Researchers looking at wound healing in horses have found that applying medical-grade honey to the wound, as it is repaired, may help control infection and reduce wound breakdown.
Under ideal conditions, surgical repair may lead to rapid (“first intention”) healing. But wound breakdown is not uncommon, particularly in lower limb injuries. Factors such as infection and movement are significant problems.
Eleven veterinarians in Israel were involved – between them treating 127 lacerations. Most wounds (30%) were on the lower limb. Upper limb wounds accounted for 28% and head wounds a further 24%.
Wounds were repaired using a standardised protocol, with some being chosen at random to have medical-grade honey (MGH) applied to the wound. (Medical grade honey has been sterilised by gamma radiation to eradicate any bacterial spores – such as Bacillus spp and Clostridium spp – that may be found in raw honey.)
This article was originally published on horsetalk.co.nz and was written by Mark Andrews