Anyone use DMSO as a topical treatment for pain relief/ swelling?

[sherwood']

Just wondering- my vet told me to do this years ago and i jsut wondered if it was normal practice? Have read up on dmso and dont really like the sound of it tbh! But was just curious!

 

[ihatework]

I tried it on a splint a few years back, it really is quite vile stuff, didn't appear to do any good and to be honest I think DMSO is old news, there are a lot better alternatives available on the market now.
I wouldn't use it again, you live and learn.

 

[Rueysmum]

Yes, for a new splint on an old horse, but it was mixed with Dexamethasone. It worked a treat.

 

[aran]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

don't get me started on DMSO and dex
there have been many a debate on its use in the vet forum - may be worth a search!

 

[star]

my vet suggested using DMSO with dex in it for my horse's annular ligament problem. i onyl got to use it for about a week before the pink skin on his leg reacted to it and got all inflamed. haven't used it since.

have been told to use it at vet school on a horse that had radial paralysis and i know they still use it for other things there too.

 

[PapaFrita]

DMSO is used here alot for all sorts of inflamation. However, general opinion (people I've known who use it) is that whilst it reduces inflamation, the area affected can re-imflame worse than before (I assume this is the sort of reaction Star's horse had) Having read about it on HHO I think it's yucky. Excuse the technical jargon!

 

[Lottie7]

I used it recently on a bony splint type formation which my horse had on the inside of his knee as a result of a recent kick. The skin was not broken by the time I used it. It worked brilliantly in reducing the bone formation radically.

I didn't know it was so controversial though. I'll research better in future.

 

[M_G]

have used it on new splints to great effect

 

[amage]

its a mild blister treatment as far as i know and it works. its not uncommon to see it applied alot to sport horses in the USA. thats where i first saw it used. not as commonly used here but i've seen it successfully used on splints

 

[lorenababbit]

we used it all the time in the states but as several posts have said usually mixed with something else. i was told when i was out there that it had particular value in carrying other drugs through the skin e.g anti inflamatories. it was fantastic for splints and also 'sweating' filled and infected legs. But the stuff i have seen here does not look the same though it may well be.

 

[BethH]

Depends what you want to use it for? Was told to use it on a new splint a couple of years ago for my youngster and did get some from the vet. I was probably overcautious using it as I knew it could burn his leg, but it didn't really make any difference. Time has smoothed the splint down alot and that was the best advice I was given! At the time it was also suggest that gold splintex was just as good although I have never used it.

 

[evsj]

My vet prescribed it to used on soft swelling on a hock and it had absolutely no effect! Balanced against it being such a nasty substance (don't get it on your skin, let pregnant women handle it, causes cateract changes etc...) I thought it was very poor value - 30-odd quid for a bottle!

However, I have just tried Splintex for a spint which has worked magic and tensolvet which seems to have helped a slightly swollen tendon so it depends what you want to treat. Not that either of those are particularly pleasant substances...!

 

[glenruby]

Have used it to great effect on yearlings with splints or epeiphystitis. Used topically it can help drugs to absorb directly to the muscle or are needed especially useful in the case of drugs that are metabolised in the GIT and thus have low oral bio-availability.