Mud fever

LadyRascasse

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I am at the end of my tether now. I think I have tried just about everything. I just can't shift it. The vet has been and give her antibiotics and there steroid cream. I have used NAF mudguard cream, barrier heel to hoof. i have tried washing them with hibiscrub and tee tree oil shampoo. I went out and brought some thermatex leg wraps yesterday as the vet wanted me to banadage due to the swelling. So any ideas?

She came back off loan about 5 weeks ago with it andi have been unable to shift it. I have even put her on brewers yeast as that is suppose to be good for skin problem.

Her current regime is wash her legs off at night with hibiscrub, put the leg wraps on over night and in the morning I put the barrier heel to hoof cream and she is turned out. We don't have very muddy fields and she is sound.
 

jenni999

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I would avoid repeated washing, I found that made my horse worse.

My horse had persistent scabs that just wouldn't shift. When we got to August and it was still there, my vet recommended sweating it off. I plastered the area with Aromaheel (fab stuff, scabs just wipe off !), then put gamgee round the whole area, covered it in clingfilm and then vetrap on top. Changed it every 2 days until the scabs had gone and the wounds were nice and pink (not horrible yellow) and then kept it covered with the cotton wool and vetrap until they were healing. The vet said Sudacrem would do just as well.

Worked really well for me, although I know different things work for different people. Good luck
 

pinklilly

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I was advised by the vet when I was a hunt groom not to wash the legs off at all but to leave it to dry and brush off. We had a horse in that was bought with infected mud fever and it was given anti-b's and small yellow tubes that I think were something to do with udders, this cleared it up. We had another one that flour of sulphur mixed with udder cream then wrapped in clingfilm and bandaged worked on. I always try and keep legs as dry as possible.
 

MerrySherryRider

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Vets recommended clipping, diluted hibiscrub every 2-3 days and sudocrem. Leg then became infected and swollen, so advised Flamazine cream and a course of steroids. However, I found that washing with saline solution every 2-3 days and applying Flamazine with vaseline then applied just before turning out eventually cleared it. Horse was very good at allowing me to scratch at the scabs that were ready to come off. As the leg improved, I was able to stop washing and just brush the dry legs, apply sudocrem and then scratch the softened scabs a little every couple of days.
Because the pasture was not muddy, she benefited from being out 24/7 to help circulation and prevent legs being swollen from standing.
 

stacie21

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I was advised by the vet when I was a hunt groom not to wash the legs off at all but to leave it to dry and brush off. We had a horse in that was bought with infected mud fever and it was given anti-b's and small yellow tubes that I think were something to do with udders, this cleared it up. We had another one that flour of sulphur mixed with udder cream then wrapped in clingfilm and bandaged worked on. I always try and keep legs as dry as possible.

yes this is what i used its called synulox its awesome stuff i sweated it to get all the scabs off then put some of this on the area with some sudo on top repeat cream daily if has long hair cut it off so cream gets onto skin within 2 days you will notice a difference even if you just rub into scabs it will work just will take longer
 

squiz22

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Hi.,. having exactly the same problems and its now nearly gone but its been a pain. Like you no mud etc. I've tried everything and hibi scrub, leave it on for 10 mins, then wash off, dry and put some fuciderm on before bed. Thermatex leg wraps have also been purchased. the vet and just about everyone else I have talked to has put it down to this crazy warm weather and serious amount of bacteria in the soil. I think we need to pray for a frost to kill some of the bacteria.. theres been no end to the issues with this this autumn!
 

LaurenBay

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Try Nizerol shampoo.

My mare came to me with bad mud fever (doesn't sound as bad as your Horses though) On all 4 legs.

Evelyn on here advised me to use Nizerol shampoo, I'm so glad I did because all 4 legs cleared up after 2 washes! You can buy nizerol from pharmacys, I got mine from asda, very cheap! Dilute in warm water and use a face cloth to apply it. No need to wash the shampoo of after.

