# Drawing salve for abscess?



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

My go to treatment for an abscess is soaking in hot water with Epsom salt added (as hot as you can stand to put your hand in) and then put on a glob of drawing salve, a gauze pad over that and duct tape it on. Twice a day until it opens up and starts draining and then once a day. When the draining stops and the horse is no longer ouchy I stop treatment.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> My go to treatment for an abscess is soaking in hot water with Epsom salt added (as hot as you can stand to put your hand in) and then put on a glob of drawing salve, a gauze pad over that and duct tape it on. Twice a day until it opens up and starts draining and then once a day. When the draining stops and the horse is no longer ouchy I stop treatment.


This^^^^^^^


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Save yourself the wait time and expense for shipping...
Go to Walmart and you will find "Ichthammol" which is drawing salve.
This one is black in color and stains anything it touches {true of all drawing salves I've used}
I have seen drawing salve in both the human pharmacy area and in the pet area where my local store has a small equine section.
Many pharmacies carry "drawing salve" as it is used for human and animal needs...
You don't need huge amounts of the stuff either. 
I prefer to use gooey stuff like this that can be applied and left on with a gauze dressing pad and vet wrap carefully done than to do a hoof soak in winter...covered it keeps debris out when it blows open and is a continual draw not just a soak.
Besides the wet mess in the barn aisle that can freeze making the path of travel not safe in winter..
I find it made not much if any difference soaking or not...once the salve is used the abscess blew quickly.
Good luck.
:runninghorse2:...


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I went for many years never experiencing an abscess and then both of my horses got them and in multiples.


I swear by Animalintex poultice pads and keep them in my medical kit all the time now. Soak and sterilize the hoof with Betadine, apply the poultice pad either wet or dry and then wrap the entire hoof with Vet Wrap (actually I use the generic on Amazon as it's the same, only cheaper). Then wrap with duct tape to protect and keep it on. The Animalintex has definitely decreased the recovery time for my horses drastically.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I also use Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) 
Use it inside something like an Animalintex pad or a diaper cut to fit and hold in place with Vetwrap and duct tape or silage tape


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