# Gentian Violet and Open Wounds



## villager (Sep 8, 2010)

Wikipedia says that "gentian (crystal) violet has antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic properties".

To treat wounds on my goats and dogs, I have been squirting gentian violet and oxytetracyclene onto the affected area. I find this treatment works well, and the wounds heal within a few days.

Today, I brought back a new bottle of gentian violet from the local pharmacy, and have just noticed the warning , "Caution: no longer recommended for application to ... open wounds". The only negative statement which I found in Wikipedia was, "if used on ulcerations or open wounds it can cause tattooing". My animals and I do not care about the tattooing.

Can anyone tell me:

- What is wrong with applying gentian violet to an open wound?
- What should be used instead? Iodine?


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

I don't know what is wrong with using it on open wounds, I have never.

Blue kote/Purple kote/Cut N Heal are all good things to use for open wounds. Iodine burns a lot and actually destroys(I believe) new tissue growth, so it takes longer to heal.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Blukote is gentian violet


----------



## villager (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks for those replies. 

My internet connection is behaving itself today, so I did a google search on GV. The caution about its use on open wounds is due to the slight possibility of tattooing. It is only some authorities who cautions against its use.

So, for me it will just be business as usual with GV.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yup I won't stop using it even for that reason


----------



## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

Something else that works wonders is Turmeric Powder mixed with a few drops of Olive Oil or Coconut oil and made into a paste and put on the wound.. It is also anti bacterial. I cut my finger to the bone with a rotary cutter and put the turmeric and coconut oil on every day, and in 4 days it was healed.... Another time, I was attempting to dehorn my little buckling. I did something wrong and his head kept bleeding. I put a half a canister of blood stop powder on him and it just kept bleeding. So I brought him in the house and mixed up the turmeric paste, kind of thick. put it on and it stopped bleeding and held him for about 10 minutes. Did not have any other issues. That side healed up twice as fast as the other side.


----------



## mommaB (Oct 1, 2009)

Iodine does NOT burn or destroy tissue. I think your thinking of hydrogen peroxide?


----------



## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

mommaB said:


> Iodine does NOT burn or destroy tissue. I think your thinking of hydrogen peroxide?


A lady I know was recently telling me that she had slopped iodine on herself, while trying to treat one of her animals for something...she finished the task at hand, so didn't immediately wash it off. She has what is equivalent to second degree burns from the iodine.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I've never had issues with iodine besides it turning my fingers yellow.

Maybe she mixed up her bottles with something else or she has some sort of allergy to iodine?


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

She personally may have a allergy to it like Stacey said. Iodine is safe and fine in most cases and should not have a reaction like that.


----------



## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

StaceyRoop said:


> I've never had issues with iodine besides it turning my fingers yellow.
> 
> Maybe she mixed up her bottles with something else or she has some sort of allergy to iodine?


It wouldn't completely surprise me if she did mix up her bottles. :roll:


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree..that Iodine is safe to use...I usually make it a light tea color when I use it...

It is the hydrogen peroxide... that shouldn't be use on deep wounds ...as it destroys living tissue....


----------



## mommaB (Oct 1, 2009)

> She personally may have a allergy to it


Your right she may have an allergy. But Iodine is what we use here in the doctors office to do proceedures and clean wounds before suturing. I know for a fact it does not burn your skin.


----------



## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

Yes Dr. offices regularly paint on iodine to clean up wounds and some people paint a spot on their arm to see how quickly it disappears to see if they are deficient. It is also a udder dip suggestion so I would guess that she mixed up her bottles. I have used gv on my own deeply cracked hands and feet and it never tattooed. I was curious to see if it would. Other natural options to stop bleeding that people may have around their house besides turmeric is cayenne pepper in a paste (it stings a bit), yarrow is another. There are a lot of herbal anti-bacterial options for wounds too.


----------

