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  Discussion on Poultice contents
Author Message
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 - 1:28 am:

I have a premade poultice, made by Animalintex, the contents are Boric Acid @ 2.08g and Tragacanth @ 6g.

What do these ingredients do please?
thank you.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 - 9:36 am:

Though I do not know why they are included, boric acid is a frequently used antimicrobial (OTC eyeDrOps use it). As to tragacanth this was taken directly from Wikipedia:

Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus, including A. adscendens, A. gummifer, and A. tragacanthus. Some of these species are known collectively under the common names "goat's thorn" and "locoweed". The gum is sometimes called "shiraz gum , "gum elect" or "gum dragon". The name derives from tragos and akantha, which means in Greek "goat" and "thorn", respectively. Iran is the biggest producer of the best quality of this gum.

Gum tragacanth is a viscous, odorless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides obtained from sap which is drained from the root of the plant and dried. The gum seeps from the plant in twisted ribbons or flakes which can be powdered. It absorbs water to become a gel, which can be stirred into a paste. The gum is used in veg-tanned leatherworking as an edge slicking and burnishing compound and is occasionally used as a stiffener in textiles. It contains an alkaloid that has historically been used as an herbal remedy for such conditions as cough and diarrhea. As a mucilage or paste it has been used as a topical treatment for burns. It is used in pharmaceuticals and foods as an emulsifier, thickener, stabilizer, and texturant additive (code E413). Also, it is the traditional binder used in the making of artist's pastels, as it does not adhere to itself the same way other gums (such as gum arabic) do when dry. Gum Tragacanth is also used to make a paste used in Floral Sugarcraft to create life-like flowers on wires used as decorations for cakes. It makes a paste which dries brittle in the air and can take colorings. It enables users to get a very fine, delicate finish to their work.

Gum tragacanth is less common in products than other gums, such as gum arabic or guar gum, largely because most tragacanth is grown in Middle Eastern countries which have shaky trade relations with countries where the gum is to be used. Commercial cultivation of tragacanth plants has generally not proved economically worthwhile in the west, since other gums can be used for similar purposes.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragacanth"
DrO
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 - 11:04 am:

So maybe the real benefit comes from the soak and bandage that goes along with the poultice?

These are the only ingredients in this poultice.
Maybe I'll see if they have a website.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 - 5:08 pm:

Boric acid also seems to be good for hardening an overly soft sole.
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 - 7:18 pm:

Vicky, how would you apply that?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 27, 2009 - 8:15 am:

I think the magic of a poultice is its ability to put very even pressure in the nooks and crannies that define a horses lower leg, we discuss this in the article associated with this discussion.
DrO
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Monday, Jul 27, 2009 - 6:29 pm:

Lori,

If I recall correctly my farrier suggested a soak of 15 - 20 minutes that would immerse the bottom of the affected hoof only with about a half to three quarters of a teaspoon of boric acid in enough water to cover the bottom of the hoof and to do this only a couple of days consecutively.

The other option was to take a small amount of boric acid, mix with water to make a paste to be put upon the compromised area of the sole, then place a sterile gauze or cotton upon the soft/affected area and wrap with vet wrap/duct tape to keep in place, keeping wrap off of the coronet band.

Though I used the soak method, I didn't do the poultice and don't remember how long it was to be left on, but would imagine about 12 hours.
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 - 12:54 am:

ok thanks
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