Should you use bute in the healing process of an absess?

bigboyrocky

bigboyrocky

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 April 2008
Messages
2,448
Visit site
My boys coming out the other side of an absess and pretty much ready to have his shoe back on.. Someone said to me today though, that we shoud have been giving him bute. What are your thoughts on this? ive never heard this before, but considering the pain i had when i had an absess, maybe it would have been a good idea?
 
You definitely shouldn't be buting if the shoe is ready to go back on. When my girl had an abcess the vet gave me bute for her for the first 5 days although she was significantly better after the abcess had just been drained. She had about 2 weeks of poulticing and 6 weeks with the shoe off. If the abcess hasn't fully cleared you need to know if your horse is in pain so that you can get the shoe straight off again. Sometimes there is some bruising but as long as you have given it plenty of healing time it should have cleared. Hope this helps and wishing your horse a speedy recovery.:D
 
The bute just helps with the initial pain of a throbbing big abcess of puss which is usually alleviated as soon as the vet drains it. It can cause bruising around the area too, my mare had one high up inside the hoof so had to have hers drilled out. I panicked when I went down to the stable and saw her standing on three legs, she wouldn't put any weight on her poorly hoof and I thought she'd had an accident and broken her leg!! She has always been a drama queen, just like her owner. :rolleyes:
 
you shouldn't give bute for abcesses if they haven't burst as it will actually stop all of the crap from coming out and mean that it takes longer to clear up...i think its ok to give it once it has been dug out and allowed to drain though...
 
Think so people are confusing bute (paracetamol for horses) with antibiotics. Antibiotics are rarely any help with abcesses because they stop them forming and therefore bursting and can lead to a doramant abcess.

Bute is useful for the first couple of days to take the edge off the pain - abcesses are excuriatingly painful. Once the pressures's gone (i.e they've burst) they're only uncomfortable. Even on bute it's usually very obvious once they've burst and at that point they no longer need any painkillers.

Taking them off bute once it's burst also makes it easier to tell if it's reformed.

If you horse is ready to have metal shoes back on then it definitly won't be need any bute now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top