Nothing signifies freedom and vitality like a majestic steed galloping across a windswept landscape. But unfortunately, because of their general nature and lifestyle, equines are notorious for traumatic injuries and wounds. The most common cause of horses’ wounds is foreign objects like farm implements, gates, fences, and building materials.
A few weeks ago we introduced you to Pain Free for Life client and experienced microcurrent healer Heidi Donohoe and her horse Finn. Heidi has treated countless humans and horses with microcurrent—and has had great success in doing so.
Recently, we sat down and talked with Heidi about healing horses specifically, and one problem came up time and time again—wound healing.
Today, we will share a few of Heidi’s stories about how microcurrent therapy made all the difference in healing equine wounds.
4 Most Common Wounds in Horses
As we mentioned, horses are known for developing wounds and injuries. Before we talk about healing them, let’s get familiar with some of the most common wound types you will run into if you are raising a horse.
- Incised wounds— are generally caused by sharp objects that slice the flesh and feature smooth, clean edges.
- Puncture wounds— also known as penetrating wounds. Puncture wounds may present as a small tear or hole, but underneath there could be severe trauma. Puncture wounds often get infected, causing further complications.
- Lacerations— are marked by rough, jagged edges of the skin and sometimes soft tissue damage. Like puncture wounds, lacerations are at greater risk for infection due to potential contamination.
- Abrasions— can be thought of as a serious scratch. They are non-penetrating and generally less prone to infection and damage than other wounds.
Why Is It Hard to Treat Wounds on Horses?
Wounds—especially those on horses’ distal limbs— can be notoriously difficult to treat because of frequent joint movement, poor circulation, and marginal soft tissue between skin and bone. Additionally, because horses spend so much time near dirt, sand, straw, and wood shavings, their wounds can be easily infiltrated and irritated by outside materials (especially in the case of puncture wounds and lacerations).
Why Choose Microcurrent for Equine Wound Healing?
For starters, microcurrent therapy is one of the most soothing, gentle, and effective treatments for horses when used correctly. If you own a horse, you understand how sensitive these powerful creatures can be to external influences. Something as simple as new bedding, a change in the weather, or a new person caring for them can stress them out majorly.
That’s why experts like Heidi Donahue choose microcurrent therapy as their go-to treatment for equines.
Can Microcurrent Help Heal My Horse’s Wound?
You may be wondering: can microcurrent therapy really help heal my horse’s wounds? The answer is absolutely! In fact, microcurrent is so effective in treating wounds (in humans AND animals) that we wrote an entire book on the subject.
Microcurrent accelerates all forms of healing when your horse is injured. It does this by boosting the immune system providing pain relief, reducing chronic inflammation, and increasing ATP, the molecule responsible for intracellular energy transfer. When ATP is increased, it triggers a release of endorphins and neuropeptides in your horse’s body, which helps support the wound healing response.
Additionally, microcurrent can be used instead of acupuncture needles if you are doing meridian work associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Stories From the Ranch
The horse community is tight-knit. And when word gets out about innovative treatments for age-old problems, everyone reaches out to help each other as much as they can. This is how Heidi came to heal so many horses with microcurrent over the years. Through rodeo barrel racing and her national network, Heidi has become a leader in the application of microcurrent therapy for equines just through word of mouth.
Whether it be colic, foot founder, broken limbs, or troublesome wounds, the success stories go on and on. Today, let’s home in on wounds specifically by sharing a couple of stand-out cases.
Saving a Three-Month-Old Colt With a Catastrophic Wound and Broken Leg
When a horse breaks a leg, the consequences are disastrous. Typically it’s a death sentence. So when three-month-old colt, Bex, got tangled up in a gate and ended up with a compound fracture to the cannon bone of his hind leg with a massive open wound, the prognosis was not good.
Heidi stated, “There was nothing when the horse came to me. All I could see was bone. The advice from the veterinarians was to put the horse down. So, for me, I knew I had to fix the bone first then get started on treating the wound.”
Heidi used her Avazzia device and ran it at 7Hz with electrodes attached to Bex’s hoof’s bottom and ran the microcurrent straight down the bone. Because the colt’s wound was so tender and open, he really didn’t want anyone to be touching it—making microcurrent a perfect gentle approach.
Heidi shared, “Horses are so sensitive to the stress, and they will founder during treatment. That’s a fire. So, you have to deal with the fires that come up. Some will get an infection amid treatment, so you’re always on the lookout with an animal because they can’t say, “Hey, Mom, I’ve got a fever.” You’ve got to watch carefully and pay attention to warnings. If the healing isn’t progressing as fast as it was two days ago? (You’ve got to ask) what’s going on?”
With careful observation and a gentle touch, Bex’s wound – and miraculously, his broken leg – was eventually healed, and he’s living a perfectly normal life now.
Heidi attributes the following frequencies, device, and accessories with Bex’s healing success:
Heidi communicated that now, at nearly a year old, “Bex is a completely sound horse due to microcurrent.”
Healing Deadly Frostbite in a 22 Year Old Mare
Heidi also shared the story of a 22-year-old mare named Pearl. Pearl developed frostbite on her shoulder when she leaned against and got caught up in a fence during an ice storm out in Idaho.
Stress is a huge factor when it comes to equine healing. Horses are extremely sensitive to stress, and wounds create a constant source of stress that can result in a vicious cycle of pain, stress, physical illness, and more pain.
Pearl developed abscesses all over her body with the systemic stress of the frostbite— and they, unfortunately, became infected. Heidi noticed that Pearl was running a temperature and that the abscesses were full of pus and were oozing and swelling.
In this case, Heidi knew she needed to start with antibiotics immediately because the stress was also causing Pearl to bleed from her lungs. The goal was to keep Pearl alive before wound treatment could commence.
So, Vagus Nerve Stimulation was the first protocol Heidi used. She told us, “I treated her for 10 minutes at an incredibly low level so I could put my hand on her carotid artery, which is where most of the moisture was, and then turn my intensity level up. I could feel it, but you couldn’t see it. The Vegas Nerve Stimulation allowed me to focus on the treatment area much longer because Pearl was relaxed.”
“The key here was keeping her relaxed so that we could keep her alive.”
Once Pearl was relaxed and stable, it was time to focus on wound care. Pearl’s wound care consisted of taking the split wire on the Avazzia, hooking them up to different probes, and then bookending the wound between said probes. Heidi also utilized a cold laser, and used Manuka honey as an antimicrobial dressing on Pearl’s wounds between microcurrent treatments. Heidi utilized the honey dressing as a bacteria-free conductive gel when conducting microcurrent as well, and Pearl responded beautifully.
In as little as six months of treatment, Pearl healed up, and now only a tiny scar remains as a reminder of this harrowing injury.
Connect With Your Equine Community Online
Interested in connecting with other horsemen and horsewomen who are using microcurrent therapy? In that case, we invite you to join our FREE Pain Free for Life Support Group on Facebook. In it, you can network, ask questions, and receive support from people from all over the world who have found success in treating their animals with microcurrent therapy.