Topical Applications of Silver Nanoparticles for Wound Healing Enhancement in Various Animals

Background: In animals due to multiple factors sometime wound management with topical anti-septic dressing along with routine medication does not give any satisfactory outcome and becomes a challenge for the veterinarians. Due to antibacterial and wound healing enhancement properties of silver nano-particles in different forms, it is widely used topically in human wound therapy. The application of silver nano-particles in wound healing in chronic complicated wounds in animals especially in clinical cases is very less documented. Methods: Total twenty seven animals of various species, viz., dogs (n=20), goats (n=6), cat (n=1) and buffalo (n=1) presented with different types of chronic complicated wounds on different body parts were included in this study. The wounds after evaluation were treated according to conditions with routine antiseptic dressing with other required parenteral medications for initial 3 days. All the wounds were also subjected for topical application of silver nano-particles (100 ppm AgNOs spay) twice a day. The day of presentation was considered as a day ‘0’ and subsequent days for granulation, wound contraction and complete healing were recorded. Result: Amongst 20 canine wound cases, granulation of tissues with wound contraction was noted in around 5-12 days and complete healing of wound with or without scar formation was observed in 15-32 days. Among the six female goat patients, complete wound healing was observed on day 16 to day 19 according to the site and depth of wounds. In the wounds located on head, perivulvar, perineal, abdominal regions showed the marked granulation from day 3 to day 5 along with remarkable wound contraction. The wounds presented on limbs exhibited less granulation compared to wounds presented on other parts. The granulation was observed from day 5th on limb region. In all the cases healing period was found variable from day 10 to day 32.