Antiseptic cream or powder?

[entreat]

Hiya,

I was wondering if it would be better to put antiseptic cream or powder on small nicks and cuts that the boys get sometimes?

 

[Waikato Valuta]

I dont use anything on little nicks unless they look infected.

Otherwise I use a cream from horseland. (forgotten the name right now)

 

[Showjumper]

I use MSM cream on just about everything - I swear by the stuff

 

[H & Bailey]

If its a dry day and the cut is a wettish type or oozy I tend to put wound powder on it.But if its going to get wet or is a dryish cut that needs covering from getting soggy i will put a cream on i find that sudocrem is as good as anything

 

[entreat]

Thanks!!

Next question:
Is human antiseptics ok to use? Like Dettol cream, or something else from the chemist. (I can't think of a reason why not, but there's no harm in asking)

 

[tubby]

Yes I've used Savlon on my boy,seems to work well.

 

[H & Bailey]

I use things that are fine for children....im sure if its not going to hurt a kiddy its ok for a horse!
I tend to keep a big bottle of savlon liquid up at the field and in the summer use it in water to give them a wash down especially legs and sweaty bits it helps with any nicks or cuts and smells so keeps flies away too!
p.s sudocrem is a nappy cream found in the babys section...it is antiseptic and has fungicidal properties too as well as being waterproof

 

[Wally]

Plain water, it's cheap, it's as good as anything unless you have an infection.

How many of you have a first aid kit with a pot of goo in it? look at the use by date, then ask yourself how long it has been open, lying around in the first aid box growing its own strain of cream resistant bacteria? Cream is the perfect environment to grow bugs in, moist, warm and fatty, a good food supply. I'd rather use a powder if something looks infected. Any small cut wash it with plain water and keep an eye on it.

In summer a good dust with powder will help keep the flies off.

 

[eml]

Go along with Wally: amazing what out of date junk accumulates but I prefer to use antibiotic rather than antiseptic powder.

 

[Wally]

Forgot to add too, what you think smell nice may not be so nice to your horse or others around him. Herd smell is very important to a horse, masking it with a Highly scented antiseptic is doing the horse no favours.

 

[Lucy J]

i use TCP - it stings but makes sure any infection is dead! there is also some sprays you can get which are quite good. even an iodine spray as a preventative measure for infection is an idea. i also use germoline (human) and savlon wound wash which is a human spray.

 

[entreat]

Thanks guys!!

We actually don't have a first aid kit for the horses. Which is why I was asking about the cream vs powder. I bought some savlon & will get some powder next week.

Great advice on the expired creams, Wally!! I always keep on top of that kind of stuff, 'cause I spent too much time looking at grose medical text/encyclopedias in high school. My boyfriend is a different story! I'm sure he has stuff from the 1980's....