I just can't get enough of this wonderful stuff and i have been thinking about making it up myself, the key ingredients seem extremely difficult to obtain however. I went to the Pharmacy recently with a pot of Thornit and the Chemist was so helpful, he went through all the lists of formula's he can make up for me but he can not get Idoform or Zinc Oxide in a powder.

After a veeeeeerrry long session on Google i am reaching the conclusion that you just can't get these ingredients. Does anyone have any idea if you can get them seperately to mix up, or is it not possible?

I would love to be able to make my own powder up for my dogs but it looks like i will not be able to. I don't have a problem just buying it already mixed by the way, it's just out of interest that i was thinking i could perhaps make my own.

found this any good ? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ZINC-OXIDE,-POWDER,-DENTAL-SUPPLIES-or-COSMETIC-USE_W0QQitemZ140352447473QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=e997e8a61240a0e201b17891ffc9d06b

zinc oxide powder isn't the problem - it's the iodoform powder - when I investigated making up my own every chemist I tried drew a blank - they couldn't even get it for themselves !    (I never tried ebay tho)

I prefer Dezynadog Gold dust - it's pretty much the same, but comes in slightly larger amount for a similar price and the bottle has a 'shaker' top - although I usually decant it into a salt cellar

That is exactly the problem i had Dill, it is not the Zinc or the Boric that is hard to get  but the Idoform, and that is the most important key ingredient.  The Pharmacist tried very hard to help me but the Idoform he had never even seen in powder form in all his years as a Chemist. He has only ever seen it as a liquid. It does seem odd how little info you can find about it on the Internet.

It is not that expensive so why go through the bother of getting all the ingredients ?

.....erm... so that i can make it myself?

this place seems to supply it

Iodoform is classed as a Hazardous chemical, as such I doubt any pharmacist would supply it to a member of the public.

safety data from Loveridge here http://www.jmloveridge.com/cosh/Iodoform.pdf

Well that flies in the face of everything we are told about Thornit. Hazardous to skin, yet we touch it ourselves as well as putting it on our dogs skin. More importantly if no pharmacist would supply it to the public, then how is it made in the first place? Isn't Miss Betts a member of the public?

I suppose it depneds on the quantity and also what else it is mixed with that determines it affects on the skin. That is why I wouldn't want to make it myself unless I was trained pharmacist

> I suppose it depneds on the quantity

exactly what i was going to say, anything in quantity, particularly in powder form can be dangerous when inhaled. Don't think I would want to try making my own for use on any animal if I wasn't sure about what I was doing and why

Yet you'd gladly buy it online from someone who is not a trained Chemist. What's the difference? The recipe for the formula is readily available & quite simple. It's not rocket science.

Well no because I don't buy it (bought once about 4 years ago but it didn't help my dog), but nor would I particularly want to have the chemicals in my home. Horses for courses - I don't bake either

Flyball,

I have to say I'm surprised at some of the comments you've recieved! Putting it in context, much worse to have a can of Mr.Muscle in the house really
(Of course I'm not saying that any posters have Mr.Muscle.. we of course are all paradigms of perfection.. but many household do its a brand leader.)

Of the many people I know here (and abroad) that make their own versions of thornit, the main reason seems to be so they can avoid the 'talc' content, so it's not quite as simple as 'why do it when you can buy it cheaper'. Tis method in the 'madness'.

Flyball, if you send a PM to Member 'Tohme' I'm sure either makes it herself or has someone who makes it and I'm sure she'll be able to advise as she knows her onions on this.

HTH
    

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I shall pm the person you suggest, HuskyGal. I do understand that Thornit is something of a Holy Grail and as said previously I am happy to buy it but i just figured why pay someone else to just mix up a couple of base ingredients if it is so simple to make myself?

T'is a little odd that the key ingredient is so difficult to obtain but obviously not impossible if it is being mixed up by someone else to sell in the first place. I don't intend to open a stall at Crufts by the way, it is purely my owm personal interest that has lead me to look into the possibility of making my own.

Thanks everyone for your thought anyway. Again i reiterate i have no problem with just buying it, just a personal interest in making my own if it can be done.

http://www.capitolscientific.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=JTB-2220-04 Did find it on this american site but seemed expensive $116.00 for 125 g if I have understood it right.

As you say the recipe is readily available without the talc just not this ingredient !

Oh blimey. I will need a mortgage to afford that. loll I am wondering if i am missing something really because it does seeom odd how hard it is to obtain the raw ingredients.

It's just that it's main use was Antiseptic and there are better, odorless (*shudder* the smell reminds me of dentists) and new generation antiseptics that are water soluble  etc..

Hello,
I am a chemistry teacher, I have worked as a chemist for many years in industry and can help you understand the misunderstandings about Iodoform.  The formula to make Iodoform is no secret, "Holy Grail!"
Iodoform is often made in high school general chemistry labs.  It requires Potassium Iodide, Acetone, sodium hydroxide (lye) solution and water.  it is rather simple to make if you have the chemicals.  Iodoform has been used for ages as an early antiseptic before antibiotics.  The reason it is in Thornit powder is to take care of bacterial infections that may exist deep in the ear.  Iodoform does release toxic Iodine fumes over time and needs to be stored in a tight container. This is no different from using iodine solutions on cuts and wounds.  I have purchased a bottle of Thornit powder from England myself and I keep the bottle in a ziploc bag.  You really do not want to have a large quantity of Iodoform around to store.  The fumes escape, giving off the "Doctor's office smell!"

Unless you have a lab I would look for a retail store for some of the dog ear powders sold called PETGOLD. 
The one I have used contains about 5 percent iodoform and would be comparable.   The remaining Thornit ingredients are Boric acid which acts as an acidifying agent and would kill mites, Zinc oxide(which you can find on the web at soap making sites) is a drying agent and the talc is an inert carrier.  One last thing is that iodoform is very yellow.  The thornit powder is almost white.  This leads me to believe that there is not much iodoform in it.  The Petgold is somewhere in between.  You might want to use that as your concentrate source and add the other ingredients.  I think you will be happy with the results.
If you have any questions please feel free to post.
Best wishes for you and your animals!