Scarlet Oil - Replies to my post

["Tina Rushing" <tinarushing@coastside.net>]

On November 10, 2000 I posted to RideCamp:  "Anyone have any experience or
understanding of the method of action of Scarlet Oil?  My horse had a severe
trauma injury. Surgeon recommended Scarlet Oil at 2 week post-surgery exam.
Amazing difference in 12 hours. Can't say for sure if was the Scarlet Oil or
12 hours that did it... "

Following is a collection of the replies, but first I here is additional
background on the injury and an update: on October 16 my horse was injured
in the girth area, a very deep wound with 3 muscles severed and the muscle
between the ribs pulverized.  Sutures won't hold muscles together so the
skin was sutured over the site and a drain installed. The surgery, in my
opinion, was a work of art.  The prognosis was that the muscles will "find"
their loose ends.  The next day there was very little edema and she was
moving freely around her pasture.  This was very encouraging even though she
looked like Frankenstein's horse with 10-inches of sutures.

In 10 days an abscess developed, and then another.  I was dismayed to have
to remove a lot of sutures to treat the infection.  This resulted in a large
hole. Two weeks later the surgeon removed some necrotic material and
recommended a) that I get really aggressive in debriding - including going
deep into the pocket which was now large enough to accommodate my fist; b)
that I flush it with saline/betadine solution ["the answer to pollution is
dilution" - I used as much as 240cc 2 times daily]; and 3) and that I swab
the pocket and the wound with Scarlet Oil.

Scarlet oil was always in the barn when I was a kid but I can't say I ever
used it.  Now I needed some and couldn't find it locally.  I finally found
it on-line from Valley Vet (www.valleyvet.com).  The bottle was $5 but I
paid for overnight shipping.  If you are interested in having this item in
your barn you may wish to purchase it before a crisis arises.  I damaged the
label but the legible portion of the ingredients are: mineral oil, isopropyl
alcohol,  p____ , benzyl alcohol, oil of eucalyptus, methyl salicylate,
parachlorom__  __xylenol, and Biebrich Scarlet.

It has now been 5 weeks since the injury, and about 3 weeks since I've been
using Scarlet Oil.  The wound is looking really good.  I can only get 3
fingers into the pocket now.  Although the surgeon suggested swabbing
Scarlet Oil into the pocket I found it easier to use a small syringe and
squirt it deep in there.  Although Scarlet Oil smells like it could remove
varnish I was surprised that my horse did not object to this.  Next I poured
it on an open wound of my own and was surprised that it was not painful to
do this.  Recently while squirting it into the pocket I managed to splash it
in my EYE, not once but twice.  While I don't recommend this I am compelled
to report that getting soap in my eye is more painful.  My eye didn't even
get red.  Amazing.  Maybe a chemist could explain this... if only I hadn't
ruined the ingredient list.

Thanks to all who replied, I have hidden the names of folks who did not post
to RC.

Best regards,
Tina Rushing
El Granada, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Annie George <ageorge@vtc.net>
To: Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>
Cc: RideCamp  <ridecamp-d@endurance.net>
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2000 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: Re: Scarlet Oil

I have used scarlet oil for years, I like it, I find it particularly useful
in puncture wounds. And, this is my opinion, I think the animal finds it
soothing instead of bothering them as some topical do.
www.vtc.net/~ageorge

-----Original Message-----
From: Mrs. M.
To: tinarushing@coastside.net <tinarushing@coastside.net>
Date: Monday, November 13, 2000 9:58 AM
Subject: Scarlet oil

My vet gives me SO with some extra ingredients that he adds. I have had two
horses severely cut in the chest areas. One last year rolled next to the
pasture fence and straddled the barbed wire and cut his right underarm area
where I could put my arm up in the wound half way to my elbow. After 6 weeks
of SO, he was healed and it left very little scar. But my vet says never use
it on legs because it will promote proud flesh.

-----Original Message-----
From: N. & S.
To: Tina Rushing <tinarushing@coastside.net>
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2000 8:25 AM
Subject: RE: Scarlet Oil

Hi Tina,
I've used scarlet oil for years but NEVER on fresh wounds. Two weeks sounds
about right. It stings like crazy and will damage the delicate tissues if
used before that point. It will help in keeping flies at bay and I've used
it on sarcoid tumor lesions in the summertime for that reason. It's also
helpful in managing proud flesh. It will attract dust and dirt, so you want
to be sure that the wound is healed enough where infection isn't an issue.
I wouldn't put it on under any wraps either!

When the proud flesh begins going great guns in a month or two, you could
ask your vet to whip up a proud flesh remover or tell you what's in it. My
vet gave me this black stuff to dab on... I think it was an iodine and meat
tenderizer mixture, but I'm not sure. It really did the job! If your vet
doesn't come up with something, I can ask mine for the recipe.

One of the best things I've found for keeping proud flesh down on a healed
injury is Tea Tree Oil. You can get it cheap at Walmart though you may have
to ask where they've hidden it:) I've been using the TTO on [horse's name]
horrible 1997 wirecut scar that extends around 3/4 of his pastern. I started
using it a year after the initial injury and am very satisfied with the
results. It's another product you don't want to use on any fresh injury
though. You'll find that out if it gets in any little cut on your own
fingers :-O For best results, rub it in well and wait for a day or so. Then
you can just peel off the extra tissue and the scar will feel much smoother,
not dry and crackly. The scar is half and inch wide and about five inches
long but I get compliments from others on the way it looks.  [horse's name]
has come back sound to do some 50's this year. We had to pull from our last,
but that was due to a cinching problem.  Good luck with your challenge!  N.


-----Original Message-----
From: M. S.
To: tinarushing@coastside.net <tinarushing@coastside.net>
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2000 5:20 AM
Subject: scarlet oil

Not very scientific info from me, but I do know it works well on wounds. Not
appropriate for deep or puncture wounds but works great during the healing
stages. I'm a RN and a surgeon ordered Scarlet red dressing on a large
incision for one of my patient s, had to do some hunting, but it healed the
wound beautifully! I got some from the local elevator and use it on the
horses for scrumps and bumps/abrasions. I think it is one of those ole time
remedies that are tried and true.  Hope your horses recovery is quick, good
luck to you! M. S.
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