Managing hoof abscess

[The Trooper]

Afternoon guys.

Belle has gone lame from an abscess, the farrier has been out and opened up a hole to allow it to drain, he explained that the abscess hadn't had a chance to build up so would drain slowly as opposed to run out once burst.

This was Tuesday, i've been hot poulticing each day, soaking in epsom salts, irrigating with epsom salts and making sure the abscess remains open by sticking something up the hole.

I recall my last abscess was last summer (Bonnie) and i started treating it with peroxide at one point - Off the back of this i have a few questions.

My partner has given me a bottle of 4% peroxide that he used for his hair, it's cosmetic stuff and thicker than the stuff i used last time (It was a friend, i borrowed it, but she's ran out). Question is, will this thick, cosmetic peroxide do the job and if not where can i get some that will be more suitable?

When should i stop hot poulticing?

When should i start irrigating with peroxide? I've read a few posts on here with various different answers.

Thanks alot everyone, muchos appreciated.

 

[ihatework]

3 days of hot poulticing should be more than enough, you don’t want the foot getting too soft.

I wouldn’t use peroxide personally. I’d be making up an Epsom salt and iodine paste and popping that on a dry poultice for a couple of days.

Then just pack the hole with red horse, hoof stuff (which is amazing!)

 

[SEL]

3 days hot poultice is what I've always been told them move to dry poultice. I've never used peroxide - just let it drain as it needs to.

IHW has already recommended Red Horse products which are brilliant.

 

[Carrottom]

I would put on a dry poultice for a couple of days, change every 12 hours and see if any gunk is coming out. If poultice is clean I would keep it covered for another day or two, then get farrier back to replace shoe (if horse is shod).

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Afternoon guys.

Belle has gone lame from an abscess, the farrier has been out and opened up a hole to allow it to drain, he explained that the abscess hadn't had a chance to build up so would drain slowly as opposed to run out once burst.

This was Tuesday, i've been hot poulticing each day, soaking in epsom salts, irrigating with epsom salts and making sure the abscess remains open by sticking something up the hole.

I recall my last abscess was last summer (Bonnie) and i started treating it with peroxide at one point - Off the back of this i have a few questions.

My partner has given me a bottle of 4% peroxide that he used for his hair, it's cosmetic stuff and thicker than the stuff i used last time (It was a friend, i borrowed it, but she's ran out). Question is, will this thick, cosmetic peroxide do the job and if not where can i get some that will be more suitable?

When should i stop hot poulticing?

When should i start irrigating with peroxide? I've read a few posts on here with various different answers.

Thanks alot everyone, muchos appreciated.

I've always been told two days of hot poultice then a mix of iodine and sugar in a porridge like consistency applied cold on a poultice for 7-10 days or until horse is sound. After two days the infection should be out of the foot and you need to concentrate then on drying up the foot, hence the sugar - and the iodine is for preventing infection.