Mud Fever and Cling film - what are the rules?

Ludi-doodi

Ludi-doodi

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I have a recollection of reading that wrapping up mud-fevered legs in clingfilm helps the scabs fall off (through heat/sweat presumably?). But have a few questions

1. Should the affected area be dry before the cling film goes on?
2. If not dry, will just water be OK, or should it be something 'medical' ie hibiscrub or msm creme for example?
3. How long should the cling film stay on?
4. Is it best to overwrap the cling film with vet wrap?

Thanks in advance for the guidance.
 
Yep, have used cling film with much success and was suggested by the vet so here goes..

Clean the affected area with warm water and Hibiscrub.
Pat dry with a clean towel.
Apply a thick layer of Dermisol cream or Sudocrem over the scabs.
Wrap with cling film, not too tight, then stable bangade over the top.
Leave horse in overnight and remove the 'dressing' in the morning.

I would then apply more Sudocrem before turnout and repeat the process for 3-4 days but if the scabs are very bad then the horse really needs to stay in full stop. The scabs should soften and fall off very quickly though leaving pink skin underneath, at this point warm saline is better for cleaning because it's kinder on the new skin.
 
Put sudocrem on dry legs, cover with cling film then gamgee and bandage overnight. You'll be amazed how well it works. Wash of with very warm water in the morn, towel dry and apply baby powder
 
My white/grey arab that i used to have was forever getting mud fever and I had a chat with my farrier one day and he said a good way to prevent it is udder cream , you cannot use too much and I have found that is a good way to prevent it.
I have heard of the cling film but never tried it so i can't help you on that one. sorry x
 
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Thanks for that, very helpful. But can you explain why the baby powder, what does it do?G

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Personally I wouldn't use baby powder or anything else not recommended by a vet, although Keratex powder is very good once the skin has fully healed and Dermagel is good on cracked skin.

As for uddercream, tried it once, filthy stuff. The greasy goo is hard to get off and just attracts loads of dirt. It also seems to suffocate the skin, not what you want in the long run as once the scabs are off the air needs to get to it.
 
I used to use udder cream on legs to stop them getting sore from an arena surface (the sand could rub the skin) and if you use little enough its fine!
 
But for mud fever we found some stuff called aromaheel. You just stick it on really thick, turn them out, dont wash dont do anything, hair growths back in a couple of weeks!
AMAZING STUFF!! and so much easier!!!
 
Please be careful when using clingfilm on horses legs. I once saw a horse whose owner had used it over animalintex. The clingfilm slipped/rolled up/tightened and made itself into a ligature which then cut through the skin like a bit of cheesewire. It had a deep wound virtually all round the pastern.
 
Out of interest, I have a friend (Cruiseline on here) who has bred for many years and has many top competition horses who was telling me the other day that they lard up their horses prior to winter's onset. They start in about October and do them all over (only the ones who are to live out unrugged get the full body works!) they also lard up the legs completely and have never had a problem with mud fever.

I am definitely going to do my horses legs this year. A lot of others have also now said, following this discussion, that they do it too. I had never heard of it before but not one of them has suffered with mud fever after doing it. Obviously don't do it until the weather is no longer hot lol
 
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