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==Introduction==
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The donkey is liable to skin injury through its relatively exposed limbs and
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the circumstances of its management. <u>Whilst the horse has a reputation
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for ‘poor healing’ with respect to lower limb healing in particular, the
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donkey seems to have a reputation for good healing with the proviso that
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proper management is applied.</u> It is always unfair to blame ‘nature’ for poor
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healing wounds when the care and attention given mitigates against a rapid
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and natural repair. These differences make the study of wound healing in
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equids particularly interesting and also add to the clinical challenges that
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the species offer to practising veterinary surgeons and owners under all
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circumstances.
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'''Anatomical knowledge''' is possibly the most important single aspect
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of wound management in donkeys. Many problematic wounds have
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recognizable anatomical complications that could have perhaps been
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foreseen at the outset. The major constraint in the management of wounds
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in donkeys is the need to examine and treat wounds within the first few
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hours after wounding occurs. The second limiting factor is that, under
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many practical circumstances, the working donkey cannot be rested or
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hospitalized. A combination of necessity, poverty and ignorance (and
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unfortunately, in some cases, cruelty) means that many wounds are presented
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long after the acute stages. Once complicating factors are present, then
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the wound may pass into a continuing cycle of chronic inflammation and
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failure to heal as a result. Management becomes problematic and the need
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for intensive treatment increases.
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Where a wound fails to heal as expected, the clinician should in most
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cases be able to recognise the possible reasons for this. The wrong treatment,
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or the right treatment badly executed, can result in failure of the wound
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healing process and may even endanger the animal’s life.
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This section describes the principles of wound management under these headings:
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<big>
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'''[[Wound Management Basics - Donkey|Basic wound management]]
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'''[[Healing Fundamentals - Donkey|Fundamentals of healing]]
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'''[[Wound Healing Inhibition Factors - Donkey|Factors that inhibit wound healing]]
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'''[[Wound Types - Donkey|Wound types and their management]]
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'''[[Maggot Therapy - Donkey|Maggot therapy for wound treatment]]
 
'''[[Maggot Therapy - Donkey|Maggot therapy for wound treatment]]
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</big>
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==Conclusion==
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Wound management is one of the most expensive clinical procedures
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in equine practice and decisions must be taken carefully with specific
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clinical intentions. Delays in wound healing are expensive and also result
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in significant welfare considerations for the horse or donkey as well as
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extra stable management, so it is important to repair the wound as soon
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as practicable.
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It is also important to remember that there is nothing prescriptive
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about the clinical management of a wound, because no two wounds are the
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same. The clinician will need to consider carefully the whole wounded area
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and carry out appropriate procedures that will encourage and speed up the
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healing process. The basics are clear. The wound care should be directed
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towards healing as early as possible and with the minimum number of
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complications. This means that at every stage the wound must be examined
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carefully and thoroughly. Management may have to change and there may
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be some circumstances when some harm has to be done in the expectation
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that it will help in the end. Promises of a rapid recovery, however, are unwise
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and almost always unrealistic. A few wounds heal amazingly well and others
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that should do so simply fail to heal for no easily defined reason.
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It is wise to keep the owner informed of the reasons for each decision
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so that disappointment and acrimony can be avoided.
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==Literature Search==
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[[File:CABI logo.jpg|left|90px]]
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Use these links to find recent scientific publications via CAB Abstracts (log in required unless accessing from a subscribing organisation).
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<br><br><br>
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[http://www.cabdirect.org/search.html?q=ab%3A%28wound+management%29+AND+%28donkey%29 Wound management in donkeys related publications]
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[http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2009/20093211841.pdf '''New technique for reconstructing fresh massive wounds with skin flaps in equine.''' El-Tookhy, O.; Torad, F.; Shamaa, A.; El-Mahdy, M.; Iranian Veterinary Surgery Association, Kermen, Iran, Iranian Journal of Veterinary Surgery, 2007, 2, 4, pp 7-16, 30 ref. - '''Full Text Article''']
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==References==
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* Knottenbelt, D. (2008) The principles and practice of wound mamagement In Svendsen, E.D., Duncan, J. and Hadrill, D. (2008) ''The Professional Handbook of the Donkey'', 4th edition, Whittet Books, Chapter 9
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* Knottenbelt, D.C. (1997). ‘Equine Wound Management: Are there significant differences in healing at different sites on the body?’ ''Veterinary Dermatology 8''. pp 273-290.
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* Mulder, J.B. (1989). ‘The medical marvels of maggots’. ''Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 195''. pp 1497-1499.
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* Pascoe, R.R., Knottenbelt, D.C. (1999). ''Manual of Equine Dermatology''. W. B. Saunders, London.
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* Wilmink, J.M., Stolk, P.W.T., van Weeren, P.R., and Barneveld, A. (1999). ‘Differences in second intention wound healing between horses and ponies; macroscopical aspects’. ''Equine Veterinary Journal 31''. pp 53-60.
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* Winter, G.D. (1962). ‘Formation of the scab and the rate of epithelialisation of superficial wounds in the skin of the young domestic pig’. ''Nature 193''. pp 293-294.
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Further reading:
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Knottenbelt, D.C. (2004). ''A handbook of Equine Wound Management''. W.B. Saunders, London.
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{{toplink
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|backcolour = D1EEEE
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|linkpage =Clinical Section - Donkey
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|linktext =Clinical Section - Donkey
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|pagetype=Donkey
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}}
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{{infotable
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|Maintitle = [[Sponsors#The Donkey Sanctuary|This section was sponsored and content provided by '''THE DONKEY SANCTUARY''']]
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|Maintitlebackcolour = B4CDCD
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}}
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[[Category:Donkey]]
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[[Category:Clinical_Section_-_Donkey]][[Category:Wound_Management_-_Donkey]]
Author, Donkey, Bureaucrats, Administrators
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