Cuts

[Pitty146 0]

One of my ferrets escaped and has been in the wars a bit. Has a few cuts and scrapes. What's the best thing to put in it. Don't want it getting infected.

 

Ta

[Audioslave82 2]

http://www.ferretsforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=1498&page=2 is this any use to you

[Ideation 8,216]

I usually use a wee bit of sudocream.

 

Or just salty, warm,water is good.

[The one 8,457]

If its in with other ferrets they will lick the wounds watch what your using

[max abell 196]

I usually use a wee bit of sudocream.

 

Or just salty, warm,water is good.

same hear sudocrem will do the trick

[happyferret123 13]

Sudocrem is not as good as everyone thinks. I wouldn't put it on my ferret especially if it was in with others, it is now banned on horses because of what it contains. I would either bath it in salt water/ diluted tea tree, or you can get a cream from most natural health stores called skin salvation or similar which is antiseptic and made of natural ingredients such as beeswax which I use on my own skin, which is pretty good.

[Pitty146 0]

Cheers guys. Gonba just stuck with water and salt. See how it goes. Little bugger looks a lot happier after a feed and some rest. God only knows what it's been up to !!

[skycat 6,173]

Sudocrem is not as good as everyone thinks. I wouldn't put it on my ferret especially if it was in with others, it is now banned on horses because of what it contains. I would either bath it in salt water/ diluted tea tree, or you can get a cream from most natural health stores called skin salvation or similar which is antiseptic and made of natural ingredients such as beeswax which I use on my own skin, which is pretty good.

 

It's only banned in competition horses because of the anaesthetic effect it has: it contains benzyl alcohol : I copied this from another site:

 

Contacted Sudocrem and received the following message from their Senior Medical Advisor...

 

 

This is something that has been fascinating me for all the time I have worked at Forest with Sudocrem, and interestingly enough, I have received guidance recently. Your information has added to our knowledge set, and we can give you an answer which may clarify what is going on.

 

Sudocrem antiseptic healing cream is licensed in the United Kingdom as a medicine. I am attaching the data sheet which qualitatively lists the ingredients. Its licence is for human use only, and it is not registered as a veterinary medicine within the terms of their remit. The product has been on the market for over 50 years, and consequently there is very little experimental data, as it was licensed at a time when only a minimum of information was needed, and the lack of safety issues has permitted us to keep it that way. There are no studies with our product on the absorption of ingredients nor metabolism and excretion: because their legacy was and continues to be one of human safety at the doses used,and there have not been demands for additional information.

 

So point number one is that this is a human medicine and thus would seem to be included in your banned list.

 

Point two is exactly what you say, in that the benzyl alcohol is perceived to be a local anaesthetic, and we make promotional claims for the licensed indications based on that proposition .According to the most recent edition of Martindale’s extra pharmacopoeia, benzyl alcohol is used as an antiseptic/actibacterial/preservative, but in concentrations up to 10% (ie relevant to Sudocrem) it has anaesthetic and antipruritic activity. Thus it could be a banned substance for that reason. Clearly the amounts used in humans are insufficient (0.39% w/w) to make the product an effective local anaesthetic which numbs pain, but we make the claim ‘soothes’ which is a combination of emollient and anaesthetic action.

 

I have had discussion with the veterinary medicines directorate, and they have informed me that the only way that a human medicine can be sold for animal use is if there is no suitable alternative. This usually means that all but life saving or serious medicines should not be advised (by companies or professionals) for animal use.

 

Forest also market a non medicinal version of Sudocrem outside the UK (e.g. Netherlands) This is sold under the cosmetic regulations and no medicinal claims are made. The ingredients are the same, but some are in slightly lower quantities but not the benzyl alcohol, and so you probably might not want to go down that route. It might be possible to argue that the benzyl alcohol was not being used for its local anaesthetic action in such a product, but of course it depends on the opinion of the person who raises the point.

 

I don't see how it could be dangerous for ferrets: I use it on my dogs as well as myself, and can testify to its 'soothing' properties. Particularly good for 'hot spots' on dogs as it stops them scratching the area.

 

To be honest, you'd be just as well off bathing any cuts that the ferret can't reach for itself in salt water once a day, being sure to remove any pus, debris etc, keeping the wound open so it heals from within: don't let it scab over if it is a puncture or deep wound. Obviously, if in any doubt, see a vet.