A Hoof Abscess Vet Kit
- January 10, 2020
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- Jenn Zeller
Posted in: Ask A Pro, Featured, Horse Care, Horse Supplies
Here’s the who, what, where, when and how, of what to keep on hand at all times, in case your horse ends up with a pesky hoof abscess.
Who will need this kit?
Well, you and the horse, of course. Basically, if you own a horse and are responsible for his care you need to know how to do what I’m about to share with you.
What will you need?
- Epsom Salt
- The Sauce (Use Code PRP-82546 for a discount) or Spurrs Big Fix or Diluted Iodine.
- A Clean Bucket or IV bag with the top cut off
- 1 gallon of Warm to Hot Water
- A Gauze Hoof Pad or something similar
- Magnesium Poultice
- Gauze bandage
- Vet-Wrap
- Elasticon
- Duct Tape
How you will start:
I like to soak the foot in 1 gallon of hot water, with roughly one cup of epsom salt, and one to two cups of The Sauce, Spurrs or Iodine. Soaking the foot in this mixture helps to draw out the infection. You can also add lavender or eucalyptus oil to the mixture. Both are anti-bacterial and help draw out soreness. If you’d rather use the IV bag, cut the top of it off, and put the mixture in the bag. Less water is needed this way which allows for more epsom salt and iodine to touch the foot. If you use the IV bag, you will use elasticon or vet wrap at the top of the bag to tape it on the foot as seen in the image below. Soak for 10-20 minutes.
Step 1. Mag Poultice on the bottom of the foot.
Step 2. Place a hoof pad or a cotton bandage under the foot.
Step 3. If I using the hoof pad, I then wrap the foot in gauze
Step 4. Wrap over all of the above with vet wrap and then secure with elasticon at the top.
Step 5. Cover the bottom of the hoof with duct tape or an easy boot if you have one.
The poultice should stay on for 24-36 hours for maximum efficacy. If the horse doesn’t regain soundness after that point in time, you’d want to soak it again, and repeat it, or call your farrier/vet to see if they can find it and open it up.
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Posted in: Ask A Pro, Featured, Horse Care, Horse Supplies
About Jenn Zeller
Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western. After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her...