How to keep a bandage dry in the field?

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kgj66

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My horse had an accident on Saturday when her leg went through a cattle grid and got stuck.
Miraculously there are no broken bones, but there is a very deep laceration down to the bone which couldn't be stitched.
Vet has said it's going to be a case of bandaging for the next 6-8 weeks - this is fine in this glorious weather but wanted to find out of anyone had tips for keeping a bandage clean and dry in the field.

I asked the vet if I should find a stable for her but he seemed to think it would be fine-even in the rain. I'm slightly more dubious!! She also hates being in so I would be afraid she would do more damage in the stable than in the field.

I can probably make her an area on gravel, so it's not so much mud as just general wetness is the problem!
 
Sorry to hear of your horses' accident and hopefully she will make a full recovery.
How about the gaiter things that keep exercise boot and bandages clean and dry....
Sorry ....can't for the life of me think what they are called but the come in jazzy pink .....try Googling? unless someone else knows what they are called?

Best wishes
Bryndy

Found it!
http://gollygaloshes.com
 
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I wrapped my horses leg in the black plastic stuff that you use to patch up holes in haylage bales. It's quite tough stuff and can even be used under the hoof. You would just cut it off with the dressing. I would imagine you can buy it at most country stores, I just "borrowed" mine from my hubbies tractor ;-)
 
Plastic, from a thick plastic bag or similar, gaffer taped over the bandage. Worked fine for us in the wet spring.
 
friend cling filmed, then put a plastic bag on with gaffa tape round top and bottom to keep it on :) Just kept changing it and checking it, making sure it wasn't tight
 
Whilst the weather is dry I would just bandage as normal - and not worry about it getting wet. Please don't be tempted to put cling film or plastic on the leg, as this will cause it to sweat.
 
I have put plastic bag over dressing and sealed with duct tape in the past. But it was only while turned out, around 7 or 8 hours, then just bandaged in stable overnight, not sure i'd want it on for any longer and certainly not 24/7. As amymay said, sweating is a serious problem.
 
I've wrapped a plastic bag (anything will so like a supermarket one!) around the bandage and then used electrical/boot tape over the top. Not he prettiest looking thing, but it worked and was pretty darn cheap!
 
Our tb is out with his leg wound. He has his dressing, soft ban, vet wrap then a stable bandage over the top and it gets changed every three/fours days unless he has had a hooly and its slipped.

Might had a look at the golly galoshes or what ever they are called as he hates having to come back in because of the rain:o
 
amymay said:
Whilst the weather is dry I would just bandage as normal - and not worry about it getting wet. Please don't be tempted to put cling film or plastic on the leg, as this will cause it to sweat.
Click to expand...

this a sweaty environment is ideal for infection,if/when the rain comes send a picture of wound to vet asking advice, depending on how the wound is going the advice will vary
 
With poulticing before I have just bandaged the leg, wrapped in a plastic feed sack and duct taped the life out of it, although this is obviously for a short term 3 day ish measure not long term - the galoshes look good :)
 
Thanks for all the responses so far.
I won't be wayerproofing until it rains-just thinking ahead! Vet coming tomorrow so will of course ask him.
Going to look into the galoshes but she has quite fine hair and sensitive skin so would be worried about them rubbing. I suppose it is designed not to though.
 
If its just to keep dirt off the bandage id put a bit of tubigrip over the bandage, have 2 bits of it so that if ome gets dusty and dirty you can swap it out while washing the other one
 
I have put a bandage over the top of everything and coated it in Vaseline but agree that a warm, moist environment is what you should avoid. I'd phone the vet and ask for advice as you may do more harm than good.
 
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