To add to the variety of nontraditional remedies and treatments dscussed
here...I wonder if people are aware of the efficacy of Tea Tree oil? Works
well on humans, horses and dogs. My experience with it has been a friend's
horse with bad wire cuts that did not become infected at all; our Quarter
horse/pony who fell on ice this winter and removed a chunk of knee 1 1/2 x
1 1/2 in area with thick flap lifted above that, still firmly attached
eye-droppered oil onto open area and under flap and had no infection and
almost no scarring, (also used globs of Furacin afterwards when scab would
form and break up, tear loose, bleed and reform-seemed to keep the area
from drying up and the scab from pulling off the newly healed areas);
dripped into crack where hoof was pulling free of pony's heel (thanks to a
tight bandage put on by a vet and circulation restricted!) assorted small
dings in humans and dog, and tea tree lotion to remove itch of insect bites
on human hide.
Because the oil is so light it is easy to apply with an eye dropper and
creeps into tiny holes and cracks readily. Also doesn't freeze in B.C.'s
winters and Furacin freezes quite fast!