Mud fever.....am I doing things right?

[Summit]

I’ve been battling with mf for months now. As soon as I get one scab under control and clear, another appears. This is what I’m doing, is it right?

I apply flamazine to the scab then wrap in cling film and bandage the leg to keep it clean and dry. After a couple of days I take off the dressing overnight for the skin the air, add more flamazine then rebandage next day. This has worked but it’s a slow process. Im getting through heaps of cohesive bandage and I’m almost out of flamazine. I don’t use sudacream to soften scabs as I’d have to wash it off to get flamazine on, and I don’t want to wash his legs anymore than I have to.

is this system ok or should I try something else? Once the scabs are gone and the area is healed, I apply mud shield powder.

any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[FabioandFreddy]

Have you tried just using Sudocreme and leaving it on? That seems to work best on ours.

 

[MaxboleyBlack]

I used Leovet Silver ointment and it was cleared up in a few days, no new scabs have appeared and its been about 3/4weeks.

 

[9tails]

Everybody will have their own way of treating mud fever, it's a real PITA. At the beginning of the year, for the first time ever I had to call the vet out as mud fever had become infected and her leg ballooned. Massive injections, antibiotics, bute and a vet prescribed cream made it better but didn't clear it. Now I use aqueous cream, but don't rub it in. I really slather it on the area then add more each day, after a few days the scabs are loosened and they'll come off with a gentle rub that doesn't upset my horse. Then I add more to the clear area for a couple more days.

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

Everybody will have their own way of treating mud fever, it's a real PITA. At the beginning of the year, for the first time ever I had to call the vet out as mud fever had become infected and her leg ballooned. Massive injections, antibiotics, bute and a vet prescribed cream made it better but didn't clear it. Now I use aqueous cream, but don't rub it in. I really slather it on the area then add more each day, after a few days the scabs are loosened and they'll come off with a gentle rub that doesn't upset my horse. Then I add more to the clear area for a couple more days.

I've been battling it too since the summer on hinds, has virtually cleared on 1 leg, the other has erupted again, tried loads of stuff and the thing I found worked best was E45 cream not lotion. Have used it this time just seems to be taking a while. I was thinking of trying the aqueous cream so may give it a go after what you've said. Is it the one you can get in any chemist/supermarket or the one that is marketed for horses and of the same name ? they do washes and other products too.

Summit, I would only bandage overnight, vet recommended 2 creams and scabs should fall off overnight, may have been e45 and dermoline cream mixed together, I've not tried this yet mainly because I don't go up in the mornings, but may come to it.

Edited to add mine is 41 and has PPID so maybe something to get yours tested for if on going skin issues as its a symptom

 

[9tails]

I was thinking of trying the aqueous cream so may give it a go after what you've said. Is it the one you can get in any chemist/supermarket or the one that is marketed for horses and of the same name ? they do washes and other products too.

The cheapest you can find, Superdrug own brand, Tesco own brand. You'll use a lot, so you don't need to go to town on labelled stuff.

 

[Follysmum]

Heel to hoof is fantastic
Slap it on and gently massage in

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

Great thanks

 

[Summit]

Thanks for the responses, a couple of things I can try. I have tried Heel to Hoof but it didn’t work, Smells nice though

 

[Summit]

The cheapest you can find, Superdrug own brand, Tesco own brand. You'll use a lot, so you don't need to go to town on labelled stuff.

you can get large tubs for a £1 in some shops

 

[Carrottom]

I find I use different products on different horses. The powder isn't always effective on one of mine, I find a thick barrier cream better for him (Nettex muddy marvel seems to be good on him). I slather it on and turn him out. It is rather messy if you need to clean the leg though.

 

[redapple]

Are you sure its mud fever and not mites if it keeps reoccuring and not going away? Both are a PITA but at least you can treat effectively.

 

[Landcruiser]

Best treatment I have found is cheap un perfumed baby oil eg Superdrug own brand, and Flowers of Sulphur, shaken together. Slather it on every couple of days to clear, and weekly to keep clear. Flowers of Sulphur (a yellow powder) can be bought online, here for example:

http://www.naturalhorsesupplies.co.uk/Flowers+of+sulphur+450g++£5.99+PWd6TXdBRE14b0RkalZIWnZKSGM

This simple treatment cleared a really nasty case in my non cooperative horse, who had already had a bad reaction to Flamazine, and ended up with an infection and antibiotics. It's gentle and doesn't involve picking off scabs, they just slough off and leave new skin underneath.

 

[SEL]

Both my horses have needed antibiotics for it this winter. First time for both and I'm still struggling with my draft.

I couldn't get near the mare's back legs when they were sore and was pointed in the direction of a powder I could apply from Keratex. Puffed on from a safe distance and really worked.

 

[Goldenstar]

Flammazine is a good drug but it’s hard on the skin .
i would use a udder cream ( not not one of the mint ones ) for getting rid of scabs
really persistent mud fever needs oral medication .
I have had one on a months antibiotics with two courses of steroids this winter .

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

Both my horses have needed antibiotics for it this winter. First time for both and I'm still struggling with my draft.

I couldn't get near the mare's back legs when they were sore and was pointed in the direction of a powder I could apply from Keratex. Puffed on from a safe distance and really worked.

Did it work to treat it or to prevent it ?

 

[SEL]

Did it work to treat it or to prevent it ?

I guess a preventative - but she was on antibiotics at the same time and the combination of both cleared it up pretty quickly.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

You can get cohesive bandages really cheaply at Wilko's and Poundland. They are not as long as normal vet wrap type but much, much cheaper and sufficient for what you want to do.

On the very rare occasions my horse has had this I just pick the scabs off gently with warm water and hibiscrub, hose them well to remove all trace of hibiscrub, dry with a towel and then dab dry with a paper hand towel and apply either sudocreme or a mud fever ointment from the vet.

I've had to leave her back Bioflow boots off overnight as she got a heat rash similiar to mud fever where the hair was matted and mud fever like, presume its some sort of bacterial leg infection. Picked off scabs to allow air and covered after a couple of hours with mud fever steroid ointment. Did that for two days and they are back to normal more or less.

 

[Goldenstar]

How is it going OP ?
any improvement ?

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

My horse's has virtually gone on 1 leg and still a bit on the other leg, stubborn bits in the heals, out of all the things I tried I think Vaseline was the best

 

[CrimsonDivine]

Both my horses have needed antibiotics for it this winter. First time for both and I'm still struggling with my draft.

I couldn't get near the mare's back legs when they were sore and was pointed in the direction of a powder I could apply from Keratex. Puffed on from a safe distance and really worked.

So... a bit like Pig oil? haha! Actually that's not a bad idea, might give that a try myself sometime.