# bute dosage for abscess



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I think my old mare has an abscess. She is suddenly very lame in the left front. No swelling anywhere. I did take her across a rocky driveway which was what caused her to get an abscess several years ago.

She is 15.1 hands and about 1100lbs. How much Bute can I give her? I gave her 1 gram the last few days, but given how sore she is I would like to up the dose.

I'm waiting for the farrier to call me back. To make things worse, she has degenerative ligaments in both back legs and was diagnosed with possible navicular in the right front. Now both the navicular and degenerative ligaments is mild... I realize I will eventually have to put her down due to these issues, but she is very affectionate towards people and until this point was doing really well considering all her issues.

Should I wrap her other legs for additional support? Or ice them to prevent swelling? The problem being she is now putting a lot of stress on both the navicular foot and her back legs. 

She is very lame even at the walk.

I would like to keep her comfortable until I can get either the vet or farrier out.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

If you're pretty sure it's an abscess try soaking her foot in hot water & Epsom salt. As much salt as will dissolve & the water hot enough that it is slightly uncomfortable to your hand. Keep the water below the hairline so it won't bother her.

While bute will help with the pain & can also slow the abscess breaking through. I've found that bute doesn't do much to relieve the pain of an abscess.

How about a vet to check her out?


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

My vet says bute wont do anything for abscess pain.

Are you giving powder or liquid bute? The only thing the bute would do is help the pain in her other legs.

I would soak her abscess foot in a bucket of hot water and epsom salt with iodine. Then pack her foot with epsom salt and iodine, put a baby diaper on the foot and duct tape it on. Leave it over night at the very least. Repeat process until the abscess breaks through.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

My vet also told me that bute won't help with an abcess.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

My local vet told me to give our 1200# Thoroughbred 1.5 grams bute AM and PM. It did nothing at all and so he only received the two doses. I later called our preferred vet who is a 1.5 hour drive for us who said that bute does not work for abscesses. 

I agree, do a water and Epsom salt soak. I leave a Animalintex poultice pad wrapped on until the abscess breaks. This poor guy took 10 days, hope your mare has a speedy recovery!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Bute will often help with the pain of an abscess - it's anti inflammatory - but I would not use it for an abscess generally, as inflammation is the body's way of ejecting the infection/necrotic tissue in this case. 

If your horse is in such a bad way anyway, it may not be 'just' an abscess. If it was walking over a driveway(I presume not ridden, not far) that was the 'cause', she must have very thin, weak soles I'm thinking.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

unfortunately she has a history of abscesses. We used to live in a very wet area with hard shell rock roads. When I was riding her consistently she would have an abscess about once a year. Our yard would flood and it always wrecked havoc on her feet.

The abscesses have not been a problem since we moved until now. She probably does have thin soles. I tried shoes many years ago. She always lost them. Maybe hoof boots would be a good idea?

I've decided to keep her on a low dose of Bute just to keep her other legs from getting sore. I will try soaking with Epson salt and iodine. I've always used Epson salt alone. Maybe the combination will work better. Worth a try.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Don't get iodine on her skin as it will burn it. Horses, unlike humans are very sensitive to it.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I was always told not to bute for an abscess but when I mentioned that to my vet her response was, if you know it's an abscess then why let the horse suffer? Give the bute. 

I'm sure you know how to treat an abscess but just in case... Soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salt to help draw the abscess out, if you have a poultice then pack it with it and wrap it in a diaper overnight. Once the abscess has opened up and is draining then continue to soak daily. Use ichthnomal for a few days after to continue drawing it out.

My vote is yes to the bute.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

It certainly won't hurt to try some bute and see if it helps, but I've never seen any noticeable pain relief from bute for abscesses in our horses.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Just remember to have plenty of hay and water available if you do give it as bute causes a lot of nasty problems in the gut to horses.

And iodine does not burn the skin for horses. If it did then it wouldn't be used to treat so many skin conditions such as rain rot. I use iodine all the time and never once had it burn the skin of a horse and I use it on sensitive TB's who react to air lol.


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

anti inflamms can indeed cause an abscess to fester. inflammation is the body's way of pushing out infection. However once the abscess is "ripe" per say and close to the surface, anti inflams can cause the horse to be comfortable enough to move around and pop one more quickly. My rule is never bute or soak the first few days. Let it ripen and get ready to pop. Even over soaking can cause the hoof capsule to get too flexible and not push the infection out. Turnout and movement with a wait and see attitude the first couple of days is pretty much always a good move for an abscess - as well as making sure the foot is currently trimmed and the bars are not overlaid and are cleaned out to give the abscess the quickest escape route.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

I should add I mean iodine diluted with water doesn't burn.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

4horses said:


> unfortunately she has a history of abscesses. We used to live in a very wet area with hard shell rock roads. When I was riding her consistently she would have an abscess about once a year.


Yes, environment can be far from helpful. If you are aware of these problems, you can deal with them more effectively. Of course, not assuming you can do a heap of work to your property, prevent flooding, etc, but you very likely can provide at least a dry 'hangout' area for your horse, and keep her on dry footing as much as possible. And as you're aware of chronic wet weakening her feet, you will appreciate the need for protection/support when working on hard/rough ground, to prevent stone bruising & other damage, so you can get some hoof boots or such.



> The abscesses have not been a problem since we moved until now. She probably does have thin soles. I tried shoes many years ago. She always lost them. Maybe hoof boots would be a good idea?


Yes, thin soles are of course at more risk of stone bruising, so need protection. Conventional rim shoes provide no protection or support under the foot. If her feet are unhealthy I especially suggest avoiding shoes, for now at least. Perhaps she also has thin, weak walls if she can't keep shoes on too.



> I've decided to keep her on a low dose of Bute just to keep her other legs from getting sore.


Why?? As mentioned, giving bute will likely suppress the infection. A low dose probably isn't likely to do a lot for the pain, and it is also bad for the gut. And you're now saying you're not even giving it for the foot in question?? Sounds like you aren't sure what you're doing, and need to speak to a good vet.



> I will try soaking with Epson salt and iodine.


Iodine dries things up. I would be using Epsom for soaking, and iodine(sparingly) once it's popped, not before.


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## mrwithers (Jun 25, 2014)

Depending on the horses weight I think the recommended dose is 2-4 grams a day for a 1000 lbs horse. I usually do 1 in the morning with grain and another at night with grain. No more than 5-6 days in a row of bute at the 4g level though to avoid ulcers.

My gf's horse gets a lot of abscesses and her vet prescribes bute + epsom salt.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

The Bute is not for the abscess but for her other legs. As I said she has navicular in the front and degenerative ligaments in the hind legs.


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

Never the less, it may impede the abscess rupturing seeing as how bute is systemic in effect. I would suggest maybe wrapping her legs, using liniments or poultices as you see fit and maybe ice if it seems necessary. Topicals wont bother the abscess "ripening" process.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

The abscess burst out through her heel bulb. She is still sore but not as bad. The area is still tender to the touch. At least that explains why she didn't want weight on her heel!

Anything else I can do? The farrier is coming tomorrow. I'm not sure he will be able to do much with her feet but at least my other horse will get her feet done.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

Bute IS NOT an appropriate drug for an abscess. I would be looking for a new vet as any one that would prescribe that for an abscess is a huge problem. If that abscess travels the wrong direction the outcome isn't good and if she makes it its
Gonna be expensive


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