This invention relates to a protector for animal wounds. Background to the invention

When animals, and in particular horses and ponies, have a wound generally this is treated by placing wound powder or cream in the wound and applying a disinfectant. However flies are attracted to and sit on the wound, irritating the animal and causing the animal to try and clear the flies with their nose. Whilst trying to remove the flies, the animal also rubs off the treatment powder or cream. Where animals are not permanently monitored, for example when in a field or a stable, this impairs the healing process as the wound powder or cream does not stay on the wound for long.

Summary of the invention

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a wound protector for animals, and in particular animals such as horses and ponies, comprising a wound protecting region fixed to attachment means adapted to secure around part of an animal's body, wherein the wound protecting region comprises a permeable mesh configurable to form a closed canopy over a wound. By forming a canopy, the mesh is spaced apart from the wound surface so preventing flies or parasites that land on the mesh surface being adjacent to the wound and irritating the animal. The permeable mesh allows air to freely circulate around the wound to aid in the healing process but prevents flies or parasites accessing the wound.

The permeable mesh may be semi-rigid and/or pliable to enable it to be formed into a canopy which retains a three-dimensional shape to remain displaced from a wound surface.

To assist with keeping the permeable mesh away from the wound and strengthening the canopy structure, the wound protecting region may further comprise substantially rigid support members, typically covered corset bone, for bearing the mesh and supporting the closed canopy. The substantially rigid support members may be curved so as to assist with formation of the closed canopy.

Preferably the support members are securable to, and detachable from, the permeable mesh, typically by locating within tubular loops attached to the mesh. This allows the wound protector to be packaged in smaller volumes for sale.

Permeable mesh extending between adjacent supports preferably has a greater area than the area between the adjacent supports. This assists with forming the canopy and may be achieved by pleating or gathering the mesh.

The attachment means will typically comprise interengaging fastening elements which are releasably attachable for ready attachment and detachment of the wound protector around part of an animal's body. The interengaging elements may be in the form of interengaging clips, hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro®, buckles or any other suitable form of interengaging reciprocal fastening elements.

The attachment means may be padded to ensure comfort of the animal.

The permeable mesh is preferably a substantially rigid 1000D mesh material, typically infused with insect repellent so as to further repel flies and parasites from the wound area.

Where the wound protector is required to protect a large region on an animal, for example the stomach or back region, the permeable mesh may be positioned over a reinforcing grid of substantially rigid support members, typically covered corset bone, so as to ensure the mesh is supported so as to be spaced apart from the wound region. For such an embodiment, typically the attachment means will be attached to the reinforcing grid. The invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a wound protector in accordance with the present invention for protecting a knee of an animal;

Figures 2(a) and (b) respectively show front and side views of the knee protector when positioned around an animal's knee;

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment for protecting a hock of an animal

Figures 4 shows a third embodiment for protecting a lower leg of an animal; and Figures 5 and 6 respectively show a plan and perspective view of a further embodiment for protecting large areas of an animal's body.

Description

The wound protector 10 of Figure 1 comprises a substantially rectangular structure 12 made of fabric or leather secured to and surrounding five separate panels 14, 16, 16', 18 and 18' of permeable semi-rigid and/or pliable mesh, gauze or netting. Each panel is attached to the adjacent panel by a double stitched seam 22. The panels are shaped to define a larger cross-sectional area than surrounding rectangular structure 12 so as to allow panels 14, 16, 16', 18 and 18' to form a canopy when in position on an animal. Rectangular structure 12 comprises upper and lower padded bands 24, 26 connected together by side bands 28, 28' provided with cooperating fastenings in the form of fabric hook and loop fasteners 30, 32 such as Velcro® so as to allow the side bands to be secured to each other when in position around part of an animal's body. Other forms of fastening elements can be used, for example buckles, snap-fit clips, straps and loops, and hook and eye fasteners.