If you would like more information about nizerol, PM Evelyn. I'm sure she will be happy to help you.
 

maxedup2

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I had a similar problem. Once I got rid of the infection with hibiscrub and antibiotics I used E45 cream which worked a treat. It got the skin back into proper condition. Had some success with sudocreme but the E45 used regularly and liberally, as though you were treating chapped hands, really made a big difference. Good luck , hope it helps.
 

TotalEclipse

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For me I tried a lot of things and eventually it got so bad that I had to get the vet out to sedate my mare as she was lashing out whenever I went near her back legs. The vet sedated her, clipped around her heels which also removed all the scabs leaving weeping lesions. I then washed with hibiscrub, left on for five minutes and then rinsed off and dried the legs thoroughly. My vet gave me some Fuciderm gel to apply to the open lesions daily as it would have been to sore to wash these wounds with hibiscrub and she probably would not have allowed me near again. I had to use a hoof oil brush, attached to a long plastic handle, to apply the cream to her heels as she kicked out almost every time I tried to get the cream on. I had to keep her stabled for almost five weeks to keep her dry until it cleared up. It did clear up and when turning out after that, I plaster the legs with Sudocream. It seems to have worked until recently I have noticed some little scabs on her again. I'm hoping I can catch it this time before it gets out of hand. I am now trying Dermasol cream on the scabs, then wrapping the legs in cling film then stable bandages overnight and hopefully the scabs should come off by themselves. Fingers crossed.
 

Lollii

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Sudocream & baby oil :) but legs must be dry when you put it on or you trap the moisture under it.

Plaster the sudocream in the heels and around fetlocks - and over any scabs, then cover the whole of the lower leg and over the sudocream with baby oil (it's good for your hands in the winter too!) don't wash when muddy - brush any mud off when dry and just put the sudocream & baby oil on when really dry ... it worked for me when nothing else did :)
 

LaurenBay

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I really do strongly recomend Nizerol shampoo if your Horse is still having problems. It is only about £6 to buy and really is great stuff.
 

Ruth_Cymru

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I've done the same as LaurenBay and used Nizoral shampoo- after seeing it posted on here :) I got a bottle very cheaply at a bargain store, so nothing to lose really. I started a couple of weeks ago, washing the area with the shampoo, then thoroughly drying, and when dry applying Sudocreme. Repeated this every couple of days, lengthening to once a week now. The result- scabs have gone and the skin looks healthy (if a bit bald at the moment). I will carry on doing this weekly, until the skin isn't looking quite so 'new', and has toughened up a bit. I can't say whether it's the shampoo, the sudocreme, combination of the both or what, but it's working for me thankfully!
 

Mlini

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My horse's mud fever cleared up quicker when I let the air get to it. I washed with hibiscrub, picked off all the scabs and dried it. Left to air overnight. In the mornings I picked any scabs off again then Sudocrem on heels before turning out. But sounds like your case is worse than my boys.. He only had one really bad heel, his leg had swelled too.

I have heard plenty of recommendations for the Nizerol shampoo but never tried it - might be worth a try??

I think different horses respond well to different treatments. Good Luck.

This is what his looked like with all the scabs off... :(
photo-17.jpg
 
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muff747

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When my gleding got a bad dose of MF I kept him in to keep his legs dry and stopped washing althogether. I swear by udder cream. Get it from Equimins, it's cheap and it worked for me.
OP you might find it clears up now you have your horse back on your land, there seems to be some connection with cows being in the fields before???
I advise keeping it totally dry until it's under control. The udder cream will soften the scabs and they must be kept off as the bacteria cannot survive when exposed to the air. Good luck;)
 

RolyPolyPony

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I've used Sudocreme in the past. At the moment i leave horses legs when he comes in, in the morning i brush off all the mud and put on Filta Bac cream on (which i got from vet) another livery uses udder cream on her horses mud fever.
 

TicTac

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I would avoid repeated washing, I found that made my horse worse.

