Moderate

Proud flesh

Proud flesh is exuberant granulation tissue — overgrown pink, fleshy wound tissue, often on a lower-leg wound. It is not sarcoid (a bovine papillomavirus tumour) and not cellulitis (a bacterial limb infection). A photograph cannot diagnose proud flesh. Diagnosis is a vet exam. The skin scan is a first look at the wound, not a verdict that your horse has proud flesh, and there is no proud-flesh scanner.

Symptoms to watch for

Pink, fleshy tissue that stands above the skin edges of a wound — often on a lower leg

A wound that bleeds easily when bumped or that does not close over days to weeks

A moist, cauliflower-like or mushroom-shaped growth filling a wound bed

A lower-leg wound that looks larger than the original cut, with no healthy skin creeping in

Heat, pain, or limb swelling around the wound — a reason to call the vet, not a photo verdict

A change in size or surface of the wound tissue is a reason to book a vet, not a photo verdict

Common causes

Exuberant granulation tissue — overgrown healing tissue in a wound, not a tumour and not a limb infection
A lower-leg wound where skin is tight, motion is high, and the wound stays open — location is a clue, not a diagnosis
Motion, contamination, or a wound left open that the body fills with granulation instead of skin
Individual wound healing; some lower-leg wounds overgrow more than others
Not sarcoid (a BPV tumour), not cellulitis (a hot, painful swollen limb), and not rain rot (bacterial scabs) — those can look different and still need a vet

Prevention

Watch lower-leg wounds that fill with pink tissue instead of closing, and book a vet rather than waiting for a photo guess
Keep wounds clean and protected so they can close from the edges
Do not cut, burn, or apply a caustic from a web article or a scan result
Do not treat a photo, a wound, or a scan result as a diagnosis
Skin photos can help you and your vet track the wound over time — they do not confirm or rule out proud flesh

What to do

1
Book a vet visit for a lower-leg wound that is filling with pink, fleshy tissue. Diagnosis is a vet exam, not a photograph.
2
Photograph the wound in good light and keep it on the horse's record so you and the vet can see change over time.
3
Do not cut, burn, ligate, or apply a caustic cream from a photo guess — interference can make the wound worse.
4
Use a skin scan only as a first look at the wound to share, not as a proud-flesh test. There is no proud-flesh scanner.
5
If proud flesh (exuberant granulation) is confirmed, follow the plan your vet prescribes — that may include trimming, bandaging, or further wound care. Do not start a treatment protocol from a photo.
6
Keep the vet on the same page. Share what you see; do not treat a photo as a verdict.

When to call the vet

Pick up the phone if…

Schedule a vet visit if a lower-leg wound is filling with pink, fleshy tissue that stands above the skin, bleeds easily, or is not closing. Call sooner if the wound is hot, painful, the limb is swelling, or the horse is dull or off feed. A photograph cannot diagnose proud flesh. Diagnosis is a vet exam. Proud flesh is exuberant granulation tissue — not sarcoid and not cellulitis. The skin scan is a first look at the wound, not a verdict, and there is no proud-flesh scanner.

Check the skin before it spreads

Scan the skin in HorseCare. 5 free scans this month, then Pro.

Scan the skin

5 free scans this month, then Pro. Scans run in the HorseCare app.

Educational content only. Not a substitute for veterinary advice.