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The Solution Section (FAQ)
What is Hydra-Heal — and how is it different from disinfectants?
Per Hydra-Heal™ (a division of Animal Health Enterprises, LLC): an Aloe Vera-saturated gauze pad (or gel) that helps soothe and promote healing of wounds, abrasions, scratches, summer sores, and mane/tail rubbing.
Per the company: traditional wound-care kills the fungus or disinfects the wound but can damage healthy skin in the process — leading to drying, cracking, bleeding, itching, and rubbing. Hydra-Heal is both antifungal AND antibacterial, but designed to hydrate the wound, promote soft skin, and discourage itching and irritation — promoting healthy healing.
How does the saturated gauze pad work?
Per Hydra-Heal: the 4×4 inch pad can be cut to fit the wound. After cleaning the wound following standard protocol, cover with the Hydra-Heal Wound Care gauze pad, bandage as normal, repeat daily or as indicated by veterinarian.
Per the company, the pad:
- Prevents bacterial infection and contamination
- Provides a moist wound healing environment
- Permeable to air and moisture vapor — for faster wound healing
- Sterile and Latex-Free
- Gentle to remove without damaging tissues
- Can be cut to fit the wound site
- Conforms easily to the wound bed
What are the active ingredients — and what does each do?
Per Hydra-Heal:
Aloe Vera — antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and wound-healing properties. Contains glucomannan, which helps cellular regeneration and prompts collagen production.
Allantoin — extract from the comfrey plant. Relieves irritation; protects minor cuts, scrapes, burns; promotes wound healing; treats skin irritation and rashes; keeps skin moisturized.
Glycerin — mildly antimicrobial and antiviral; FDA-approved treatment for wounds. Draws water from atmosphere to hydrate and soften skin; helps soothe irritation, protect against infection, and promote healing.
What two product formats are available — and what's the price?
Per Hydra-Heal:
- 4 × 4 Hydra-Heal Saturated Gauze Wound Dressing Pads — only $8. Cut to fit; clean wound first, then cover with pad and bandage as normal. Repeat daily.
- Hydra-Heal 1oz Wound Care Squeeze Bottle — only $15. Special applicator delivers ointment directly into the wound. Per the company: "just a few drops of this amazing gel will help keep the wound moist and healing."
Pricing as quoted is subject to change due to economic factors — confirm current pricing with Hydra-Heal directly when ordering.
Can it help run-down wounds on barrel-racing horses?
Per Hydra-Heal: yes. Per the company: run-down burns on the tender pasterns or fetlocks are hard to heal because the area is flexing every day. "Keeping these burns moist helps prevent cracking, scarring and promotes healthy skin and coat."
What's the application sequence — gel first, or pad first?
Per Hydra-Heal:
- Gauze pad alone: the pad is already saturated with the gel. "No need to do anything besides clean the wound and put the pad on and vet wrap it on."
- Should I clean and treat with antibiotic first? Yes — clean the wound first, then use Hydra-Heal to promote healing.
- Daily change? Yes — every 24 hours look at wound and change the pad. You can cut the pad to fit; put the rest back in the package, fold the top, and it stays moist.
What about rainrot, summer sores, and other skin conditions?
Per Hydra-Heal:
- Rainrot: clean and use gel on it. Spread it around with fingers.
- Summer sores: once the worms are gone, then use Hydra-Heal to heal the open wound.
(Editorial note: as with any wound or skin condition, consult your veterinarian for protocol specific to your horse.)
How do I order Hydra-Heal?
Per Hydra-Heal:
- Contact: Jeff Sarno
- Address: 8450 SW 90th Street, Unit B, Ocala, Florida 34481
- Phone: 352-421-5173
- Email: [email protected]
Per the company trainer testimonials:
"Great product for treatment of cracked heels and rundowns."
"What a great find in a product! I use it on skin rash, rundowns and burns in the barn. Heals in days with its aloe base."
What exactly is Hydra-Heal?
Hydra-Heal™ is an Aloe Vera based wound-care product for horses, available as a saturated 4" x 4" gauze pad or as a 1 oz. squeeze bottle with a special applicator nozzle. It is designed to soothe and promote healthy healing of wounds, abrasions, and skin irritations. It is a division of Animal Health Enterprises, LLC.
Who manufactures Hydra-Heal?
Hydra-Heal™ is a division of Animal Health Enterprises, LLC. The company was founded to tackle the difficult, slow-healing wounds common on racehorses. You can reach the company at
[email protected] or (732) 492-0738.
What ingredients are in Hydra-Heal?
