Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, October 2018 issue 38 | Page 20

FIRST AID KIT ESSENTIALS
First Aid Kit
OVERHAUL
Now is a good time to have a good rummage in your first aid kit to check you have
all the essential items ahead of winter. we never know what Mother Nature has in
store for us, but most horse owners will head into the colder months wanting to be
prepared.
Being prepared can go a long way towards making life seem
easier when the dark nights approach and the days get shorter.
If your horse suffers an injury and you reach into your first
aid kit, only to find that you used your last tube of wound gel
months ago, it will only add to the stress as you jump into the
car to race to the nearest tack shop.
When it comes to first aid your kit doesn’t need to be crammed
with lotions and potions for every known ailment, but it is
important that you do have the basics, you need to keep your
first aid kit fully stocked.
TOP TIP WHEN CHECKING FIRST AID KITS: Ensure
everything is still in date!
Essential Items in Your First
Aid Kit
WOUND DRESSINGS - Designed to protect a wound and
promote healing, your first aid kit should contain a good
selection of various sized dressings. An effective dressing
should maintain a moist environment at the wound surface
and absorb excess exudates, encouraging the wound to heal
more rapidly and reduce the risk of infection and scarring.
A low-adherent dressing such as Skintact ® , from Robinson
Animal Healthcare, provides a physical barrier to help keep
micro-organisms out whilst offering protection and allowing
the wound to heal.
Robinson Animal Healthcare has a wide range of
products for all your first aid requirements.
For more information contact Robinson Animal
Healthcare on 01909 735000 or visit
www.robinsonanimalhealthcare.com
POULTICES - a veterinary licensed poultice such as
Animalintex ® can be used to treat a wide variety of
ailments and can be applied as a hot wet poultice, a
cold wet poultice or even as a dry wound dressing
– particularly in a first aid situation. The technique
used depends on the particular condition to be
treated.
WOUND HYDROGEL - a sterile wound hydrogel
should be an essential in your kit, as research has
revealed that moist wound healing provides a more
controlled wound environment and encourages
healing to start from within. After a wound has
been cleaned, Vetalintex ® sterile hydrogel should be
applied to a depth of 5mm.
COLD THERAPY - cold therapy is commonly used
in the treatment of inflammation and soft tissue
injuries and is a natural, drug-free way to help treat
injuries and reduce pain. It lowers the temperature at
the site of injury through heat exchange and constricts
local blood vessels. This reduces cell damage and
fluid build-up. Koolpak ® instant ice pack allows you
to easily provide cold therapy immediately after an
injury occurs, without the need for refrigeration.
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BANDAGES - bandages can be applied to help
support and provide protection for tendons and
ligaments and also to reduce swelling, secure
dressings and assist in the healing process of injuries.
Cohesive bandages quickly and easily secure a
dressing or bandage in place without restricting
movement and come in a range of colours to brighten
up your first aid kit!
VETERINARY GAMGEE ® - an absorbent, high
quality cotton wool enclosed in a non-woven gauze
cover which is used to promote wound healing by
insulating, cushioning and protecting wounds from
external trauma.
Scissors – a decent pair of blunt ended scissors are
essential for cutting bandages and dressings to the
required size. They are also safe and easy to use when
removing bandages.
Thermometer - A slight change in temperature
may indicate there is an underlying problem with
your horse, so make sure you have a good quality
temperature reading device in your first aid kit.
EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2018 • ISSUE 38