# Potassium Iodide, for infection, anyone any experience?



## chrissie1 (16 November 2011)

Someone I vaguely know has a mare that had surgery as she had somehow got some sort of foreign body gone inside, just about on her girth line.  This was removed under GA, and mare came home.  About 2 weeks later a soft swelling appeared, no discharge, but by the next morning it had burst open, hole about half an inch across.  Vet saw it, not sure what else she had at the time but they were given a large bottle of Potassium Iodide, to be syringed down daily until bottle finishes, which it hasn't yet, she been on it about 2 weeks or so.

Yesterday the owner saw that the wound was discharging again, asked me to go and look at it late yesterday afternoon.  She had a piece of poo stuck to it, lives out, and it had wet sort of pus like stuff around it, not nice but evidently not painful as I groped around it and she carried on eating.

The owner, who has hearing difficulties, said that she was on 'on Antibiotics', but it seems he thinks that this what the PI is.  Not a product I am familar with, but a quick Google doesn't give me the idea that there is any AB action connected to it.

His vet said this morning (on phone) it can safely be left alone, I had said Hibiscrub last night and ask vet this morning.  

Mare doesn't appear to be suffering at all, but owner obviously wants it cleared up once and for all, while realising that if there is stuff inside that needs to come out healing it over isn't the right thing.

So, just wondered if anyone has any experience of PI, and what for etc etc?

Thanks for any input!


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## alsiola (16 November 2011)

It is a really useful drug - it has antibiotic properties, as well as being anti-fibrotic (tends to resist the development of scar tissue). (It also helps prevent radiation sickness - you never know!)  We use it a lot for lymphangitis to try and prevent chronic lymphatic changes occuring.  If there is active infection present then usually another antibiotic is used also, but your description of the wound as non-painful would suggest that infection is not the primary issue, so using it alone is justified.
Hibiscrub can be toxic to new epithelial (skin) cells, so use on a wound can slow down healing.  If soiling is an issue then saline is best (1 tsp salt in 1 pint boiled water makes ~0.9% saline).  Barrier creams could be used, flamazine would be my first choice but could just make it easier for shavings/muck/whatever to stick to the wound.


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## chrissie1 (16 November 2011)

Thank you!  I did advise the Hibiscrub only be used last night for that very reason, pending speaking to vet.  They have used saline, then Manuka Honey, which I find brilliant.

Owner wondered if she should have been stabled on deep shavings bed, but she could have easily, possibly more easily, lain in poo, plus risk of small pieces entering the scar/wound, so I thought while ground was dry she'd probably be as well off outside as in.


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## Ditchjumper2 (16 November 2011)

We use PI.   Very useful for clearing the system of infection. My chap had a bad foot infection following a close nail and this did the trick.  You tend to have to ask for it, vets don't generally suggest it these days.


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## EAST KENT (16 November 2011)

On sale as Vetsept?? Brilliant stuff,deals with infection,including fungal conditions,and used as a surgical scrub.Another goody is the "pink fizz"  Peroxide diluted with warm water ..10% about right ,and syringe into punctures,then repeat with saline.


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## Oberon (16 November 2011)

Sorry to hijack.....does it have any contra indications?


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## Bryndu (16 November 2011)

Hi,
I have used PI to great effect on a young horse with a tooth abcess which had infected the bone. Loads of xrays later the hospital decided not to remove the tooth due to the infection, the fact that it did not hurt, and that as it was the first upper molar, it would need to be punched out from outside. Weighed the horse to get the correct dosage and 5ml for 60 days worked a treat. As it was ingested, I had to be clever disguising it in his feed as it is MEGA salty and sort of burns but doesn't burn. Infection cleared up and although the infection altered the shape of the bone above on his face, if you didn't know him you wouldn't notice.

If the wound is 'long suffereing' have you approached your vet with regard to using a product which I think is called Granulastic. It is used on patients to heal bed sores, and I used it with my vet on a horse with a horrendous heel injury, and it closed it all up whilst drawing out the infection, and the horse was cured.

Best of luck.
Bryndu


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## popularfurball (16 November 2011)

Vet prescribed it for my ponys massive central oedema - sadly she wouldn't eat it grr! But it's quite an old fashioned remedy - but often overlooked and forgotton - perhaps foolishly.


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## chrissie1 (17 November 2011)

Thanks again for all the replies.  The prescribing vet would be more old school in approach, not my vets but I know him.  I must have been fortunate that (touching wood) I have never needed this product, but now know that it is a valid approach to the problem.

I will pass it all on to the mares owner.


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