Three laterally aligned tubular loops 34 are attached to the mesh panels to provide a securing structure for a detachable bracing member 36 curved to project each panel 14, 16, 16', 18 and 18' out of the two-dimensional plane of rectangular frame 12 to form a three-dimensional canopy, see Figures 2 (a) and (b). If desired, mesh of central panel 14 can be gathered or pleated so as to further increase the surface area of mesh. The thickness and strength of bracing member 30 is chosen to ensure that canopy 38, see Figure 2, can maintain a three-dimensional structure and typically bracing member 36 is a curved rectangular nylon stiffener, such as corset bone, covered in webbing and surrounded in washable and/or waterproof fabric. The mesh or netting is typically 1000D semi-rigid mesh infused with insect repellent such as Bug Buster® so as to repel flies and parasites.

When wound protector 10 is positioned around a wound on an animal's front leg, and in particular the front leg of a horse or pony, as shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), central panel 14 is positioned over the wound and padded upper and lower bands 24, 26 are fixed securely around leg 39 by attaching hook and loop fasteners 30, 32 together. This closes off an area on leg 39 where a wound is present, bands 24, 26 encircling and gripping leg 39 to prevent flies and parasites accessing the wound by crawling under the gauze or mesh. The semi-rigid mesh with supporting brace 36 forms a canopy 38 over and around the wound and does not contact the wound so allowing air to circulate freely. Flies cannot access the wound by landing on the mesh as canopy 38 extends above and is displaced from the wound surface. Mesh of side panels 14, 16, 16', 18 and 18' is also displaced from the surface of the animal leg so that flies cannot land on the leg near the wound.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 3 for protecting a hock region on a rear leg of a horse or pony. As with the first embodiment, protector 40 is formed from five shaped high density mesh panels 41 sewn together with double seams to assist the mesh in maintaining an arched shape, with upper and lower padded bands 42, 42' to secure around the animal's leg. Removable brace 44 is securable within loops 46 sewn to mesh panels 41 and ensures mesh panels 41 remain displaced from hock 50. As before, brace 44 is typically made from corset bone covered by thick webbing and encased in a washable material. Brace 44 ensures the hock wound shield maintains its shape, so allowing air to circulate around a wound whilst protecting the wound surface from insects. As a hock extends at a greater angle than a knee, panels 41 are shaped slightly differently to increase surface area over the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and 2.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 4 for protecting a lower leg region on a rear leg of a horse or pony. As with the other embodiments, five mesh panels 52 are sewn together and supported away from the leg region with detachable braces. In this embodiment, upper and lower detachable braces 54, 54'are used to ensure the panels are able to form a canopy over the entire vertical extent of the leg region.

The wound protector can be modified to suit other regions of an animal's body and by way of example Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment designed for protecting a body portion such as an area of stomach. Instead of a substantially rectangular frame subdivided into a plurality of panels, a substantially circular frame 60 is subdivided into a plurality of panels 62 by cross members 64 reinforced with corset bone enclosed in webbing and covered with a waterproof material. The corset bone within each cross member 64 is curved to form a protruding three-dimensional surface of between 10 to 15cm height so that mesh 66 attached over panels 62 and supported by cross members 64 forms a canopy over a wound, see Figure 7. Adjustable elasticated straps 68 are permanently fixed to the resulting substantially hemispherical structure and secured in place by plastic interlocking clips (not shown). In use, the perimeter of frame 60 will adjoin an animal's body, effectively sealing from flies and parasites any region within frame 60 enveloped by the mesh canopy. The mesh allows air to circulate freely and reach the wound whilst preventing flies and other parasites from entering the wound and irritating the animal. The underside of the perimeter of frame 60 can have a rubberised surface to grip the animal's body and prevent the protector from moving.

By using a wound protector which encompasses a wound region and protects it from flies and parasites, the animal will not be irritated by flies and parasites settling in the wound region. The animal will thus not try and wipe flies and parasites away from the wound region ensuring that treatment powder or cream will stay in the wound, so promoting more rapid healing.