A Sticky Situation – Superficial Wounds

Help remind your veterinary customers of the therapeutic options available for treating superficial wounds. 

Wound care can be frustrating and rewarding, filled with a roller coaster of emotions with seemingly one step forward for every two steps back. So how can distributor sales representatives help their veterinary customers hone their needs in wound management?

First, open up the dialogue by asking these questions in regards to superficial wounds like simple lacerations and uncomplicated dog bites:

• How often is the veterinarian dealing with these types of wounds?
• What is the veterinarian currently using to treat them?
• Is there a gap or something missing in their current wound care regime?

Defining their interest in wound care and what their practice focuses on will help you direct the conversation. Here are some options your customers may have heard of and others they should consider.

Wound care products

One wound care product that has gained popularity over the last decade is Medical Grade Honey (MGH). MGH promotes wound healing by its sugar-rich composition that leads to the attraction of wound exudate and the creation of a moist wound environment. In addition, MGH has anti-inflammatory activity and serves as an essential nutrient source that speeds up the formation and migration of new skin cells, which enhances granulation tissue formation and reepithelialization.

Next to the wound healing properties, MGH acts as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. Nadav Yakir, Sion brands, the U.S. distributor of L-Mesitran®, said that L-Mesitran distinguishes themselves from other MGH companies by adding supplements to the MGH. He said that the “antioxidant vitamins C and E, and gel-forming ingredients enhance the wound healing and antimicrobial features of MGH and benefit the applicability.” In a recent study, equine surgeons used L-Mesitran beneath the skin sutures of colic surgeries, and it has significantly decreased the infection rate from 32 to just 8%. The range of L-Mesitran products now also offers a prefilled 5 ml sterile syringe for use intra-operatively.

Another option comes from Sentrx Animal Care. Episanis™ BioHAnce™ Skin and Wound Gel is a preservative and antibiotic-free product that can be used as adjunct or stand-alone. The product works by mimicking natural substances found in the body but with an added twist. Its formulation includes a patented cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) that creates a protective cellular scaffolding that promotes accelerated healing and reduces scarring.

Veterinarians often complain about pet owner compliance when sending home medications and treatment directions for the pet owner to follow. Another benefit of this product is that it can be sent home with the pet owner and is only applied once daily. “Once per day application along with proven performance that helps accelerate healing ultimately helps to reduce the time a pet spends in a cone which is what every pet owner wants,” said Mason Williams, chief commercial officer, Sentrx.

The final product for consideration for superficial wounds in this article is Vetericyn Plus® VF Wound and Skin Care Liquid and Hydrogel. Both products contain hypochlorous acid, which has been proven to inhibit a broad range of microorganisms. These products have also been shown to be non-cytotoxic, non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and have no oral toxicity. Non-cytotoxic is important because damage to fibroblasts (healing cells) can slow down the healing process.

The liquid is primarily used for flushing and irrigating wounds. Whereas, the hydrogel keeps the wound bed moist and facilitates the wound self-cleaning process called autolytic debridement. In her practice, Dr. Melinda Mayfield, DVM, Technical Services Veterinarian for Innovacyn, Inc., noted that “wounds heal better in a moist environment (not wet) so that cells can migrate and help with autolytic debridement.”

Wound care is a team effort

It’s a journey for both the veterinarian and the pet owner. Setting client expectations from the first appointment is just as essential as the treatment itself. The owners need to be involved and on board with at-home care and schedule of follow-up visits. It’s a team effort for your veterinary customers focused on excellent communication and quick clinical resolution for the pet owner.

Reminding your veterinary customers of these additional wound care options as well as different combinations of existing therapies increases your visibility as a business partner. After all, when you’re looking out for your customer’s best interest and showing an interest in their business, you will strengthen the relationship with your veterinary partners and identify yourself as a go-to source for solving everyday problems such as uses of therapies for wound care.

Photo cutline: istockphoto.com/Dmitrii Balabanov

Photo cutline: istockphoto.com/cmannphoto