Mud Fever / Pig Oil / Hair Loss...Please Help

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kellybrown11

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Hello,

My four year old has suffered quite badly with mud fever and has spent most of the winter in his stable.

He finally was clear of scabs and has been out for two weeks. I used Pig Oil and Sulphur on his legs as a preventitive. Last friday i noticed a couple of scabs so to save calling the vet i kept him in. I have read about aqueous cream and so tried this on one leg. Last night i notice he is loosing hair on all 3 legs.

Could this be from the pig oil? Could it be mite? I am wondering if it wasnt mud fever from the start? Maybe a skin condition?

I do have some pictures but dont know how to upload them on here.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=1564&pictureid=8615


Any advice would be great and i will try and work out how to add a picture!
 
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Pig oil & sulphur is wonderful for mud fever & I used it for years. However, one batch I bought had too much sulphur in the mix and it took all the hair off his lower legs - BTW it did grow back! I now use Nisorex shampoo (recommended on this forum) which works well. Any barrier cream will also help. Good luck and I would stop using that particular mix.
 
They very often lose hair with mud fever then it grows again.
Make sure he's on a good balanced diet as the skin heals from within it's not just from topical applications. For preference, I would not wash at all, just plaster it with a good barrier cream each day and they will start to drop off (if it is mud fever of course) but don't rub or pick at them, that will make him sore. It'll come, it just takes time.

Echo about the reaction though.
 
the thing is the black leg didnt have mud fever he only gets it on his white socks (pink skin).

so i am suprised that he has lost the hair there.
 
ok, thanks, my vet bill is massive he was on antibiotics for a month to help fight it.....he is only four and this winter his legs have been so sore for him. I think i just panicked last night. There is no heat or swelling and he isnt loosing the hair anywhere else.

Thanks for the advice. I might try something else next winter and not the pig oil as it did seem to make his skin more pink.
 
my mares legs are like this too! its really stange as no real scabs anywhere and nothing in under the heels like typical mud fever. im wondering is it even mud fever myself! she gets it every yr in winter???

please look at my previous posts and u will see a pic of it on my horses legs! im baffled.
 
If he has a good balanced diet which gives him a nice supple and shiny skin (not just the coat) then he should be fine and just start early using a barrier cream like udder cream to protect him.
My lot this year, in spite of being in a very wet, muddy field (think over fetlocks a lot of the time) haven't had it at all (yet, I'm crossing fingers!) they haven't had any barrier cream on or anything. The only extra thing they get is brewers yeast which is very good for the immune system, skin and hoof condition but whether that's the answer for sure, I don't know; I'm not saying it's the answer for mine, it could just be a coincidence but the muddy conditions are almost the wettest and worse I've seen for several years and we always have it, so to not have it when conditions are so bad means something must be working better.
 
He is on a good diet and is in good nick apart from his legs!
I do feed echinacea plus a multi vit suppliment. He gets alfa a oil, pasture mix and speedi beat. But i will try brewers yeast, any particular brand do you have?

I am desperate for anything that will stop this awful infection.

I have even moved yard on the vets advice as he said it lives in the ground!

Thanks
 
that is how mine originally went from the mud fever and the new hair grew through and now i have lost even more hair and most of the area didnt have mud fever previously!

it is very strange. i will see what happens this week, will get the vet if it gets any worse.
 
Camrosa is excellent for promoting hair growth just make sure the legs are totally dry before applying as it also acts as a barrier cream - its great for loads of stuff and I've used it for all types of scarring including mud fever www.camrosa.co.uk/
 
Please please start feeding NAF Mud Guard (herbal powder you add to feed). I swear by this (no I dont work for them!) and have cured so many horses with scabby legs without ever needing to do all the physical care/cleaning etc. etc. Amazing stuff as it heals the skin from the inside out. I have found you use it for a month and then the scabs etc come off leaving healthy skin. Also, the horses love the taste so I also use it if needing to worm them or add bute or something to the feed to disguise the taste!
Roll on summer and no mud for horses or us to contend with!
 
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