Mud Fever Issues - Advice needed

[Nik90]

All the wet weather we’ve had lately has caused another mud fever flair up in my gelding. It’s a nightmare as he gets it from the rain, fields are not muddy & drain well. I can heal it up if I can get it dry, but short of stabling him every time it rains, which would be very unfair, it will continue to be an issue. He gets vet treatment for it when needed & is fed micronized linseed & brewer’s yeast which seems to help the skin on the rest of his body. The only thing I can do to prevent it is to try & stop them getting wet. I have tried pig oil & sulphur & didn’t get very far, he is unbelievably good at wiping things off. I’ve looked at the turn out chaps but there are two problems so far
1. They don’t keep the leg dry so surely make the mud fever worse?
2. His legs are too big!

He is too large for the equilibrium boots & the thermatex. However, the large Eskadron wraps for under bandages do fit. I was thinking of using the Golly Galoshes with Eskadron stable wraps underneath for turnout, any thoughts on this idea? I have the Eskadron bandages but I would prefer something quicker to put on, though I would use exercise bandages underneath if I was using the Golly Galoshes for hacking. I will use the bandages if needed, it would just be a lot easier if I wasn’t having to bandage all of his legs before work & the stable wraps have Velcro to hold them in place.
Just to add, his turnout is 10-12 hours & they would come off at night & only be used when raining/sleet/snow. I’m really getting fed up of the never ending battle & the grumpy horse as he is sore.

Any thoughts or other suggestions would be really appreciated

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Keratex powder is good, just rub it in like talc and it waterproofs, of course they need to be dry-ish but you can do this with bandages. I would avoid washing esp with Hibiscrub or anything which kills skin bacteria, though if you need to a lot of people Nizoral - [ human shampoo] but you need to keep the good bacteria on the skin.
I brought my boy in without hosing .

 

[Micropony]

I have always found the Equilibrium close contact chaps to be pretty darn waterproof as long as you put them on really snugly. A tiny bit of mud/wet makes it to the bottom cm or so of the coronet band but the rest of the leg that's covered stays dry. But our problem is with deep mud rather than being out for hours in driving rain.
Equilibrium XL is really big! It was one of the few brands big enough for my heavy 17.1 WB's hinds. They are pretty pricey though, especially as I want multiple sets so horse can always have a clean dry pair to wear. Anything else just makes things worse rather than better. There are lots of cheaper alternatives that IME do the job just as well but don't know whether Castle etc do such a big size. I used to find woof wear and le mieux came up big enough, premier equine for one never did.
And am also a big fan of the Keratex powder underneath.
I have never needed to go to this extreme, but I would think powder + turnout socks + galoshes is about as good as you can get, especially if you can make sure horse has enough time out of the wet between turnout for legs to dry really thoroughly.
It's a miserable condition, hope you're able to find a solution that works for your horse x

 

[Nik90]

Thank you for the replies. The keratex is a good idea, any thoughts on how it stands up to heavy rain or how well it works on very dense, very hairy legs? I find other products very difficult to get on to the skin even when clipped. I don't wash his legs with anything as he won't let me, breaks free of the tie up & hides in his stable! I've discovered after the scabs fall off if I just clean the affected areas the once with hibiscrub soaked cotton wool & apply udder cream it's tolerated & seems to work. I looked at the equilibrium magnetic chaps, stable chaps & close contact turn out ones, I don't mind the price so long as it helps, but when I measured him his back legs were bigger than their biggest size. I followed their instructions for measuring & I had someone check I was doing it right but I shall re-measure him tonight.

 

[Orangehorse]

I had a mare that was very susceptible to mud fever, in these sorts of conditions she would have developed it. She was stabled every night in autumn and winter and I use to put vaseline in her heels every morning which helped but did not prevent it entirely.

I changed her feed from nuts/whatever, to a Feed Balancer, and I realised a few months later that she hadn't had any mud fever episodes at all that winter, and she never had mud fever again for the whole of the next 3 years that I owned her.

Food for thought. She was a TBx though, and she had very fine hair and skin.

 

[sunshine100*]

hi i use sudacrem put it on before the rain (keep checking weather) and it works and keeps it at bay!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Yes, I would not use hibiscrub [I assume it is diluted!], get the shampoo and try it instead, it is kind enough for humans, so very non reactive.
The Keratex is only a £10.00 and it does last longer than you might think, but you need to put it on slowly or it goes on the floor.

 

[AmyMay]

Udder salve.

