Poultice experts - advice wanted

Suby2

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I am caring for my friends mare while she is abroad on holiday. Just before she left the mare caught her hoof in something and now has a vertical split a few inches away from the heel. She lives out 24/7 and is shod.

We are 99% certain that she has now developed an abscess (she is prone to them) as there is pus or something coming out of the split when it is pressed and she is lame.

I have been fortunate enough not to have had to poultice very often but I do know how to do it.

My query is - bearing in mind that only the top of the hoof is affected (I have checked the sole and there is nothing there) do I need to use vetwrap at all or could I just fix the Animalintex with duct tape which I think may easier and may stay on better?
 

ShowJumperL95

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I would use vet wrap as well as duct tape just to give that bit more protection when she is moving about.

Or if anyone has a hoof boot you can just vet wrap or duct tape then but a hoof boot on, I have the woof wear one and it brilliant .
 

Nudibranch

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I too would vet wrap and then duct tape over the top. I can't see tape alone would stick to the hoof for long and you'd need something underneath if it came above the hoof.

Fwiw the Woof Wear boot lasted less than an evening on mine but I do rate the Crocs.
 

Tiddlypom

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If you've the time and the horse is cooperative, then tubbing twice a day in warm salty water would be beneficial in drawing muck out.

I'd suggest a nappy rather than trying to fix on a piece of poultice. I've a selection of nappies in various sizes to suit my different neds feet :D. This is secured with a horsecrocz, but IME a duct tape lattice fixed underneath will last up to 24 hours on turnout on an unshod foot, but it would be less for a shod foot.

pbl2Wv3.jpg


ETA In the above pic it was nappy first, then vet wrap, then duct tape then horsecrocz.
 
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scats

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Animalintex, flat cotton wool around whole foot, vet wrap and then duct tap. If you get it all ready and lay it out ready to go, you can do it all on your own without needing to put the foot back down again until it’s done.

I’ve had so much experience with abscesses that I’m the yard port of call for such occasions!
 

hopscotch bandit

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Make a grid with the duct tape. Stick three or four strips on the top of the door so they hang down without sticking to the door and so that they overlap each other slightly and when you have done that lay tape across them so you are making a weave effect solid sticky square shape. Then you will end up with a 6" x 6" square of duct tape that you put over the hoof.

My vet says one to two days of hot poulticing with animal lintex and then 5-8 days of iodine mixed with white sugar which you should mix into a firm porridge like consistency which you then spread onto the sole and cover with a dry poultice. The iodine keeps infection at bay and the sugar has drawing properties and will also dry the foot up. This is the latest thinking apparently as too many days hot poluticing will only result in a very soft foot which is counterproductive.

We used to use old socks to cover the foot up but we also have used really thick animal feed bags or even better haylage wrappers as they are very thick to cover the foot after doing the vet wrap so that the foot is protected if the horse moves around the stable too much and they don't wear through the vetwrap too quickly. Its ideal to use that if you want to walk them in hand after a few days prior to turning out.
 
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Bosworth

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i normally use animal lintex, then half a vetwrap and then cover the lot with duct tape. I can do it all in the field if I need to without a head collar, and without putting the foot down. And with a shoe on i can get that to stay on for 24 hours in a wet field. My horse and I are poultice experts :) i prefer not to use nappies as i do find they wear through a lot quicker than the animal lintex
 

Suby2

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Many thanks for your informative replies. Having read them I will stick with the conventional method. :)
 
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