Mud Fever in a horse that lives out.....

[Lexie81]

How do you manage?

Discovered yesterday that my wb mare has mudfever around her heels and fetlocks. Scabs have come off and skin is very pink and sore looking. She is obviously uncomfortable as she keeps lifting her hind legs but so far (touch wood) has been an angel to treat. Hibiscrubbed with warm water yesterday and today, and have applied a lot of udder cream.

She can't be stabled as she panics and will not settle. Last time she broke the door frame and took the door out to get out of the stable so this isn't really an option. Her field is very muddy in the gateway which I am going to fence off in the day light tomorrow, but she likes to stand by the gate and watch the horses in the field opposite (funny mare!) So I expect she will break or jump the fencing I put up.

Really worried it won't heal. Should I wash it daily or avoid doing this? When our pony had this the vet came as he was quite lame, he advised to weak hibiscrub daily but that was in summer and due to dewy grass so quite different. Can anyone offer and advice or tips? Anyone tried Keratex mud shield powder?
Thanks

 

[Izzwizz]

I have this problem with my grey mare. Hers seemed to have cleared up but what I didnt realise was it had travellen up her legs, below hocks/knees. I clipped her legs off and Hibiscrubbed initially. Dried her legs off with clean towels and she had Flamazine on the sore bits. These have calmed down now and she has the Keratex mud shield powder on now, even in the snow, as the wet conditions can make her legs chapped. I don't wash daily as it can upset the skins natural oils/skin cells. She has some bald patches but the hair is growing back now in others areas where she was bald. She's not been lame with it but it does look a little unsightly. Its her first winter out so all new. I bring her in most days for a few hours and the girls have a field shelter where their haynets are tied so they are off the field. Its just a constant battle to stay on top of it.

The Keratex powder does seem to be helping and i like it as its a dry product to put on her legs rather than anything that may keep the bacteria in. I wash her legs off once a week and last time used Tea Tree shampoo as is supposed to be quite gentle and less harsh that Hibiscrub. It does say its to help prevent fungal infections too.

 

[Petalpoos]

I have recently had great success with Muddy Buddy - started off with the Mud Kure Kream until the mudfever had all gone and have been putting their barrier cream on since then with no sign of recurrence. No need to Hibiscrub and pick all the scabs off etc. However....I was fortunate enough to have a dry paddock to keep her in until the mud fever had all gone so not sure how successful it would be if you had to keep the horse out all the time. Good luck.

 

[Chellery1]

My TB got mud fever when we had the really wet/warm weather over Xmas. He came in and I noticed he had started it on his back heels so I coated in sudo cream. The sudo cream didn't really do anything to help so I was recommended fungatrol! Within a few days my poor boy has swollen legs and hot feet. I kept him in for a few days which didnt help the swelling but i thought it best....and coated them in the fungatrol....no washing,scrubbing or picking off scabs etc. within 4-5 days the scabs flaked off to reveal new skin. .

Unfortunately when grooming him today I felt he was abit crusty under one armpit so it looks like its travelled! Horrid mud fever. I've coated his pit in the fungatrol so fingers crossed when the ice melts and he goes out he's be ok.

I've bought some pig oil and sulpha?? Can I only put this on clear legs?? Or can I put it on and still use the fungatrol if he still has abit of mud fever?

 

[Izzwizz]

Pig oil and sulphur is good stuff but be careful it doesn't "burn" the skin, the sulphur can do that and its best to do a patch test. The new skin may be quite sensitive. Baby oil is good but to be honest, as I said in my earlier post, the Keratex Mud Shield seems quite kind to skin and does provide a waterproof layer.

 

[Trishh]

Try this -it's worked on all of mine!

Because there's infection already there, you need to rub some antibiotic cream in first (fucidin - you can get it from the chemist for skin infections). Next, rub in a generous amount of sudocrem which has been mixed with flower of sulphur. Choose a field as mud free as possible! Re-apply every 2-3days until it improves, when better just apply the sudocrem/ flower of sulphur every week. All my horses now live out with no mud fever.