Treatment of injuries in javelin horses with propolis

Debridement and suturing of deep and infected wounds in horses requires sedation and anesthesia due to the limitations of horses. For this reason, it is preferred to perform wound treatment and care with more practical methods. The aim of this study is to evaluate wound healing in 18 horses by utilizing the antimicrobial, anti– inflammatory and local anesthetic effects of propolis. Various wounds resulting from trauma on 18 male, Arabian and British horses aged between 3-8 at Malatya Equestrian Javelin Club were treated by applying liquid propolis in spray form for 5 days. Wound size was measured with a ruler on days 1, 3, 5, 9, 13, 15 and 21 after the application. All wounds started to heal on the 3rd day after the application, graze wounds healed on the 9th day, and deep wounds healed on the 15th day. It was concluded that wound treatment with spray propolis in horses can be preferred because it is easy to apply, economical, creates biofilm on the wound and provides healing in a short time.