EFFECTS OF 3 OCCLUSIVE DRESSING MATERIALS ON HEALING OF FULL-THICKNESS SKIN WOUNDS IN DOGS

The effects of 3 occlusive dressing materials and a standard, nonadher ent dressing material on healing of full-thickness skin defects were e valuated in dogs. Two wounds measuring 2 X 2 cm were created bilateral ly (4 wounds/dog) on the dorsolateral aspect of the trunk of 12 Beagle s. Wound treatments were evenly distributed between 4 sites, using a L atin square design. Treatments evaluated were: equine amnion (group A) , biosynthetic hydrogel dressing (group B), trans parent polyethylene sheeting (group T), and a semi-occlusive rayon/polyethylene, nonadhere nt dressing (group C). Rates of contraction and epithelialization of g roup-A wounds were significantly greater than those of wounds of group s C, B, and T. On days 14, 21, and 28, mean percentage of wound contra ction and mean percentage of total wound healed in group A exceeded th ose wounds in groups C, B, and T. On day 28, wounds in group A were si gnificantly smaller than wounds in groups B and T, but were not signif icantly smaller than wounds in group C. All wounds in group A achieved 100% healing during the 28-day study period. Mean time for complete h ealing of group-A wounds was 21 days. The percentages of wounds comple tely healed by day 28 for groups B, C, and T were 25, 67, and 25%, res pectively. Results indicate that use of equine amnion as an occlusive biological dressing on full-thickness wounds in dogs increases rate of healing.