Mud fever- help!

[floradora09]

OK, so I've only ever had hardy little ponies and I now have a TB with two white socks behind. He's supposedly living out this winter, but today when I was hosing his legs off before a comp I discovered he's got mud fever! I felt awful, I hadn't known what to look out for so he's probably had it for a couple of weeks now. There's a small patch on one pastern, and a bigish patch on the other. Have Hibiscrubbed, removed what scabs I can (although didn't want to remove too many as would make him very sore), and plastered in Sudocrem. He's in tonight and I will review tomorrow! What can I do to aid healing, and prevent happening again? If possible he needs to live out, but I can see that he might have to come in for a while if we can't keep on top of it. Do those close contact turnout chaps work? Barrier cream? Keratex? Pastern wraps (maybe underneath the close contact chaps!?). Is it possible for a horse prone to mud fever to live out? Any help greatly appreciated as this is a new area for me!!

xxx

 

[Lollii]

Having lived with a horse with mud fever for the last 5 or 6 years it's a nightmare!

If your horse lives out I would say keep him out of the wet as much as possible, dry the legs when you can and only then put the barrier cream on (I use baby oil as much as possible) never put it on when the legs are wet, it traps the damp ... good luck, it will be better in the summer x

 

[charmeroo]

I would certainly keep him in for a couple of days and gradually ease off the scabs as that's where the bacteria are lurking! Once all the scabs are off, I would Hibiscrub every day and possibly put wound powder on the sore/oozing skin. I wouldn't turn out again until it has healed up and when you do you may well find that a good barrier cream will keep it at bay and protect the vunerable skin. Not sure whether the wraps etc work. I would be concerned that they might rub if worn all the time as dirt etc might get underneath. Might be a case of trial and error and a lot of vigilance! Good Luck!

 

[Rueysmum]

I have a chestnut TB - no white legs, but by January he usually has mud fever on his pasterns and heels. A couple of years ago I was using Protocon, but found that it was just making matters worse, it seemed to make him sore and the affected area was spreading.

Last year I would rinse the area very gently with diluted Hibiscrub every once in a while and apply Sudocrem every day (evening, once hosed off). He is out in the day in a sadly very muddy field in places and in at night, but his legs are always hosed and dried off and then the cream applied in the evenings.

This regime seems to work for him, but sadly, we can't eradicate the mudfever completely during the depths of winter.

 

[Tilda]

You need to get rid of the infection before you put sudocrem on because it prevents the infection getting out just as it prevents it getting in. I would suggest keeping him out of the mud until you have new pink skin coming through then sudocrem and don't wash off unless you are able to let them totally dry.

My mare got it last year in her one white foot (annoying as my previous horse had it in all 4 legs the first winter I had him and never got it again despite living out as once I knew he was prone to it I was able to manage it)and unfortunately I put sudocrem on too early which actually made the infection worse so she had anit- biotics and flamazine and then magic cream that the vets make themselves which is like vaseline with antibiotic cream in.

 

[floradora09]

Ah right thank you! Will take him out for a plod along the roads today (avoiding muddy tracks!!) and when I get back will Hibiscrub and try to remove more of the scabs... I'll keep him in until it's cleared up, as I reckon if I turn him back out before it will only make everything worse! Tilda, thanks for that- will be a bit careful with the sudocrem! Sounds like it might be possible for him to live out with good management and a very vigilant eye!

I'm wondering (once I've cleared this bout up) if I should try a very good barrier cream, with close contact chaps on top... might be worth a shot! Thanks everyone, very helpful o have some advice I know very little about mudfever! xxxx

 

[ravingrider]

Is This Similer to mud fever?

When I ride my pony in the school his heals start to go pink then they bleed.

People have watched me ride him and said he's not overeaching what is it :/

Alsoo I need to know a way of hardening his heels up

If you horsee had jagerd rings round his hoof probley laminitas :/

 

[tallyho!]

Homeopathy helped my horse but it is a 'marmite' solution some people think it's b******** but I think it's flipping amazing. I also tried every route including steroids from vets which made him ill before looking into other stuff - worth a look.

 

[milesjess]

I hate the mud! Mine has one white sock and seems to get scabby on that. Discovered a small open scab today. I've just washed it down and will be putting cream on it later. Then the same again until it clears up.

Does anyone reccomend turnout boots? I'm not sure whether to invest in a pair if they are worth buying?

 

[Dancing Queen]

i swear by stockholm tar.

 

[Tnavas]

PLease don't pick the scabs off - this breaks the skin and risks introducing the bacteria that makes it so bad.

From the chemist buy a bottle of Nizeral - a human anti dandruff shampoo containing Ketaconizol, it works brilliently on mud fever and works rapidly too.

Dilute with hand hot water and lather up well over the affected area and also the surrounding area too. Leave to dry. If you use a facecloth to lather up the shampoo the rough texture will gently remove any loose scabs. Repeat daily until all the scabs have gone and no more damaged areas appear.

 

[Dolcé]

Haven't tried this but saw it on AL the other night, apparently athletes foot treatment is supposed to be brilliant and just clears it in no time with no messing, have a look on here -

http://www.arabianlines.com/forum1/topic_new.asp?TOPIC_ID=43983

may be worth a go, I intend trying if needed.

 

[Honey08]

We have one that gets it rally badly. We've tired everything at some point or another! The vet says he is "just one of those wussy types that may have to live in through the worst weather!".

Muddy marvel descab is great at gently removing the scabs bit by bit. Then ver diluted hibiscrub. The main weapon is to DRY the area as much as you can - even when the leg is clean - we use blue roll tissue for it.

We have found the derby house turnout socks to be a godsend. They also seem to sweat some of the scabs off at the same time, which is a bonus! I only ever put them on for half a day at a time - wouldn't really like them on 24/7. Would also reccommend having two pairs, so you can rinse off mud and scabs, and allow them to dry, while using second pair.

I've often wondered about using stockholm tar on the legs in winter to prevent it, however ours come in at night, so bedding would stick to it! The best barrier cream I've used was the muddy marvel one -which was thicker than other ones, and lasted longer.

Good luck - its a pain in the .....

 

[tallyho!]

Haven't tried this but saw it on AL the other night, apparently athletes foot treatment is supposed to be brilliant and just clears it in no time with no messing, have a look on here -

http://www.arabianlines.com/forum1/topic_new.asp?TOPIC_ID=43983

may be worth a go, I intend trying if needed.

Been there too it will go away and come right back. You have to treat internal cause of weak skin.

 

[gingerarab]

Get yourself some camerosa ointment !! its fantastic and it works really quickly, once its under control, it really stops it from re-occuring. You can order online or over the phone and they really are very helpful.

 

[GeorgieLee]

I had problems as my welshie has 4 white legs! I use Equine America fungatrol cream its great and they do a shampoo to, its £16 for a big tub and you can get it in most tack shops, so not expensive and its really waxy so acts as a waterproof barrier to, my boy lives out and it cleared his up in a week, I now put it on once a week and its not come back yet x

 

[Dolcé]

Been there too it will go away and come right back. You have to treat internal cause of weak skin.

Ah, not so good then, although I supposed if you could shift it you could then start using the pig oil and sulphur or other things to try and keep it at bay.