Page 125 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

Hot poultices are applied to:

• dirty wounds
VetBooks.ir • infected wounds

•
puncture wounds on the limbs or the foot
• abscesses, to encourage them to burst.

The warmth increases the blood supply to the injured area. The white blood cells help clear

away bacteria and other debris. Poultices also draw fluid from the wound and are useful for
drawing out infection and small dirt particles.

There are 3 potential problems:

1 the poultice should not be so hot that it burns the horse; test the temperature of the
poultice on the back of your hand before applying it

2 The securing bandage must not be too tight; its purpose is simply to hold the poultice in
place – remember that wet bandages can shrink and tighten as they dry

3 a wet poultice applied for too long may actually slow wound healing.

Types of poultice

The following are the most common types of poultice.

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READY-TO-USE POULTICES, E.G. ANIMALINTEX , POULTEX ®
These consist of a thick layer of padding impregnated with boric acid. One side of the

dressing has a polythene backing. The dressing is cut to size and immersed in clean, hot
water. It is then squeezed to remove most of the water and placed on top of the wound with

the plastic side facing outwards. This is covered with a piece of padding such as cotton wool
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or Gamgee and bandaged in place.
These poultices can also be applied as a cold dressing to reduce swelling and

inflammation from a kick or a blow. They are suitable for applying to soft tissue injuries on
the limbs and also to foot injuries. They can be particularly useful for softening very hard
soles overnight, making it easier for the vet or farrier to locate and drain a foot abscess.

KAOLIN AND MAGNESIUM SULPHATE PASTE

These materials are useful for foot abscesses but should not be used on an open wound. They
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are warmed and applied to the foot under a layer of Gamgee . A bandage is used to keep the
dressings securely in place.