Mud fever in Summer??

[wiglet]

Not sure how this has happened - yard is on sandy soil - no mud in winter and its bone dry at the moment.

Anyway, my mare has a bit of mud fever on her back leg - she has pink skin 😕. Last time I dealt with mud fever - years and years ago - I was told to pick the scabs off and keep the area dry. What's the latest on dealing with it? Can anyone recommend any lotions and potions?

Thank you 😊

 

[eggs]

Is the grass long in your mare's field. I've found that the dew on the grass gave one of my horses mud fever on his white sock.

If it isn't bad I've found Aromaheel to be very good. Slap it on over the scabs for a few days and then they just slide off.

 

[swilliam]

It could be some kind of sunburn that's got infected. I called the vet to a pink-skinned pony with apparent mud fever some years ago, and it was sunburn that had gone'funny'.

 

[Haz:)]

My pony got it after a hack through muddy fields on his white socks. I hibiscrubbed them (removing scabs in the process) and then put wound powder on. When the forecast was wet-ish, I'd pop an uncomplicated vetwrap bandage over (obviously with a bit of padding and dressing on) to keep it dry. If it was going to be super wet he'd get brought in.

When my TB got it a few weeks ago (very mild bit on his front Pastern) I just wetted them with salt water which did remove some scabs and then applied wound powder on top, it had cleared up within a few days as I caught it early.

Wound powder I think is great as it dries out the area really well.

This is just how I deal with it though, seems to work so I'm happy. It's quite common so I think there are many ways to deal with it, just go with a method that suits you. Keeping it dry though can't hurt though.

 

[soloequestrian]

Check out the threads on leukocytoclastic vasculitis - an autoimmune condition caused by trigger factor (e.g. buttercups) + exposure to UV light. Might be worth covering the affected areas as a precaution.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Check out the threads on leukocytoclastic vasculitis - an autoimmune condition caused by trigger factor (e.g. buttercups) + exposure to UV light. Might be worth covering the affected areas as a precaution.

It won't be mud fever. It will be LV and if not seen to aggressively and quickly you will be well on the way to a big problem.

 

[spacefaer]

I had a coloured boy who got a mud fever type rash every summer and I put it down to summer dew.

Turned out he had chronic liver failure from ragwort poisoning (from how he was kept in the years before we had him) and one of the symptoms was the photosensitivity that appeared to be mud rash.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It won't be mud fever. It will be LV and if not seen to aggressively and quickly you will be well on the way to a big problem.

Was going to suggest the very same.
I thought mine was mud fever also at first and tried to treat it as such. I only succeeded in making it worse

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had a coloured boy who got a mud fever type rash every summer and I put it down to summer dew.

Turned out he had chronic liver failure from ragwort poisoning (from how he was kept in the years before we had him) and one of the symptoms was the photosensitivity that appeared to be mud rash.

Sorry to hijack. How do you know if a horse have liver failure? What test would I ask for or symptoms might I see?

 

[wiglet]

Thanks for the replies. I'd never even heard of LV but after researching on this forum and googling, it would seem a safe bet that this is the condition. I have called my vet and she is coming out on Thursday. Fortunately, it doesn't look too serious atm - it's just a few scabs (3-4) on one heel, but I'd rather the vet take a look just to be on the safe side. Some of the images I have seen look terrible.

I imagine I will need some UV wraps or boots - almost certain the sun/uv light has done this - grass in field isn't very long, no clover and she's stabled overnight so the dew has gone by the time she is turned out. Anyone have any recommendations for the wraps/boots?

Thanks

 

[milliepops]

wait and see what your vet says before you start shelling out for stuff. They can get mud fever at any time of year, it's a skin infection not necessarily caused by wet mud. Mine got a bad case of it a few years ago one summer, just bad luck - perhaps she'd scraped her skin on something allowing the infection to take hold.

FWIW I prefer povidone-iodine to hibiscrub for cleaning as it's less drying IMO, tend to use basic sudocreme on mild cases and have had excellent results with flamazine (from your vet) for bad mud fever.

 

[ITPersonnage]

I wouldn't wait & see, check out this http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...-equine-project-horse&p=13314324#post13314324, hope AdorableAlice (and she IS adorable) doesn't mind but her picture shows a DIY UV block. No need to shell out but every need to stop this getting worse.

 

[milliepops]

I didn't mean to suggest the OP should do *nothing* but she did say it's 3-4 scabs on one heel, so I wouldn't be panicking until I either knew what I was dealing with, or had reason to believe it was getting worse. Common things are common & all that.

 

[tallyho!]

Some great responses here but I also want to add to the bit about liver... not just poisoning but a sluggish liver and kidneys can lead to funny skin problems... it may be a number of things to consider.

I know it's been mentioned by other before over the years, but over-supplementation can be a real problem for some horses. Not that I'm I'm saying you do that OP, just a general comment.

 

[wiglet]

HaHa! Love Adorable Alice's DIY UV block!
I'm not panicking yet and I won't be buying anything until the vet has advised - just wanted to know about the wraps etc so I can be ready if I need to purchase.
She's not over supplemented - just on chaff and feed balancer.

 

[rebmw]

My horse has had mud fever in the summer. Heavy dew and warm temperatures trigger it worse than actual mud does. My vet said it causes more mud fever than people realise as it's the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow. I always used to hibiscrub and pick scabs, until someone recommended flower of sulphur mixed with udder cream applied directly to the scabs once a day. It was amazing, no need to wash, and cleared it within days. I'm a total convert! Bizarrely, he has never suffered with it again for 5 years now and he previously used to get mud fever most years.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I've today taken delivery of a set of Silver Whinneys!!
Rambo boots are cr@@ the shires ones are pretty good but break easily.
The Silver Whinneys I'm actually sadly excited about ��
They have no fastenings to break firstly. They fit amazingly and apparently have silver in so aid healing. I've put them straight on!! They could make my whole life better ��

 

[AdorableAlice]

I wouldn't wait & see, check out this http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...-equine-project-horse&p=13314324#post13314324, hope AdorableAlice (and she IS adorable) doesn't mind but her picture shows a DIY UV block. No need to shell out but every need to stop this getting worse.

I have never been called adorable !

Here is my lad taken tonight and this is much improved. Six weeks of solid twice daily antibiotics and flamazine plus the linen curtains.

It is easy to see why many would think mud fever, it is far worse than mud fever and has given me sleepless nights and much anxiety. It could explode again if I get the care wrong. Hope the pictures help you op.

 

[whizzer]

My mare has just been diagnosed with LV. I've tried the shires boots but they didn't fit low enough & didn't cover her heels,over reach boots behind to try & cover the heels were not tolerated by her! The shires boots fit quite tightly & unfortunately then rubbed a patch on her leg after 1 night of use & made the area 3 X the size it was! I then got the cashel boots which are a great fit but I was still worried about rubbing as by this point she had new patches in both heels plus the old chronic patch that was made very sore by the shires boot,I think for her the boots may just be better for prevention in future if I get on top of it. She had chronic patches as I've not had her long & suspect previous owners had no idea that she had it & there was several very thickly,scabbed old areas. I ended up keeping her in out of the sun & turning out at night. She's now gone away to be backed & they're also only turning her out at night. I read good stuff about the equilibrium sun chaps,not made anymore, & have tracked some down,by which point she'd gone to other yard so I'll have to wait to try those!

 

[Greenwell]

Replying to poiuytrewq:

Blood test confirmed my horse had liver disease (LV and not good at keeping on weight were first signs), biopsy followed and told us the extent of damage.