# Difference between Purple Spray and Blue Spray



## Christmas Crumpet (17 October 2007)

What is the difference if any?

I have always been brought up to use Purple spray but last visit to the vet's resulted in blue spray. Are they the same?


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## spaniel (17 October 2007)

Ive only used blue spray on feet.  I think its often used for foot rot in sheep.


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## Tia (17 October 2007)

No they aren't the same - they have different ingredients, hence the different colours.


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## Christmas Crumpet (17 October 2007)

So what do each one do?

I asked for purple spray at the vets and they gave me blue spray. I didn't question them because they are the vets!!

Should I be using blue spray on an abrasion just above my horse's coronet band?


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## spaniel (17 October 2007)

Blue spray is tetramycin.


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## Christmas Crumpet (17 October 2007)

But what does the blue spray do?!!

Am v.confused.


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## Tia (17 October 2007)

The purple spray has gentian violet.  Personally I much prefer the blue spray for wounds as I believe I was told by a vet years ago that it has more potency, however gentian is good for more sensitive areas.


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## Christmas Crumpet (17 October 2007)

So its ok to use the blue spray on a small abrasion then?!! That's all I'm trying to figure out. 

Sorry for sounding like an eejit!! And thank you for helpful answers.


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## spaniel (17 October 2007)

Tetramycin is a broad spectrum antibiotic, also known as tetracycline.  Part of the penicilin family I believe.


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## Tia (17 October 2007)

Yes it is fine.


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## vicijp (17 October 2007)

No difference = both useless.
You need the green stuff (just to be difficult 
	
	
		
		
	


	




).


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## Llwyncwn (17 October 2007)

Pmsl

If you are using Tetcin (blue spray) you need to ensure that the wound is clean and sterile before you spray, otherwise it can seal in any muck!  Vets dont recommend purple spray these days (Im old and dont remember why)


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## Tia (17 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Vets dont recommend purple spray these days (Im old and dont remember why)  


[/ QUOTE ] 

Because it kills the good bacteria aswell as the bad.  That's why I don't use it for wounds.


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## Tiggy1 (18 October 2007)

We use purple spray on both sheeps feet and horses feet.


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## GreedyGuts (18 October 2007)

Blue spray contains teramycin an antibiotic and is prescription only. As other posters have said purple spray is gentian violet, although the names are sometimes used interchangeably 

I wouldn't use either on a wound as they both have adverse effects on skin healing. If it is just a small graze then just keep it clean and it will heal. As tiggy 1 said both are good for manky sheep feet!


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## WishfulThinker (18 October 2007)

U used purple spray on a cut on Beau, it didnt heal - the other one I left however did!


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