Poultice

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faith123

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Morning

My lovely mare decided to rip her shoe of yesterday and take a chunk out of the underside of her foot. Luckily the farrier was there to take a look and just said to poultice.

What is the easiest way? Took a LONG time this morning of faffing about - it cant be that difficult surely?!

Thanks :)
 
I use animalintex (wet or dry depending) cut to size, on the area needing to be poultced.

Then put a new tiny baby size nappy over.

Cover that with half of a vetwrap bandage.

Next, wrap that in gaffer/duct tape to just over the bulbs of the heel.

There is a balance between too tight around the pastern and too loose (so that it comes off too easily :( ) if I think it's too tight, I'll cut the gaffer tape to allow movement when the horse moves. If I cut too much, i just stick a bit more tape on. :)
 
There is a bit of a knack to it! Firstly, get yourself organised. Did he say wet or dry poultice? I assume wet first and then turn to dry. Lay out all your stuff - and turn the kettle on!

You will need a small bowl or an old vitamin tub does the trick just as well. Cut a poultice square bigger than the hole, get some duct tape (the wide black/grey heavy duty tape from a DIY store) and lay it across your thigh, overlapping one way and then the other so it sort of makes a square, sticky, tapey pad - leave it stuck on your thigh! You might want to tub the foot but I'm not sure what your farrier said but it helps to get it clean - hot water (hot enough but cool enough you can put your hand in it!), tub foot for as long as you can keep his foot in it or it gets cold then.

Grab foot, squeeze out water from poultice so it is still hot but not so it will burn your fingers or their foot! put poultice over hole, get vetwrap or old exertise/tail bandage and wrap up foot, peel off square from your thigh and stick to foot and wrap the edges of stickyness up outside of hoof - tape on. Stand up and iron our cricks in back!!

Some people use nappies but I'm just a traditionalist.
 
I use Animalintex for wet poultices and nappies for dry.

Then vetrap (cheaper in bulk from eBay) and finished off with duct tape (one long strip that goes vertically down the sole and up the front of the hoof wall, and three shorter strips stuck to it horizontally across the toe area of the sole).

I find that poultices tend to wear out at the toe first, so that's where I put most of the duct tape.
 
depending which foot whether a front or hing...

front i ussually half crouch with one knee on the floor and he ussually rests his leg on my leg though he does try and pull but i just do it wuicker lol

if a hind foot i ussually hold his leg how the farrier does and he dont move it then :)

opps just seen what you actually wanted to know! haha i use vet wrap nappies and animal lintex! x
 
Last edited:
Faracat said:
I use animalintex (wet or dry depending) cut to size, on the area needing to be poultced.

Then put a new tiny baby size nappy over.

Cover that with half of a vetwrap bandage.

Next, wrap that in gaffer/duct tape to just over the bulbs of the heel.

There is a balance between too tight around the pastern and too loose (so that it comes off too easily :( ) if I think it's too tight, I'll cut the gaffer tape to allow movement when the horse moves. If I cut too much, i just stick a bit more tape on. :)
Click to expand...

This^^^^
Nappies are a godsend!!
 
Things you will need:

An old towel
bowl of water
Animalintex
PULL UP trainer nappy (sooooo much easier) tiny baby size
Vet wrap bandage - self sticking! Buy from poundland/qualitysave (cheapest)
Gaffa tape

Cut gaffa tape into strips - say 8" long ..... and make a big massive square (sticky side up)
Clean horses foot out of any bedding etc and ensure clean
put the towel under foot to ensure nothing else gets in!
Cut animalintext to size and place onto foot (watch for it flying off to other side of stable if jerks foot away!) :rolleyes: (cue the towel to keep clean)
Place the pull up nappy (easier as its 'horse hoof shape) and ensure it covers foot
Vet wrap all over
cut little sections from the wrap to ensure its not covering foot (hoof only)
Place your latticed shaped gaffa tape under foot and bring up ends and secure again with more tape

Voila ... water proof poultice for the stable!

if you want to put out (best thing as helps to drain) use a tyre inner tube (from local garage - you usually can get them free if they're damaged) cut up into big squares and you can put under foot within all your wrapping to ensure foot stays completely dry and foot doesnt go through poultice (better than the boots which dont last two mins!) :D
 
Thanks guys :)

I used animallintex and vetwrap then gaffa tape earlier and it all slid off lol (first ever attempt! looked ok but obviously no good!)

Typically that was the last lintex I had so had to cut a square off a nappy (she has tiny feet and they are not lil baby nappies) and gaffa taped it on - she is in today so hopefully it will stay on but not a major drama if it doesnt!

The towel is a fab idea! the amount of times she snatched her leg away and stomped on the floor (grr! but at least its not as sore) and also making the square first rather than sticking it all together on the foot sounds a good plan!

Would you recommend soaking the foot as well? or will a scrub to get most the dirt off be ok then a wet poultice on top?

She is a lot less sore on it today, yesterday she was acting like her leg was going to fall off! She will have to go back out later as she has been in last night and today.... I think another day may possible boil her little brain, and luckily she doesnt hoon about (apart from yesterday because the hunt were about!)

