Right... hoof poultice- help?

Michen

Michen

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 January 2014
Messages
12,812
Visit site
Hi all,

I posted about my new loan horse going lame after eggbar shoes were fitted. Happened a few hours after shoeing. Anyway farrier pulled shoes and found a couple of black spots on one hoof. He said poultice and soak for a few days, that it could be a bruise or nail bind/prick or abscess. It seems to me that whatever it is has clearly been caused by the shoeing as it was right after he was shod, can nail binds cause abscesses? Anyway, after some advice on how to correctly poultice please! I’d heard animalintex and vet wrap and then nappy on top? Thanks!
 
a nail prick could abscess but if it only happened a couple of days ago it won't be an abscess yet most likely, it takes time for them to take hold and for the infection to build up, usually a week or so.

In terms of poulticing, I do a hot wet one for foot holes. So wet anamilintex then a piece of vet gamgee big enough to come up round the edge of the foot then vet wrap then duct tape over the whole lot. I've never used nappies as they are so unwieldy and if you use enough tape I'm not sure what they really achieve. some people swear by them though.

i find the easiest way to do the duct tape is to lay three bits the right length side by side and then do another three in the opposite direction so you get a square with bits hanging off each side. Then you can whack the whole lot on the foot at once :)
 
Clean the foot, animalintex on hot, thick plastic bag (I use the corner off a sugarbeet sack), soffban, and bandage well up the leg, duct tape on hoof made into a boot shape with plenty of coverage on the toe.

I am sure there are easier ways of doing it and poultice boots can be bought.
 
Jesstickle said:
a nail prick could abscess but if it only happened a couple of days ago it won't be an abscess yet most likely, it takes time for them to take hold and for the infection to build up, usually a week or so.

In terms of poulticing, I do a hot wet one for foot holes. So wet anamilintex then a piece of vet gamgee big enough to come up round the edge of the foot then vet wrap then duct tape over the whole lot. I've never used nappies as they are so unwieldy and if you use enough tape I'm not sure what they really achieve. some people swear by them though.

i find the easiest way to do the duct tape is to lay three bits the right length side by side and then do another three in the opposite direction so you get a square with bits hanging off each side. Then you can whack the whole lot on the foot at once :)
Click to expand...

He was shod 8 days ago, immediately lame, went on bute until Monday and was sound in walk but not trot. came off bute and got progressively worse, he's really sore today, poor boy was pawing so much when shoe was taken off! thanks for the advice :)
 
I folded up an old facecloth and put that between the hot poultice and the carrier bag. I used lots of vet wrap to hold the poultice and facecloth in place, then used duct tape, then put a thick carrier bag round it all and again used lots of duct tape to hold it in place. Like AdorableAlice said, lots of tape round the toe, that's where I noticed Bertie's was wearing through the bag.

After a few attempts I got the hang of it!
 
My big horse had two septic feet together, near hind and near fore. Blooming nightmare to deal with, they don't stand on 2 feet very well.
 
You can make a tough boot to go over the taped poultice and poly bag by cutting the leg off an old pair of jeans. Machine one end, pull on and tape with duct tape.
 
Nappy would go where first poster said use gamgee, remember to hot poultice for no more than 5 days do this daily, i also tub with epsom salts in between changing the poultice, then dry poultice after 5 days for 3 days, this is assuming the abscess has burst out, if sole is very soft when dry poulticing you can put iodine on the sole to harden it up.

You can usually feel with thumb pressure where the abscess is about to burst out on the 2nd day of hot tubbing as the sole will be soft, farrier could par this out and get it to burst out quicker and stop it travelling up the hoof and coming out of the coronary band.
 
And if you're luck you'll still be poulticing at day ten as the foot is still bleeding! Costs a fortune!

(vet has seen today and x-rayed, no problem, just slow to heal!)
 
Jesstickle said:
And if you're luck you'll still be poulticing at day ten as the foot is still bleeding! Costs a fortune!

(vet has seen today and x-rayed, no problem, just slow to heal!)
Click to expand...

Try poulticing for 14 days... that was fun. Again the hoof was xrayed and was just a blinking big abscess.
I was alternating between hot and wet poultice for a few days, then dry poultice, tubbing the foot in Epsom salts between changes.
I put the poultice on, followed by a pad or gamgee, then secure with a vet wrap, then either duct tape or canvas boot, as I keep the horse turned out, ( unless paddock is a bog ).
I also wouldn't give bute if possible, I'd rather get the farrier to see if they can open the abscess.
Kx
 
Circe I will still be going at 14 days I think. I have the go ahead to get the farrier to pad it up and work it (not even lame bless him) but obviously it is the weekend now so at the moment I am still poulticing. Fortunately someone lent me a poultice boot so I have been able to cut right back on materials!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top