Large ulcer keeps weeping

Discussion in 'Labrador Health' started by Valerie 106, Sep 21, 2017.

  1. Valerie 106

    Valerie 106 Registered Users

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    Was wondering that myself. Everyone I've spoke to really recommends it
     
  2. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Hi @Valerie 106 , a warm welcome to the forum, sorry to hear about your boy.

    I'm not sure about using the raw manuka honey on wounds, but my experience is of good healing using honey-based wound dressings (medical grade) both on Lilly's biopsy site - took weeks to heal as she wouldn't leave it alone - and my daughter's leg, which was a nasty infected deep insect bite which needed packed.

    I guess just putting a blob of honey on is a bit random, could itself introduce infection?
    I must say, the medical grade honey dressings are pretty pricey.
     
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  3. selina27

    selina27 Registered Users

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    In my own experience of using honey as a wound dressing on human patients is that some people love it and it works spectacularly well, or they can't tolerate it at all.

    This is purely observational , not research based at all.
     
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  4. kateincornwall

    kateincornwall Registered Users

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    Just to add, re the honey , I did use medical grade manuka on Sam , not just the manuka you use yourself , I got mine online .
     
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  5. xxryu139xx

    xxryu139xx Registered Users

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    Well, deep down to the core, it really doesn't matter what you apply to the wound, it's how its being taken care of, e.g. serial debridements (remove eschar or dead tissue, that gets in the way of good tissue growing back), oral antibiotics if needed, and keeping it covered (prevent infection and reinfection). Our wound doctors have their own favorite prescription cream and we can almost interchange them and get the same results. Now results depend on other co-morbidities such as diabetes, and vascular disease, even anti-coagulant therapy. Now we have patients with chronic wounds. We have thrown the encyclopedia at them, including manukah honey, and it is no better than anything else.

    From what I've been told, the idea behind manukah honey is that it gives microorganisms a different source of energy to attack instead of your body, allowing you to heal. Its cheaper and I suppose a safe choice to be prescribed by a doctor who really does not understand wound care beyond first aid. There are much better products out there available for wound care. Usually we would do an antibiotic cream to kill any strong infection first such as MRSA. Once an infection is cleared up, we would move to a chemical debridement like Santyl, which is an enzyme that eats dead tissue for the purpose of keeping the wound clean and regranulating the wound to heal.

    As far as pets, i'm not quite sure if santyl or any other cream would be edible or non-toxic. I joke with the manukah honey rep to tell me where their warehouse is so that when the zombie apocalypse comes, I know a food source that no one else would think about.

    here's an excerpt from webmd


    What the Science Says About Manuka Honey

    Several recent studies show manuka honey is effective when used on top of wounds and leg ulcers. Studies also show it's effective in fighting infection and promoting healing.

    But not all studies show that it helps to heal ulcers. And there is concern that manuka honey may actually delay healing in people who have ulcers related to diabetes.

    The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database lists honey as being "possibly effective" to treat burns and wounds. The Cochrane Review notes that honey may shorten healing times in mild burns compared with traditional dressings. However, there is not enough evidence to say that honey dressings are more or less effective in the treatment of other wounds including diabetic foot ulcers.



    Studies are not conclusive. Like i said earlier, without the presence of co-morbidities, any wound would heal with proper wound care. Why even use honey on mild burns? First aid is to put area under cold water and then you can apply silvadene, the gold standard for burns. It also has been around for almost half a century and can be had very cheap. Probably cheaper than Manukah honey. Silver has more studies indicative of its efficacy against some infections.
     
  6. xxryu139xx

    xxryu139xx Registered Users

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    Did your daughter's wound heal?
     
  7. xxryu139xx

    xxryu139xx Registered Users

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    Well here's an idea, if you want to dry up the wound. We would use betadine on wet gangrenous toes to dry them up. You can get some sterile gauze and apply that over the wound. Keep it covered. The iodine has a drying effect. Just make sure he does not lick it.
     
  8. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Eventually. Left a bit of an indented scar.
    I went on the advice of my nursing team. Wound care is well out my league.
    It was a bit out the league of my vet too rot be honest. My cat loving nurse was the best help for the dog
     
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  9. Oberon

    Oberon Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    My horse vet says that silvadene is the business. It's only available by prescription in Australia, otherwise I'd have some on hand...
     
  10. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Silver dressings have good anti-bacterial effects but they are hugely expensive and have to be justified to get to use them (good old cash strapped NHS). I am guessing the cream isn't quite of pricey - I think its an old fashioned treatment for burns.
     
  11. Oberon

    Oberon Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Ok my vet must've been talking about something other than the cream then. She was definitely talking about the expensive version :)
     
  12. Beanwood

    Beanwood Registered Users

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    I am a bit wary of dressings that dry out wounds, especially ones that are difficult to heal. I do like the hydrocolloid dressings, that provide a moist, protective environment to promote healing, particularly good for epithelial migration. I know our vet has been trialling some dressings with good effect I will have to dig out the name later.
     
  13. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    This is very interesting to me, as someone who knows nothing about wound care, we were always told to leave (superficial) wounds uncovered "to let it dry out". I've extrapolated from this that wounds heal better in a dry environment than in a moist one. Now you're telling me that my parents don't know everything?! *mind blown*
     
  14. Beanwood

    Beanwood Registered Users

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    Well most wounds will heal fine on their own :). The slightly trickier ones will need a bit more help...a bit like it much easier to swim across water than sand :)
     

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