The formula combines Aloe Vera, which has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and wound-healing properties; Allantoin, extracted from Comfrey, which relieves irritation and protects minor cuts, scrapes, and burns; and Glycerin, a mildly antimicrobial, FDA-recognized wound-treatment ingredient. These actives sit in a moisturizing water base so the wound stays hydrated.
How does Hydra-Heal actually help a wound heal?
It creates and maintains a moist healing environment, which research shows supports faster, healthier skin regeneration than letting a wound dry out and scab. The dressing is permeable to air and moisture vapor, hydrates damaged skin without harming healthy tissue, and provides a soothing coolness to the irritated area. The goal is to promote healthy healing rather than simply disinfect and stop there.
What conditions can I use Hydra-Heal on?
Hydra-Heal is formulated for rundowns, cracked heels, scratches, summer sores, sweet itch, mane and tail rubbing or itching, and general wounds and abrasions. It is well suited to the everyday skin and leg problems that performance horses such as barrel racers encounter, especially during hot, buggy summer months.
Why is Hydra-Heal a good fit for barrel racing horses?
Barrel horses haul, train, and compete hard, which exposes them to rundowns, leg abrasions, scratches, and summer skin irritations. Hydra-Heal was born from solving exactly these stubborn performance-horse wounds on racehorses, so the same fast-soothing, non-stick healing benefits carry directly to barrel racing. Keeping legs and skin sound between runs helps protect both comfort and competitiveness.
What is the difference between the gauze pad and the squeeze bottle?
The 4" x 4" saturated gauze pad conforms to the wound, can be cut to size, and is ideal for covering an open area before bandaging. The 1 oz. squeeze bottle with its applicator nozzle delivers the same gel directly into cracks, crevices, and hard-to-bandage spots like cracked heels. Many owners keep both on hand for flexibility.
Does the pad hurt to remove like ordinary dressings?
No. A key advantage of Hydra-Heal is that the moist pad does not stick to the wound bed, so it lifts away cleanly. This reduces the pain and re-injury that happen when a dried, scabbed dressing rips away healing tissue, which is especially important on sensitive areas and on horses that resent bandage changes.
Can I cut the pad to fit a smaller wound?
Yes. The 4" x 4" gauze pad is designed to conform to the wound and can be cut to size so it fits the exact affected area. This makes a single size practical for everything from a small abrasion to a larger rundown.
How often should I change the dressing?
Apply the gauze pad following standard wound protocol, bandage normally, and then repeat daily or as needed depending on the wound and your veterinarian's guidance. The moist-healing design supports the skin between changes, and consistent daily care is recommended for best results.
Is Hydra-Heal safe on sensitive skin areas?
Yes. Because it hydrates the skin without injuring healthy tissue and removes without sticking, it is gentle on sensitive zones. That makes it appropriate for delicate problems such as mane and tail rubbing, sweet itch, and scratches in the pastern area.
Will Hydra-Heal help with summer sores and sweet itch?
Summer sores, sweet itch, and mane and tail rubbing are specifically listed among the conditions Hydra-Heal addresses. The Aloe Vera formula's soothing, cooling action helps calm the itch and irritation while the healing ingredients work on the underlying skin damage.
Where can I buy Hydra-Heal?
You can shop the pads and gel directly at hydra-heal.com. The line is also distributed through equine suppliers such as Jacks Inc. and is listed on veterinary marketplaces, so it is available through multiple retail channels.
How do I contact Hydra-Heal for orders or questions?
You can email
[email protected] or call (732) 492-0738. These contacts are appropriate for product questions, ordering help, and wholesale or distributor inquiries.
Why was Hydra-Heal originally developed?
The company was started specifically to deal with the difficulties of treating wounds on racehorses. Injuries like rundowns, cracked heels, and abrasions are very hard to heal in a timely manner on a performance horse, so the product was created to give those tough cases a moist, soothing, healthy-healing environment.
What makes Hydra-Heal different from just disinfecting a wound?
Many products focus only on killing a fungus or disinfecting a cut, which can leave the skin dried out and slow to recover. Hydra-Heal goes a step further by promoting healthy healing, keeping the wound moist and hydrated so new skin can regenerate properly. It supports the whole recovery process rather than just the initial cleaning step.
Is Hydra-Heal only for serious wounds or also everyday skin care?
It is useful for both. Beyond open wounds and abrasions, Hydra-Heal targets everyday irritations like scratches, cracked heels, summer sores, sweet itch, and mane and tail rubbing. That versatility makes it a practical staple in a barrel racer's or any horse owner's first-aid and skin-care kit.
