Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, October 2018 issue 38

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. 20 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

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