How to tell if vet wrap is too tight?!

[kat2290]

So I've just changed my pony's poultice after the vet put the first one on this afternoon, but I've never done it before and I'm worried its too tight! The abscess is on her heel bulb so in a slightly awkward place...

How do I know if the vet wrap is on too tight?! Im worrying about it now and think I'm going to go back out in the dark to redo it but how do I make sure it's correct this time?!

 

[putasocinit]

Never put a bandage on without gamgee or a fiber pad underneath, whilst it might not be tight when you have finished putting it on vetwrap esp gets tighter in itself as it is on, hence the reason for gamgee, please put some underneath or some soffban if you dont want it bulky.

 

[Tnavas]

It is easy to over tighten vetwrap - One of the problems with it is the fact that it stretches so much. When you put it on always unwrap a length, then let it go slack and then wrap, keep repeating the 'Stretch, Slack and wrap' until finished.

Always apply over padding as the padding equalises the pressure more.

 

[kat2290]

Ok thanks for the replies. I watched the vet do it yesterday afternoon so I just repeated exactly what I saw him do but obviously it was hard to know how loose he was wrapping it. All he did was cut a section of animalintex about 1"x2" which covers her heel (mini shetland hooves so teeny!) wet it and squeezed excess and then secured with vet wrap around her hoof. When I changed it this morning it looked ok so I don't think I had done it too tight last night, would it be obvious when I took it off if it had been too tight...would it have left a mark etc?

 

[putasocinit]

If it is to cover a hoof anscess or sore heel thats dfferent but on a leg there must be padding underneath.

 

[kat2290]

I also washed her hoof with cooled boiled water and a dash of hibiscrub before i put the new poultice on

 

[LynH]

On a heel bandage I would use a softban bandage or Robinsons underbandage under the vet wrap to even out pressure. I also use them on most bandages with vetwrap as they help hold the poultice or dressing in place and add another layer of protection even if you use gamgee.
Place the poultice on the heel then wrap the softban around the areas where the vetwrap will go and cover with vetwrap. They usually cost less than £1 each so a cheap and easy way of adding a layer to help evenly distribute bandage pressure.