Wrapping Over Straight DMSO

[ThoroughbredLuver]

Hi ya’ll,
Was wondering if it’s okay to put a standing wrap over straight DMSO? I know you can wrap over a DMSO/furazone wrap to “sweat,” but was wondering if it’s okay to do that without the furazone and suran wrap. It would be on a dry leg only as adding water can chemically burn. Any additional leg anti inflammatory care that can go under wraps would be greatly appreciated! I have used liniment (that is specifically stated is safe to wrap with) as well as poultice, but haven’t found anything is good as DMSO, however I want to wrap her legs.

Thanks in advance!

[crosscreeksh]

I wouldn’t.

[Palm_Beach]

Might blister, might not.

[imaginique]

I’ve always heard you should never wrap over DMSO

[JB]

I wouldn’t either.

What’s the situation that’s making you ask?

[Sansena]

I see it’s time to give out my old cowboy friend’s liniment recipe for swelling on legs:

1 gallon apple cider vinegar
1 jar alum
2 to 4 oz oil of wintergreen (the real stuff… not chemically derived imitation)

Mix well. Splash on swollen area of leg and rub in as you would with any liniment. Wrap with a dry standing wrap and remove several hours later. If the swelling can go down, this will do it.

But to answer OP’s question, no, I would not wrap over DMSO.

[IPEsq]

If you don’t want to use the Saran Wrap, you can do the furacin and DMSO mix under rolled cotton. My vets do this regularly. Why do you want to use just DMSO? What is the problem? I’ve only been directed to use straight DMSO on a joint with no wrapping.

[Sansena]

I see it’s time to give out my old cowboy friend’s liniment recipe for swelling on legs:

1 gallon apple cider vinegar
1 jar alum
2 to 4 oz oil of wintergreen (the real stuff… not chemically derived imitation)

Mix well. Splash on swollen area of leg and rub in as you would with any liniment. Wrap with a dry standing wrap and remove several hours later. If the swelling can go down, this will do it.

But to answer OP’s question, no, I would not wrap over DMSO.

[specifiedcupcake]

Poultice is another good one to draw out fluid, but it really honestly depends on what’s going on and why you need anti-inflammatory wrapping. If it’s simply stocking up from stabling, a dry wrap also works fine.

[ThoroughbredLuver]

Thanks everyone for the input. My horse had popped a splint during her race days and long story short reactivated it a few years ago. knock on wood has made a full recovery and hasn’t had a relapse since. We did IRAP injections at the time due to all the inflammation it was causing and it really helped. The other day she wasn’t feeling quite right and suspected she torqued it again (almost similar feeling). I just rubbed DSMO on her spot and she was back 100% today. Am still curious in the future if wrapping over would be fine. I don’t see why not if you wrap with furazone and suran wrap, they could blister with that too. I will continue to use dmso in the future if this problem happens again, however wrapping for the extra support (also helped in the past) would be an added benefit if possible.

[csaper58]

It is my understanding that straight DMSO needs air circulation so that what is not absorbed can evaporate.

If wrapped over plain DMSO creates heat and can damage the skin.

When mixed with furazone the DMSO is diluted enough for wrapping to be an acceptable risk.

A lot of the variability is due to folks using the over the counter, solvent grade DMSO which has often been sitting in the tack room for way to long.

[StormyDay]

My horse popped both front splints a few months ago. I was advised to use a DMSO/linament (I used sore no more) mix, wrap with paper towels then Seran wrap, and then wrap it in a standing wrap. I did this for 4/5 days. Then I wrapped with a gelocast for two weeks. (Which is IMO the best product ever) The splints completely disappeared.

The vet also said I could do straight DMSO but that since DMSO just draws whatever it is with into the skin it really didn’t make sense to do so. in her opinion straight DMSO has no healing effects for this sort of injury, it’s a carrier.

[ThoroughbredLuver]

Definitely going to look into a gelocast! I saw under similar products a coolcasg that looked interesting as well. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[JB]

If an old splint is (still) causing problems, it needs to be xrayed to see if it’s interfering with the suspensory ligament, or is doing something else, and needs to be removed.

[keysfins]

What about Surpass/Diclofenac for swelling and discomfort? Maybe ask your vet if you want something topical on it. I also had learned that DMSO was a carrier.

But as JB says, it just might be time for radiographs if it still a problem.

[mmeqcenter]

DMSO is definitely a “carrier”, as it is a solvent, but it has a long, proven history of providing heat/swelling relief as well.
I personally would never use DMSO without Furazone. I know plenty of people do, but I’m not comfortable with it myself. DMSO is a solvent and can carry all kinds of stuff through the skin and into the bloodstream. The Furazone (antibacterial) kills off bacteria the DMSO may carry with it.
(*disclaimer, I’m a chemist)
I don’t wrap with saran wrap for a sweat, just a cotton wrap or polo in a pinch. I’ve never seen any difference in the benefit/behavior of the sweat with saran wrap vs without, neither has my vet, and with saran wrap the risk of chemical burns is much higher.

[BShipps]

Draper Therapies/Celliant might help with this. Wraps help increase circulation and help with swelling/adema.

[ThoroughbredLuver]

[QUOTE=JB;9007810]
If an old splint is (still) causing problems, it needs to be xrayed to see if it’s interfering with the suspensory ligament, or is doing something else, and needs to be removed.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your concern JB. At this point, they have not caused any issues going forward aside from this small incident. Unfortunately she is fragile and if she takes a blow to it hard enough (i.e. Knocks with her hoof or other object) it gets sore as any leg would compromised or not. Unfortunately x-rays will not show whether it is interfering with the suspensory or not. X rays were already taken at the time along with other diagnostics to show it was not interfering with anything else in the leg. I am going to look into surpass to help when she does torque it and gets sore, but unless she is lame from the injury (which she is not) there really isn’t much a vet will do aside from the expensive treatment she received. She wasn’t lame from this either, but having this horse for 5 years she didn’t feel quite right, therefore I wanted something to try and get any, if there even was any, information out. thanks much though for recommending another set of x-rays! At the time during the original battle, the suspensory was a strong suspect but was eventually ruled out.

[JB]

Just because nothing was interfering when it happened, doesn’t mean it’s not now If there was a little piece that broke off, it could now be a sequestrum that is mostly ok until disturbed, such as being whacked. An xray (or set) would show you where things are and if they have moved into the area of the suspensory.

IMHO, something IS wrong if every bang makes her sore.

Being NQR is a form of lameness

[Montanas_Girl]

I agree with JB. An old, “cold” splint is a one and done deal. It shouldn’t cause recurring problems unless there is something else going on, like suspensory irritation.