Use of ozonotherapy in habronemosis skin lesions in horses: literature review

Abstract

Cutaneous Habronemosis, commonly known as summer sore, is a nodular dermatological condition that primarily affects horses and is caused by gastrointestinal endoparasites. This nodular dermatosis occurs when larvae of the nematodes Habronema sp and Draschia megastoma are deposited in areas where horses are unable to repel flies of the species Musca domestica and Musca stabulans. The resulting lesions can be painful and itchy, leading to the formation of rapidly evolving ulcerative granulomas. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, the animal’s living region history, and complementary exam results. Conventional treatment includes surgical or chemical debridement, application of healing ointments, administration of corticosteroids, anti-inflammatories, antiseptics, antibiotics and anthelmintics. However, significant regression of the injury often does not occur with common treatments due to the specific physiological characteristics of horses, such as the limited tissue oxygenation, which makes the treatment of these wounds difficult. Therefore, the search for alternative therapies has become prominent in Veterinary Medicine, with a particular emphasis on ozone therapy. Ozone gas (O3) is used in various pathologies due to its affordable price, low invasiveness and benefits. Ozone therapy can be used using gases, oil, ozonized serum and bagging. The objective of this work is to elucidate the properties of ozone on habronemosis skin lesions in horses, demonstrating its mechanism was conducted using action and results obtained in the veterinary practice. A bibliographic review was conducted using academic articles and texts published on platforms such as Medline, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar and Scientific Electronic Library Online.