 

[YorksG]

We have a draught mare, who has scarring on her legs from mud fever before we got her. She has had episodes with us, but the worst was when we swapped from human grade Brewers Yeast, to animal grade. We have stopped feeding Brewers Yeast and all wheat feed and the sores are more or less healed up. Worth a try, we thought she was shiney before, now she looks as if she is wearing show shine

 

[JosieB]

Aromaheel, just smear it on and leave it, reapply ... works wonders ... from aromesse order online........ have tried all the different potions and suggestions, vets special cream, blah blah... aromaheel the only thing works for mine... and dont use sudocreme it seals in the bacteria, i took some advice to use it, cost me four hundred pounds and a horse with a blown up leg ... vet said never use it....

 

[Charlie77]

I'd talk to your vet. There is something (I can't think what it's called) that looks like mudfever acts like mudcever.but the underlying cause is low immune system. Wish I could remember what it's called!

 

[Nik90]

Thanks again for the replies. I don't wash his legs as he just won't let me, I just use cotton wool soaked in diluted hibiscrub on the affected bits, then leave it to dry & apply udder cream on them. I use the aroma heel to remove the scabs, it is amazing for that & it was great for convincing him to let me touch his sore parts, though I find it heels quicker with the udder cream. I agree that diet plays a part, though interesting to hear that brewers yeast can affect it. I tried sudocreme & it was a disaster, ended in lame horse with antibiotics & bute, I think different horses really react differently to different things.

I have had him tested for various things by the vet & he always came back clear (apart from mites). I have suspected due to the combination of issues he has that perhaps it could be linked to his immune system. He is 20 now & showing some signs of aging. I will speak with the vet again about this, if you happen to remember the name of the immune system problem could you post it please? I think it may be helpful.

Thanks again

 

[Hawks27]

I have a pink skinned white hair delicate paint horse he is not hairy, when I first got him he developed the worst case of mud fever I have ever seen the flesh just fell of his legs it took 3months just to get him healed enough to have the equi chaps on but these were goodif a pain to clean and dry every night so did need at least 2 pairs. He comes in at night in mud season to fully dry out naturally in a deep straw bed (when he was recovering he was bandaged every night till skin fully recovered and hair re growing if any scabs gets bandaged) every morning I brush the mud of his legs then back brush the hair on his lower legs and rub in the kerratex mudsheild powder andsmooth the hair back down with my hands. If just wet summer weather I bring him in for a couple of hours to dry out in his bed then re apply powder and chuck him out. He goes out for 8-10hours a day in winter and only has the kerratex applied in the morning, I never hose his legs of the key is keep them as dry as possible and touchwood we have never had a reoccurrence again. When I was initially getting rid of scabs washed his legs with nettex muddy marvel towel dried bandaged and popped him to bed.

 

[Arniebear]

My boy has been suffering with mud fever since march, i managed to get it under control with flamazine cream from the vets but never got rid of it! When i stopped using cream for a day or 2 it comes straight back even when i smothered him in muddy buddy powder! Since friday just gone he has been on EPIDERMIS supplement from feedmark (so not even a week yet!) and i havent been putting anything else on the area no creams no nothing, he hasnt had anymore episodes of it. Usually by now the scabs would have come back (even more som with the recent wet conditions!) and i would be smothering him in cream all over again yes it still obvious he had it as the fur is all missing etc but no new scabs have formed i was absolutly amazed its had an effect that quickly its the only thing i have changed in my routine and he still lives out 24/7 even in the recent horrid weather, i would say give feedmark a call and speak to them! What have you got to loose? if it doesnt work he will at least have a shiny coat!

p.s i am no way connected to feedmark other than being a happy customer!

 

[Merrymoles]

I've used Gold Label Pink Ointment on my hairy cob's mallenders and it cleared them up within a week. It is, however, meant for mud fever so might be worth a try, particularly as it is not expensive.

One word of caution, if your horse has white legs, warn the rest of the yard about what you are using as it made mine look as though his legs were bleeding badly.

I am in no way connected to Gold Label either - it's just that their stuff works for us!

 

[Nik90]

Your horse must've really been sore Hawks27, poor thing! Glad to hear you got him sorted though. Your routine sounds similar to, stabled at night over winter. I use wood pellets though as he is a lot drier on them & he seems to love them. Can anyone tell me where about on the leg to measure for the boots? Can't seem to the instructions any more & just want to make sure I'm not doing anything silly. Looks like the Keratex will be worth giving a go as well. I'll look into the feed mark supplement as well, hopefully something works but like your horse Hawks27, I think the key will be keeping him dry.
Thank you for the replies, it's great that everyone is keen to offer advice!

