Purple Spray - Pump or Aerosol - what is it good for?

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denisel

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I have been told to use purple spray on the wounds dug to release an abcess. Farrier told me to get the aerosol rather than the pump - think purely because its easier to direct.

Just wondered what your experience with this was and what exactly purple spray is good for.
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I would say get the aerosol, especially if you are using it on the foot because the pumps don't usually work very well upside down, and you end up with it running all over your hands instead of on the foot. But maybe that's just me being cack-handed!!

Purple spray is normally used for drying things up and preventing infection, so would be surprised if it were used to release an abcess, more clearing it up once it had come out. Are they still thinking abcess rather than pedal bone fracture?
 
Purple Spray is essentially to prevent further infection. It is a chemical antiseptic and anti bactericidal for topical application. It is unclear in you OP whether the abscess has been drained fully and this should be done before applying purple spray. I would class purple spray as an essential to any grooming/first aid kit as it can be used on anything, apart from eyes!

FFS don't get it on your hands!!!
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making your finger going purple or onto concrete next to horse where you trying to spray!!!

Wound management - i use on wound once it's clean and dry to add protective seal

Make sure you clean nossle before spray, if you don't use very often as it can make it spray a bit wierd!! that's why i end up with purple finger!!!
 
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Purple spray is normally used for drying things up and preventing infection, so would be surprised if it were used to release an abcess, more clearing it up once it had come out. Are they still thinking abcess rather than pedal bone fracture?

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There is certainly pus coming out now. Still wont know for definate until next day or so when pain killers are out of his system as to how lame he'll be. Massive improvement yesterday though. All weight on that foot.
 
How long should you tend to use this for? I have been advised to spray on area, fill hole with cotton wool, spray again then vet wrap it - once a day for 2 days. Trouble is - I am now thinking - ok what do i do over the weekend - leave the area just vet wrapped (no shoe on you see and still exposed) or do you continue with purple spray.

I am actually having trouble getting the aerosol as the CO2 gas situation, lots of places have stopped stocking it - selling only the pump.

By the way - you can probably guess I am the carer - not the rider and am totally green
 
That's good news that it's getting better.

You could try getting the aerosol type from an agricultural merchants, they tend to stock the aerosol for cattle, sheep, etc, it's usually blue spray rather than purple but will do the same job. Another thing you may find useful is to put a nappy over the foot and then silage plastic over the top, taped up with duck tape - it will be much easier to put on than a vetwrap and stays in place well and cheaper too! This will give the foot some cushioning if he has had quite a bit of his sole dug away. Hope that helps
 
One of our horses had a keratoma removed and he's still recovering from it has his foot purple sprayed every day. It was twice a day he had it tubbed, cleaned and purple sprayed but looking better now so it's down to just once a day. However he now has an abscess in the good front foot! Poor horse!

As for what to do over the weekend, you could keep it covered, it depends if there's still anything still coming out of it or not and how lame they still are. It must be abcess season think we had 4 horses with them!
 
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There is certainly pus coming out now. Still wont know for definate until next day or so when pain killers are out of his system as to how lame he'll be. Massive improvement yesterday though. All weight on that foot.

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If there is still pus coming out, then you need to treat the abscess first. This is what I do: soak in warm water with epsom salts for 20 mins then apply wet poultice to the foot, cover in vet wrap, nappy, plastic bag and duct tape. I change this every 12 hours until there is no more pus coming out. If there is a hole afterwards you can fill it with something like stockholm tar.

I have purple spray and so far it just leaks everywhere - I dont really use it for anything unless there was a very minor surface abrasion. Otherwise everything else my horses tend to do to themselves requires staples/stitches etc.

It doesnt wash off hands - you have to wear it off.
 
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