This was my final attempt...... any good?

poultice.jpg


poulticeattempt.jpg
 
What are you using the animalintex for Faith? Did farrier say he may have an abscess that needs to be popped? Or is it just to draw any dirt out?

I only use hot poultice when trying to pop an abscess then once it's started to come out - use it dry which will help draw it out! Keep horse moving if possible though.

If just trying to get dirt out I'd use it dry and maybe soak/clean with hot water/epsom salts :D


TAKEN FROM WEBSITE:

Animalintex absorbent dressing can be used as a hot poultice, as a cold poultice to reduce inflammation or a dry dressing to stem bleeding and absorb fluids.



Hot wet poulticing

Clean mud and dirt away from the area to be treated.
Use whole or cut to the size required. (Place remainder back in the bag for use later).
Place with the plastic side upermost in a shallow tray. (Do not use a bucket unless it has been very carefully cleansed first).
Use boiled water that has been allowed to cool to 38ºC/100ºF and pour the water into the tray, around the edges of the Animalintex.

When saturated, take out and gently hand squeeze out the excess water. (If pus is to be absorbed, squeeze out more water so that the poultice is damp rather than wet).
Place on the affected area with the plastic side on the outside, moulding the Animalintex to the contours of the body.
Hold in place with a bandage such as the Robinson Superflex cohesive bandage, making sure the poultice is completely covered.

Cold wet poulticing
Follow the same procedure as above, butt using boiled water that has been allowed to cool thoroughly before pouring. When the Animalintex is saturated, squeeze out excess water and apply cold to the affected area. Dry dressing
After cleaning the area, apply the dressing directly then bandage. Used dry, Animalintex may be used several times and still retain its effectiveness.
Dry pressure padding
Use dry, apply directly and bandage.
 
Victoria25 said:
What are you using the animalintex for Faith? Did farrier say he may have an abscess that needs to be popped? Or is it just to draw any dirt out?

I only use hot poultice when trying to pop an abscess then once it's started to come out - use it dry which will help draw it out! Keep horse moving if possible though.

If just trying to get dirt out I'd use it dry and maybe soak/clean with hot water/epsom salts :D


TAKEN FROM WEBSITE:

Animalintex absorbent dressing can be used as a hot poultice, as a cold poultice to reduce inflammation or a dry dressing to stem bleeding and absorb fluids.



Hot wet poulticing

Clean mud and dirt away from the area to be treated.
Use whole or cut to the size required. (Place remainder back in the bag for use later).
Place with the plastic side upermost in a shallow tray. (Do not use a bucket unless it has been very carefully cleansed first).
Use boiled water that has been allowed to cool to 38ºC/100ºF and pour the water into the tray, around the edges of the Animalintex.

When saturated, take out and gently hand squeeze out the excess water. (If pus is to be absorbed, squeeze out more water so that the poultice is damp rather than wet).
Place on the affected area with the plastic side on the outside, moulding the Animalintex to the contours of the body.
Hold in place with a bandage such as the Robinson Superflex cohesive bandage, making sure the poultice is completely covered.

Cold wet poulticing
Follow the same procedure as above, butt using boiled water that has been allowed to cool thoroughly before pouring. When the Animalintex is saturated, squeeze out excess water and apply cold to the affected area. Dry dressing
After cleaning the area, apply the dressing directly then bandage. Used dry, Animalintex may be used several times and still retain its effectiveness.
Dry pressure padding
Use dry, apply directly and bandage.
Click to expand...

I think its just to draw any dirt out, she took a chunk off her sole when she ripped a shoe off - it was slightly pussy when I took it off this morning though...??

I wet poulticed last night - and dry today
 
Hey i think the easiest is to dO the pOultice, wrap it in some vetrap then use plastic to encase it- I cut large squares from bags of shavings as the plastic is thick and hard wearing. Pull it all up to fetlock, them gaffa tape it up. Hey presto! This lasts a good few days and does not break on foot area like some do . Hope this helps!
 
where on earth do you get tiny baby trainer pants?? tiny babies don't wear them:confused:

I do similar to bonnemaman and make a duct tape square first, so much easier, i cut a few extra strips to stick around the foot too just to keep it all in place. No matter how many times i do it though i still feel like i need 3 hands:rolleyes:
 
Oberon said:
Don't be afraid to vetrap around the heels too. It'll stop the poultice from sliding off.
Click to expand...

Im always paranoid when I bandage that Im going to do it too tightly - so it always ends up too loose and is totally pointless!

I was gutted earlier when she swiveled round on her feet and it all slid off lol I was in a rush to get to work as well which didnt help!!
 
Lol - Same thing happened to me when I first had to apply a poultice:)

Vetrap is nice and stretchy, so it won't do the heels any harm, short term.
 
Thanks for the tips everyone :) foot looks much better already so fingers crossed only another day.

Farrier is out on saturday - she is lame/footsore but only really noticable on hard ground so im hoping this will be much better when she has a shoe back on x
 
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