BHEC Equine Spa

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BHEC Equine Spa
The Choice of Professionals
In Association with Professor Evan Hunt
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Water Factors

• Temperature The water is 2 centigrade. Taking
  out heat and inflammation
• Aeration Acts as a massage
• Salt The salt acts as a poultice as well as
  having a natural healing effect on wounds
• Depth The depth of the water applies pressure
• Biological control The water is chlorinated as
  well as being cold, salty and filtered down to 10
  micron
• Dissolved Oxygen As the water gets colder is
  oxygen levels increase and the horses benefit
  from skin absorbed oxygen

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Dissolved Oxygen
Aerated Water
As water gets colder its ability to carry oxygen
increases. The graph opposite show the dissolved
oxygen content of water as it gets colder both
aerated and non aerated
Non Aerated Water
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Effect of Dissolved oxygen on horses heart rate
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Injuries Treated

• Tendons
• Suspensory ligament
• Hoof conditions
• Joints
• Open wounds
• Infections

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Senjani

• 5yr old, sprint TB, referred after showing
  swelling over right fore SDF tendon on 16/11/99.
• Ultrasound taken by Andrew Litchfield, Orange
  Vet.Clinic on 30/11/99. Scans at 10cm(top),
  15cm(2nd), 20cm(3rd ) and 24cm distal to
  ACB(bottom)
• Extensive core lesion running down SDF with
  accumulated paratendinous fluid to sesamoid region

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Senjani
Repeat scans taken 16/12/99 at 10cm(top),
15cm(2nd), 20cm(3rd) and 24cm(bottom) distal to
ACB. Degree of resolution of core lesion and
paratendinous fluid with improved alignment of
fibres
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Senjani
Repeat scans taken 1st Jan. 14cm(top), 16cm(2nd),
20cm(3rd) and 24cm(bottom) distal to ACB.
Further resolution of core lesion and
paratendinous fluid with improved alignment of
fibres. Horse commenced slow walking with
continued spa treatment twice weekly and expected
to race in 14 weeks
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Senjani after 3 races
Ultrasound scans of right front metacarpus 15cm
below ACB taken 7 1/2 months after injury and
following three race starts up a grade for a
first, and a second and then third at group
level. Has gone on and had five preparations for
7 wins and nine seconds in sprints winning over
145000
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Alcazar
Alcazar was referred to the Centre with bruising
to the left tendon area.
Ultrasound imaging on 16/07/02 at the 2b level
clearly shows a grade 2 core lesion.
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Alcazar
Top row scan taken level 2b on 01/08/02 fifteen
days after daily spa for 8 days then every other
day. Walking started Centre row taken 02/09/02
with walking increased to 20 mins b.i.d. Spa
every second day Bottom row taken 02/11/02 at
which stage horse was being worked slowly on
track while spa treatment continued every day
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Alcazar winning the Segaro Stakes
Alcazar wins at first outing on April 1st at
Nottingham.He has successfully continued to
race for another 3 wins and 4 placings, one at
group 1 while continuing preventative spa
treatment
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Wire Cut Injury
Severed the medial metatarsal vein with multiple
skin cuts. Pressure bandaged for 2 days to stop
bleeding. Then dressed with Bioband bandage and
10 lotagen for six days. Total hair loss and
some skin. All skin appeared as though it would
slough away
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Wire Cut After 8 Days
After 8 days where horse put through spa daily
for 4 days then every other day with no topical
treatment out of spa. Hair regrowth, decreased
swelling and pain with rapid closure of
epithelial edges
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Wire Cut after 18 days, 11 treatments
After another 10 days of every other day spa
treatment, 11 treatments in total, the wound had
almost healed and the horse was put back into
work. Almost no adhesions associated with
scarring Horse went straight back into training
with no further problems
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Deglove injury to stallion (28/07/01)

• Stallion, severe wire injury to hind cannon
  19/07/01 with total removal of all skin over
  275mm in front and 75mm behind. Wrapped with
  Lotagen 8 days to grannulate over cannon and
  tendons

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Deglove injury on 20/08/01 ( 20nd)
Epithelialisation progressing very
well with control of grannulation tissue. Reduced
to 255mm in front and 55mm behind. Stallion sound
enough to test serve today on 20/08/01
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Deglove injury on 17/09/01( 48days)

• Injury better but damaged in mid period due to
  management decision to allow free run in yards
  which caused varicose cysts and enlargement in
  grannulation. Now 235mm in front and 27mm behind.
  Stallion serving most days

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Epithelialisation

• Epithelial edge clearly evident and growing
  across at 2-3mm per day when no bandage movement
  is established.

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Deglove injury 101 Days
At this point the Stallion was kick by a mare
during serving, which sliced through his extensor
tendon. This required surgery.
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Dahlaweis
Dahlaweis, TB mare 4 months pregnant was sent to
TCNET in late June 2002. Photographs, taken using
a Polaroid camera when she left Headsor Stud
showing extent of grannulation below hock and
contracted skin graft sections lower medial canon
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Dahlaweis 3 Days

• Initially put through the spa daily for 3
  days.Then had the granulation tissue scraped,
  washed, covered with wound gel, and bandaged with
  Bioband elastic gauze bandage, covered and
  wrapped with tight leg wraps and left for three
  days.After 3 days the wound had improved
  immensely.Process rpt with photos taken on 5th
  July 2002.

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Dahlaweis 28 Days

• Spa therapy stimulated the granulation tissue but
  also importantly reduced the wound base. After
  another three weeks Bioband bandage with
  lotagen was introduced rather than the use of
  the wound gel. Photos taken 30/07/02 before
  lotagen treatment started

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Dahlaweis

• The wound was responding so well ( photo taken
  on 15th August 2002) that a decision had to be
  made about future treatment.
• Mare went home duly foaled and the filly by
  Pivotal was one of the sale topers at Doncaster
  this year

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Shoulder injury treated using filter adaptation
16/02/04
06/01/04
15/12/03
28/03/04
20/01/04
22/12/03
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Influence on hoof growth
Two weeks growth
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The ECB Equine spa is now being used all over the
world not only in rehab yards for the injured
horses, but more and more by trainers to keep
their horse free from problems.
Jim Bolger Leading Irish Trainer The Best
thing I have bought in over 20 years of training
racehorses