mud fever, healing?

U

UKa

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2004
Messages
958
Location
Herts
community.webshots.com
How can I tell if mud fever is actually healing? SOrry, stupid question maybe, been hearing so much conflicting advice how to treat it. Have washed off initially first few days and kept horse stabled so to dry out legs. She has been in for a week now and she has thick scabs all over the mud fevery bits. Is it now healing or starting all over again/ not been killed off? If anyone can answer this question like this...
 
Apply something like Sudocrem or petroleum jelly, then the following day just gently rub over the scabby area. If it is healing under the scabs they will come away, but don't pick, if they don't come away easily it means the skin isn't fully healed.
 
Oh, also just wondering at what point could I turn out again? Paddocks are pretty muddy at least in gateway areas so don't want to undo the work I have done with keeping her in. will apply barrier before turning out, but want to make sure all is gone before I turn out...
 
I got some fucudin H of the vet for mud fever, and it has been amazing, I can't believe how quickly it is healing (and he's still going out)
 
Another vote for Sudocreme, my lad got MF when I first had him, washed and dried his legs, smothered them in Sudocreme, then wrapped his legs in cling film to soften the scabs, kept him in overnight, removed scabs that had loosened, smothered his legs in Sudocreme again and turned him out, scabs came off over a few days and he's never had MF since, four years now
 
Sudacrem is good, you could always try Aromaheel. I use this and it works really well. To answer the infection question, if you get the scabs off and it's nice and pink underneath, that's a good sign. If there is still any yellowish gunge then you've still got a way to go.

I had recurrent mud fever on one horse and my vet recommended Sudacrem, covered in cotton wool, then cling film then Vetrap. Replace this every few days, wiping the soft scabs off each time you replace the dressing. Then, after a week or so, you should have nice pink skin which will dry properly. If you have any swelling, it's probably infected and you may need antibiotics.
 
If it is well on the way to healing and you have a good barrier grease over it, you can turn out but keep an eye on it. My two have been going out daily through a gateway with sloppy wet mud, and generally their mud fever has been improving - they are now left out as the field is drying out and I am hoping they won't feel the need to paddle through the muddiest part. Just cover well with Vaseline or similar, and especially the part under the heel which is most horses doesn't have much hair covering it.
jenni999 my vet said not to use antibacterial creams as he reckoned they destroyed skin cells - he recommended water with a little salt to clean it and then dry it well - there doesn't seem to be any consensus. I do use neem oil a lot though as that is antibacterial and antifungal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top