Wound Aid for Animals is yarrow, Achillea millefolium, harvested in full bloom, dried and powdered. It is liberally applied to open bleeding, oozing or otherwise raw wounds. I have used it most on horses with moderately severe to gruesome wire cuts. I apply it by liberally sprinkling it on the open wound or throwing it on the wound if the horse is not cooperative or restrained. A large quantity will adhere to the wound. Yarrow is a hemostat — or blood stopper — it works best on lacerations. It does not impress me as a blood stopper on incisions or clipped nails. It does work effectively to stop oozing sutured incisions. It is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and accelerates wound healing with reduced formation of scar tissue.
Apply liberally to affected area twice daily.
Proud flesh has not developed on any of the horses I’ve treated with this product. In fact, where proud flesh has already existed, before treatment, the problem was resolved.
Contact dermatitis occasionally occurs with topical application of yarrow.
Yarrow’s use as a wound treatment is dated back to at least 1200 B.C. to the Trojan War. It was called – Herba militaris – because of its utility as a treatment of war wounds. It is a vulnerary (i.e. wound treatment). Its primary historical efficacy is as a hemostat, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, cell proliferator and mild analgesic. It is particularly useful in treating wire cuts and other wounds on horses.
Nearly 200 chemical constituents have been determined in yarrow. While a very great deal of knowledge does not exist as to the pharmacology of individual yarrow chemical constituents some important knowledge exists. Yarrow’s anti-inflammatory pharmacology is due to chamazulene. This effect has been shown in rodent paw edema testing. Achilleine provides the hemostasis observed.
The essential oil of yarrow - which contains dozens of compounds - is active against S aureus; C albicans and it has stapholococci activity. Yarrow is active against E. coli, Shigella sonnei and many other bacteria. The chemistry responsible for yarrows marked anti-microbial properties is not well documented.
The body does not, by my observation, recognize powdered yarrow as foreign. It does not reject it and little scar tissue forms. Never have I had proud flesh develop on equine wounds treated with powdered yarrow.
I used to treat horse wounds by washing, bandaging and the use of, usually, penicillin. I don’t, anymore, restrain, scrub, bandage or use any other anti-microbial than the yarrow. I have treated well over 100 wounds by simply getting close enough to the horse to apply, by throwing, as much powdered yarrow to the open wound as will stick to the wound. I do this twice daily.
We did not invent botanical medicines and we do not recommend that the use of botanical medicines should be undertaken on the strength of our restatement of historical usage and documented research.
We do restate well documented traditional efficacy and the results of ongoing research. Personal experience is included where deemed appropriate.
Regardless of the merits of any plant medicine, side effects do sometimes occur. These may be real or imagined. Always seek the counsel and advice of qualified medical professionals and use caution with any medication, plant derived or otherwise. We do not accept responsibility for the use or misuse of any product put forth or any information provided.
This research is being conducted by the Veterinary Research Council, Inc., of which, Dr. Fox is Treasurer.