 

[Hawks27]

Its defiantly case specific and trial error sadly with topical or feed options as different horses respond in different ways (my lad is a barefoot natural horse so on a sugar free low starch diet fed pro balance and micronized linseed and his skin has come on fantastic but hes prone to fly bites and sunburn hes a very delicate flower) I spent a fortune trying everything recommended on here and half of it made no difference and some made it worse the vet trialled several things as well he spent a good 3month on box rest while we got to the bottom of it was horrifying as id cleaned his legs one day and 2 days later went to brush them again and I thought it was a cut at first and the more I gently cleared the muck and washed his legs the more flesh fell away id never seen anything like it in my life even the vet was shocked.
I was petrified the first time I turned him back out and watch his legs like a hawk now. he seems to of moved on from mud fever we've had a head injury and a broken tooth (still would love to know how wolly features did this in a safe stable, were onto sarcoid surgery number 2 and looking good so far, insurance has run out so I doubt we will ever finish his education and now my old saddle has died a death so am penniless and trying to ride a greenbroke bareback when I have a dodgy leg. life is so much fun. Thankfully my darling ned is the most sweet horsie ever and tolerates all his medical requirements so well.
good luck with yours I hope you get it under control soon

 

[Gloi]

As your horse is 20 have you tested him for Cushings? The first sign one of our was developing it was that he was getting recurring skin infections.

 

[horsemum]

My grey haired pink skinned one had it and flamazine cleared it up. Then thanks to an idiot YO it came back 100 times worse. I used diluted hibiscrub to wash and once legs were dry coated them in sudocreme so he could go back out (no long wet grass and mud in new yard) and it's cleared up really well. If I knew how to post pics I have a before and after - before taken on friday and one taken today to compare the healing!

 

[Meredith]

We've had mud fever badly here too, so bad once a pony's legs were almost completely raw. I have tried 2 styles of equi chaps, pig oil, sulphur etc but the only thing that kept it at bay was baby oil used as a preventative ( check for reaction first ) We have never had to clear up an infection though.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'd talk to your vet. There is something (I can't think what it's called) that looks like mudfever acts like mudcever.but the underlying cause is low immune system. Wish I could remember what it's called!

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis?

 

[Nik90]

He was tested for Cushings last Autumn mostly to do with his age & I can't remember the numbers but he was no where near it. So far it's been healing up quite quickly with the udder cream mixed with a little hibiscrub & he is happy for it to be put on so no kicking is a bonus! I would just like to prevent them in the first place, unfortunately that's easier said than done. Poor thing had it starting at his hoof through the winter continuing up the inside of he leg to the hock, the full of the heel, & patches up the back of the leg & the outside. He had this more or less on both legs & could not be given antibiotics at the time due to other health issues (vet's decision which was understandable). He was sedated & legs cleaned & then I tried the udder cream which seemed to work. I will try some of the things listed above & hopefully they help. Thank you all for the suggestions, I know mud fever is just trial & error.

 

[JillA]

One of mine (underweight and struggles to gain muscle) gets dermatitis in his heels even if they don't keep getting wet, and one year the vet supplied Flamazine which cleared it up in days after weeks of trying all sorts. This year I am trying Gold Label Gel with aloe vera and other natural elements for healing and the heavy scabs are coming off after a couple of days treatment.
I'm also about to put him on a course of Restore to detox his liver
My vet didn't like antibacterials, he reckoned they destroyed skin cells as well as bacteria.

 

[BlueSocks]

The only thing I ever used on mud fever which actually got rid of it without causing further problems was, and this will sound very wierd, cow mastitis treatment. My Vet is pretty old school & prescribed this for me, its an oily gel which comes in a syringe, google Tetra Delta. I'm sure a lot of vets wouldn't do this, but I think the general reason it works is that it's an antibacterial & anti inflammatory, applied directly onto the scabs, but it isn't "wet" as such, its more like a dry oil. Therefore it gradually loosens the scabs, but doesn't soak the skin, and also leaves an oily barrier on the skin and hair. Personally I think a lot of vets advise about washing the legs, bathing the scabs etc is counterproductive. You can use something like this in combo with Equilibrium chaps which work brilliantly even in really deep mud, so you should never have to wet the legs, which is key to clearing up mud fever. Keratex powder, even just simple ordinary wound powder can help too as again they create a DRY oily barrier in the skin and hair.

 

[NatashaJones]

Have you tried Hoof-fit gel? They sell it for digital dermatitis in cattle (basically cow mud fever) but is really good on mud fever - it actually helps to treat the cause rather than just being a barrier. I think it is about £25 and you can get it online. Only down side is that it is green!

 

[Kaylum]

Mites I would say he has and this needs confirming as its a different treatment for mites than mud fever. I am saying this as one of my horses was treated years for mud fever and had hibiscrub etc but the owner never got the vet. Yes he had mites. Poor lad.

So my advice get him tested for mites it also shouts out at me as he is feathered. Horse with more blood in them are immune to them but feathered horses react to them and it causes misery.