Mud Fever - how on earth to get rid?!

If there is no improvement then check everything you feed for Lucerne (Alfalfa) products, if you find it included stop feeding it and ensure that you avoid feeding it. Legumes, which also include clover can cause photosensitisation which produces symptoms similar to Mud Fever.

She's only fed Fast Fibre (and hay and grass) - no alfalfa. If it was photosensitisation, surely it would have been present all summer? We don't get much sun where we are anyway ;)

Thanks for the note about the boots, I have been washing them every few days but will stop using them until I get this sorted.
 
That's interesting Auslander as I read I think its as on here that someone used their Arc Equine for a leg problem and the horses sarcoids all fell off.!!!

I've seen pics on their Facebook page of sarcoids that look like they're being ejected. Really strange!
He also had very old scar tissue on his elbows - the size and shape of Weetabix, which has reduced to about 1/3 of the size since I started using the Arc. Too many coincidences for me to remain cynical about the magic box!
 
Two years ago we had the most awful time with mud fever . . . we tried everything . . . wrapping/not wrapping, flammazine, Norodyne (twice), sudocrem, vaseline, Hypocare (I was desperate), Forever Living, doing nothing . . . nothing worked and he kept getting cellulitis. In the end, we kept him stabled on clean straw, left his legs completely alone, still worked/competed him but no turnout for FIVE weeks to keep his legs clean and dry. When even that didn't work, a course of Cobactan cleared it up in just TWO days.

I hate mud fever.

P
 
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Wow that is interesting, there certainly must be something in it. Do you think it boosts the immune system or is it just the blood supply boosted?
 
Wow that is interesting, there certainly must be something in it. Do you think it boosts the immune system or is it just the blood supply boosted?

I think you may be right about boosting the system. Often feeding a supplement with a higher level of Zinc and Copper will assist in preventing Mudfever.

I still swear by the Nizoral shampoo, usually find that the Mudfever is gone within a few days and following only a couple of washes. Then at the first sign of a new outbreak a quick spray with some already diluted stops Mudfever in its tracks.
First signs are hairs not lying flat, then the yellow lymph oozing through the skin.

There are various brands just look for the active ingredient, Ketaconizol.
 
She's only fed Fast Fibre (and hay and grass) - no alfalfa. If it was photosensitisation, surely it would have been present all summer? We don't get much sun where we are anyway ;)

Thanks for the note about the boots, I have been washing them every few days but will stop using them until I get this sorted.

Nope; ours kicked off with LV (photosensitivity) exactly this time of year 2 years ago. The triggering can happen earlier in the year with a gradual enlarging of the molecules under the white skin culminating in lesions like you describe. I'd look into it what with it being up the pastern; mudfever is usually lower. Ours almost turned into cellulitis and was very sore by the time we got a clear diagnosis.
 
My horse had a similar patch on his white socks when I bought him - looked like mudfever but almost too high up? As in none on heels or near hoof but on pastern/fetlock/cannon bone? Turns out his was a photosensitivity - however he has never had it since! It took ages to sort it - I used sudocrem, hibiscrub, MSM cream, zinc and castor, all to no avail and the constant fuss made his legs sore and he wouldn't let me touch them - in the end I just slathered some msm on and left it and ignored it and it just disappeared on it's own! I think there might have been a food related issue with my boy - since really getting on too of his diet he hasn't had any skin issues :)
 
Nope; ours kicked off with LV (photosensitivity) exactly this time of year 2 years ago. The triggering can happen earlier in the year with a gradual enlarging of the molecules under the white skin culminating in lesions like you describe. I'd look into it what with it being up the pastern; mudfever is usually lower. Ours almost turned into cellulitis and was very sore by the time we got a clear diagnosis.

Mudfever will travel around any area that is white - I think you may be thinking of greasy heel, which is the same thing, just localised in the heel area.

I've seen mudfever totally covering a white sock, to the knee - very painful for the horse but cleared up with one wash of Nizoral
 
Mudfever will travel around any area that is white - I think you may be thinking of greasy heel, which is the same thing, just localised in the heel area.

I've seen mudfever totally covering a white sock, to the knee - very painful for the horse but cleared up with one wash of Nizoral

Yes but in general mudfever tends to start lower down the leg and spread up. The OP seems to be describing a lone patch on the pastern rather than a larger area. Ours started out like a 5p coin size halfway up pastern and slowly got worse and worse as we were treating as mudfever when it wasn't. It is worth looking into as if it is photosensitivity slapping loads of mudfever lotions and potions on it will just irritate the skin further.
 
Mudfever is what it is. Chose a name that makes you happy. Ultimately it is Anaerobic bacteria getting hold where it gets a chance.

Photosensitivity is nothing to do with bacteria and the symptoms look very alike. It needs to be dealt with totally differently to mudfever or it won't clear up. A lot of people confuse the two.
 
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