Why is my horse’s wound leaking yellow or green discharge?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

Yellow or green discharge from a horse wound usually means the wound is irritated, contaminated, or possibly infected. It doesn’t always mean something serious, but it does mean the wound should be checked carefully rather than just left to dry out.

Common causes include normal wound fluid mixed with dirt, a wound that has become contaminated, or an abscess or deeper infection forming under the surface. The colour and smell of the discharge, along with swelling, heat, pain, or lameness, can help you judge how urgent it is.

Things To Check

1. Check the colour, thickness and smell of the discharge. Thin pale fluid is different from thick yellow or green material with a strong smell.

2. Look for swelling, heat, redness or tenderness around the wound, especially if it seems to be getting worse rather than better.

3. Note whether your horse is lame, reluctant to move, or reacts when the area is touched.

4. Check if the wound is open, has dirt packed into it, or keeps getting wet or muddy.

5. See whether there is a scab, a pocket of fluid, or discharge collecting under the skin and then leaking out.

6. Think about when the discharge started and whether it appeared after turnout, exercise, grooming, or bandage removal.

7. Check your horse’s temperature if you normally know how to do this and are comfortable doing so, especially if they seem dull or off colour.

Common Causes

The most common cause is a wound that has become contaminated with dirt, bedding or bacteria, especially if it’s in a wet or muddy environment.

Another common reason is that the wound is trying to drain naturally. Some fluid can look yellowish at first, but thicker discharge usually means the area needs more attention.

An abscess or deeper infection can also cause yellow or green discharge, sometimes after swelling builds up and then starts to drain.

Less commonly, the wound may have damaged tissue or a foreign body in it, which can keep it inflamed and draining.

What To Do

Keep the area as clean as you reasonably can and remove obvious dirt from around the wound without scrubbing aggressively. If you’re unsure whether to clean it further, it’s usually better to be gentle than to make the tissue more sore.

Keep the horse in a cleaner, drier environment if possible, and monitor the wound closely over the next 24 hours. Make a note of the amount, colour and smell of any discharge so you can describe it clearly if you do speak to a vet.

Avoid applying random creams or powders unless you already have clear veterinary advice to do so. If the wound is near a joint, tendon, eye, hoof or has a puncture-type entry, it’s worth getting it assessed promptly.

When To Contact A Vet

Contact your vet if the discharge is thick, foul-smelling, increasing, or if the wound is swollen, hot, painful, or causing lameness. You should also call promptly if the wound is deep, puncture-like, near a joint or tendon, or if your horse seems unwell.

Products That May Help

For routine wound care, having suitable first aid and cleaning supplies to hand can make day-to-day management easier while you monitor the wound and keep the area clean.

Horse Care

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