Mud Fever

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DoubleTroublex2

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My horse has been on two courses of Antibiotics now and his mud fever had all about gone. I brought him in from the field last night and he was lame
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It seems that some of the skin on one of his back legs has become infected, and completely puffed up. I kept him in last night but he wouldn't eat and just looked so sad. His leg this morning was so swolen with heat in it but he will now put weight on it and doesn't seem as unsound as he was last night. I am now waiting for the vet to come out and see him this morning, and hopefully he will be better soon! Is anyone else having problems with mud fever still?
 
Have you tried putting mudguard supplement into his feed - we have a mare with four white stockings who always used to get it - we keep her on mudguard year round now and fingers crossed no more mudfever (she goes out all year without turnout boots).
 
No I haven't tried it. I have never had a horse that has had mud fever before. I have just really hibiscrubbed it and thoroughly dried off his legs with a towel. I will definately give it a go. Thanks
 
well this sounds simular to when my pony got it a few years ago due to his legs being damp after they were washed off we were told to use thermatex boots too thoroughly drie his legs...this might be of no use too you just thought i would mention
 
I use mud gard all year also - great stuff. More cost effective if you get the 2.5kg tub. This time when we clipped my boys legs - he has 4 white legs with feathers!! his legs are the best they've ever been. Daren't stop the mud gard now in case symptoms come back.

Luckily he only seems to have it right in his heels, never up the legs or on his tum.

Also found putting a barrier cream in his heels helps, Pettifers (or Pettigrew) green oils or Equimins Mud Block are good. Tried a Horse Sense one but everyone thought he'd cut his legs, coz it was red ... so stopped using that.

Good luck and I hope hes better soon and back to normal.
 
try cleaning the affected areas morning and night with hibi scrub pat dry dont wipe then ask your vets for some flaminizine cream it is fantastic my horses legs cleaned up with in days if she is scabby as well get some de scab from your nearest equine shop it is a product by net tex. dont pull at the scabs that will only make it worse!
 
My mare has suffered with mudfever since before i bought her, 13 yrs ago
when i bought her it was all up her legs, (all 4) and under her belly, it was terrible, she could hardly move. i have now got it restricted to the front legs behind the knee and in her heels... i think its just stuck in there now and its always been just in those areas since

she has feathered white stockings and wont let me clip them, as she knows of the pain of the mud fever.

i have tried many things to combat it! hibiscrub, hexocil, keeping her away from mud, turnout boots and barrier creams.

the best thing i have found is to cover the area in oil before turnout... and use a mixture of sudocrem, oil, and flowers of sulphur. direct onto the scabby or affected bits
the sulphur helps to kill it off and the barrier cream and oil stops the wet and mud getting in it.

unfortunately it is stuck in her skin now so i rarely can get rid of all of it, but this mixture keeps in a bay and stops it spreading further

im surprised i have never heard of this mud guard stuff, i will certainly be giving it a go, maybe she can live the rest of her life happily with out the mudfever
 
If there are lots of scabs associated with mud fever, that are firmly attatched and cause the horse discomfort when you try to pick them off, then try my tip (given to me many years ago by a great vet!):

Clean the area with Hibi scrub (if the horse is not sensitive to the scrub, then don't rinse it off).
Cover all the scabbed areas with nappy cream (I've found the best to be Boot's own brand) then wrap the legs with cling film or bubble wrap.
Apply stable bandages with lots of padding.
Leave on for 24 hours (but please re-apply if the bandages slip to ensure the horse is comfortable).

The cling film causes the legs to sweat, which enables the nappy cream to get under the scabs and loosen them off, while also attacking the bacteria which is in the skins surface. Most of the scabs will come away from the skin without causing further discomfort, if there are stubborn areas, then repeat the bandaging etc for a further 24 hours.

If the horse has mud rash, and you apply oils over the top as a barrier, then you enable the bacteria to thrive (the bacteria is anaerobic, meaning it will prosper without oxygen). Even products designed to combat mudrash, by application to the skin, can encourage the bacteria that is under the scabs, to continue. All the scabs need to be removed in order to treat this condition effectively. By using the above technique, you can remove the scabs without causing your horse pain and begin effective treatment.

Once the skin is clear of scabs, then washing the mud off (using cold water), and applying Hibi scrub without rinsing it off, then bandaging the legs to dry, is the best way to prevent a flare up. The Hibi scrub will reactivate when the legs get wet in the mud, so will kill off the bacteria before it can get in to the skin. I've used this method on countless horses over the years and it's always worked (even on very hairy legs!). I routinely wash my own horses legs with Hibi scrub, leaving it to dry beneath bandages, and they remain mud fever free throughout the year (even when turned out in a bog!)...

Hope this helps and hope you horse recovers soon, please keep us updated on progress.
Char.x
 
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