presented to Harrison Equine with a chronic wound of the fetlock and extensor tendon in a hind limb. Several attempts at repair had failed and the defect contained damaged granulation tissue. Excessive granulation tissue development during wound healing occurs only in horses (proud flesh) and humans (keloid).

As this mare had no extensor tendon function, she frequently hyper- flexed the joint and destroyed the granulation tissue bed, which is necessary for skin growth over the wound. Unfortunately, granulation tissue does not stretch and is very susceptible to trauma. We arranged for Zach Shoop, a local farrier (www.zchfarrier.com), to fit a shoe with a ring at the toe. We then used a bungee cord to mimic the function of the extensor tendon.

The stabilized defect should now be able to fill in with granulation tissue, a prerequisite for normal skin growth.

Will keep you posted!

Ian Harrison, BVSc

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