Help poultice wont stay on hoof!

vikkibeth

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Hi my monster of a welsh D has picked up an abscess in his front left hoof but didn't show any signs of it only when I picked his hoof that I noticed it. It's open already but problem is he lives out and I just can't seem to keep his poultice on! I have just spent more money trying out a new poultice sock but to no avail as low and behold is was off again this morning! It was even strapped up with ducktape as suggested by a vet friend but again it didnt work. It's so muddy in all the areas of the field that I am struggling to keep it on. So any suggestions?!?
 
Can you obtain a poultice boot like one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=poultice+boot&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Some people will suggest a polythene bag, but a farrier told me they have to be fastened so tight around the leg above the hoof they have been known to do tendon damage. Or just yards and yards and yards of duct tape - several strips across the bottom, overlapping, and then round the edge and overlapping up the hoof wall. And more around the bottom of the hoof - it wears through where the hoof meets the ground so you will need several layers there.
 
JillA I have now got a collection of 5 different boots/socks haha. I did use duck tape as I mentioned above but maybe not enough! Will try going a bit more industrial with it!
 
I bought a shires poultice boot for my lad who had an abscess this winter. It was fab! It stayed on all day every day. I put a duct-tape covering on his hoof first then strong carrier bag then the boot over the top. Sorry i can't post a link as am on my phone but if you google it you will see its a blue rubber/plastic boot, about £18.99. I bought the xl size as he is 17.1 and i could fit the plastic bag in side then too.
 
for in the field or turnout with a poultice, iv always put a nappy on the hoof, followed by vetwrap over the coronet and up the leg slightly, then a roll of ductape over the whole lot and use under the fetlock as an anchor. when i say ductape, i use the stuff from the pound shop else the proper stuff would cost me a small fortune xD
 
We had to poltice and keep poltice and keep out as no stables on yard. Nappy, vet wrap, swimming nappy then wax poltice boot. Got 2nd boot then out it in the wash so clean for the morning. Good luck
 
I keep mine in when the abscess is coming to a head, so can't offer any advice on turning out, but this is my routine:

1. Poultice
2. Vetwrap
3. Nappy
4. Duct tape
5. One of these over the whole shebang - keeps everything where it should be and they're quite strong so you can reuse them a couple of times. They might even be OK without taping the nappy, but I've not tried it.
 
I keep mine in when the abscess is coming to a head, so can't offer any advice on turning out, but this is my routine:

1. Poultice
2. Vetwrap
3. Nappy
4. Duct tape
5. One of these over the whole shebang - keeps everything where it should be and they're quite strong so you can reuse them a couple of times. They might even be OK without taping the nappy, but I've not tried it.

That's interesting. I've bought the latex hoof sock thingy's in case I need them but didn't think they looked very tough.
Previously I've done the same as you but used part of a thick plastic feed sack for the final layer but the whole lot wore through in minutes.
I seem to have very heavy footed horses.:o
 
Try a nappy over the poultice.
Lots of layers.
Bags and tape help.

Also if you can't bring him in fence off a small part if the field so he's not moving around so much.
 
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