Mud fever. At my last tether. Please help.

L&B

L&B

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Can anyone help with a mudfever issue? I'm at the end of my tether. Bought a little 6mo filly who is sabino so pink skinned. Came with mud fever. Had a spell of 3wks indoors to clear it used hibiscrub to clear mud, then fungatrol. Finally cleared and had lovely pink skin underneath. Put some pig oil on her to turn her out as you can imagine a 6mo indoors for 3weeks was wild. She's been out a week again. Brought in of an eve, mud brushed off when dry. She's now got mud fever again!!! I'm at such a huge loss and got no idea what to do next or what I'm doing wrong. She is sore with it and upset about me touching her... :( I really want to avoid leaving her in... Any ideas?
 
Have you asked your vet? I had one with a dermatitis type condition on his legs which resisted all the usual attempts to clear it up. Vet supplied a prescription cream and it went within days.
 
My old boy had a bout of mud fever and I used a product called Aromaheel by a company called Aromesse (think that's how it's spelt) and it was marvellous. A little messy as it is very thick but cleared it up quickly. I've since used it to plug a hoof abscess hole and various scratches! And as an added bonus, I love the smell of it ��. A little goes a long way so it's good value too.
 
The fact that you put pig oil on is ringing huge alarm bells...some horses, especially those with pink skin, can have nasty reactions to it and I wonder if this is what your filly has had and what is causing you problems. My own mare had a reaction to pig oil and sulphur and it looked very much like mud rash - the vet thought that her skin had probably reacted to the pig oil and sulphur and become cracked, allowing bacteria in which in turn led to mud rash. So the oil was actually causing her mud rash, if that makes sense? I'd always advise someone who is struggling with persistent mud fever while using pig oil/ pig oil and sulphur to stop using it for a bit and see if it helps! I don't know if you're using it with sulphur and I don't know if it was the sulphur or the oil itself that my mare reacted to, but it's definitely worth a try in your case, I'd say. My mare had a short course of antibiotics from the vet and a cream that only lasted three days as the tube was so small, and then I pretty much left her alone. Her mud rash healed up on it's own despite her living out all winter and I didn't put anything else on her and her legs are fine now.
 
I would feed micronised linseed, and some minerals as preferred by barefooters: forageplus or progressive earth.
I would not use hibiscrub as it kills all skin bacteria, good and bad, that and washing with a cold hose every day are not going to help..
I would try keratex powder to prevent moisture getting in, but use cream if disease is already established,
Wash the skin if essential with a mild shampoo, wash off then dry with clean dry towels, then bandage to dry properly.
I am not impressed by the vet, but what more can one say.
There are boots which are designed for this, I have used them with the powder when my turnout was pure mud, but I used to stable overnight if the legs were warm.
http://www.moodymares.com/shop/horse/boots-bandages/wraps-chaps/Mud-Socks-detail
 
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I tried aromaheel and it didn't work for me but they are good company to deal with and will refund you if it doesn't work (remember to keep the pots). My horse had mud fever for months his heels were a mass of weeping wet sores and I too was tearing my hair out spent hundreds on potions supplements vets visits etc so I understand your upset.
The only thing that worked for me was keratex mud guard powder. I would turn out in the day and at night bring in rinse the excess mud off, dry with a towel and kitchen roll and then put on the powder it just dried the scabs up and they came off naturally. I never thought it would work.
I also feed micronised linseed and forage plus.
 
There is a new product from Lincoln called Mud Kure which comes in both cream and powder. Apparently they have identified the mud fever bacterium and targeted this tuff at it. and it also ocntains silver particules which are antibacterial. I've just bought some and at £20 I think it'll be a bargain if it works.
 
I have a mare with 4 white legs who is very prone to mud fever. This year she has moved to a retirement livery yard and they feed mud fever prone horses Naf Mudguard
 
Sorry that entered before I'd finished! Anyway she has been on this supplement since she has been there and is turned out 24/7 and has absolutely none! The only horses there that have had mud fever haven't been on the supplement so there's a lot to be said for it. I have also found over many years of trying that the more I can leave it alone the better it gets. Lots of washing strips the skin of its natural oils and seems to make it more prone- I have learnt to leave well alone and brush off mud when legs are dry to inspect nothing too drastic is going on :-)
 
Hi i have a grey Connie who has suffered from mud fever a few times, i swear by heel to hoof and or sudo creme! i wash every few days and dry thouroughly then put thick layer of sud creme or heel to hoof on and keep doing it, dont wash too often and make sure they are properly dried.
 
Mud gard, turnout boots and equimed ag boots overnight cleared up mine. And it was pretty horrendous.
 
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