My horse had persistent scabs that just wouldn't shift. When we got to August and it was still there, my vet recommended sweating it off. I plastered the area with Aromaheel (fab stuff, scabs just wipe off !), then put gamgee round the whole area, covered it in clingfilm and then vetrap on top. Changed it every 2 days until the scabs had gone and the wounds were nice and pink (not horrible yellow) and then kept it covered with the cotton wool and vetrap until they were healing. The vet said Sudacrem would do just as well.

Worked really well for me, although I know different things work for different people. Good luck


Echo this advise.
 

TicTac

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When my gleding got a bad dose of MF I kept him in to keep his legs dry and stopped washing althogether. I swear by udder cream. Get it from Equimins, it's cheap and it worked for me.
OP you might find it clears up now you have your horse back on your land, there seems to be some connection with cows being in the fields before???
I advise keeping it totally dry until it's under control. The udder cream will soften the scabs and they must be kept off as the bacteria cannot survive when exposed to the air. Good luck;)


I use Equimins udder cream on my mare as well. It's the best! It is a light and non greasy product which I have used for several years now as a barrier cream. I always buy a couple of 500g tubs at the beginning of the winter to make sure I dont run out.
 

NOISYGIRL

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Someone on my yard has has great success with clearing her horses mud fever, she clipped the horse out anyway so did his legs, she didn't know he had it until she did this, so once it was done it was done, anyway she's found its easier to manage with clipped legs, if you are going to wash the legs I wouldn't do it repeatedly with hibiscrub, salt water if anything, she then dries the legs and when they are dry applies udder cream, they sell it in countrywide and other farm/horse feed retailers, anyway just thought I'd share her success, I had heard udder cream was good but thank god have never had to use it as my horse doesn't get it
 

NOISYGIRL

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Vets recommended clipping, diluted hibiscrub every 2-3 days and sudocrem. Leg then became infected and swollen, so advised Flamazine cream and a course of steroids. However, I found that washing with saline solution every 2-3 days and applying Flamazine with vaseline then applied just before turning out eventually cleared it. Horse was very good at allowing me to scratch at the scabs that were ready to come off. As the leg improved, I was able to stop washing and just brush the dry legs, apply sudocrem and then scratch the softened scabs a little every couple of days.
Because the pasture was not muddy, she benefited from being out 24/7 to help circulation and prevent legs being swollen from standing.

Good old vasaline ! I love the stuff, my horse had a bald patch once above his tail, had 2 lots of green gel dermobion ?? off vet was rubbish, put vasaline on and OVERNIGHT had hair growth
 

NOISYGIRL

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Someone on my yard has has great success with clearing her horses mud fever, she clipped the horse out anyway so did his legs, she didn't know he had it until she did this, so once it was done it was done, anyway she's found its easier to manage with clipped legs, if you are going to wash the legs I wouldn't do it repeatedly with hibiscrub, salt water if anything, she then dries the legs and when they are dry applies udder cream, they sell it in countrywide and other farm/horse feed retailers, anyway just thought I'd share her success, I had heard udder cream was good but thank god have never had to use it as my horse doesn't get it

Forgot to add, have you ever had hibiscrub on an open wound on yourself - it stings like HELL so now wonder they don't like it, that's why I wouldnt' use it repeatedly
 

SKY

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omg i know how you feel, i have never had it till this year it tested me big time. i used that cream you used but my boy had it on all 4 and up legs as was spreading, it helped but never fully cured my boy, so i tried everything vet has and online and got great tips here. in the end what cured mine was, udder cream mixed with powder penacillin, now he had been injected and given powders in his food ect but was going on forever and not working vet was sick of it too. only thing worked is that udder cream, i got larger tub and put 4 powders in it mixed with my hand had a glove was so thick had to do it by hand so was like a powder aday as i need large tub and put on his all 4 legs and that tub lasted me 4days you can do same with wee tub and less powders. i washed his legs in hibiscrub and dried very very well and applied mixture everyday and wash every 3days in 10 days was all clear, but he got udder cream all under is stomach and tail as he lay down, so tooked alot of washing when he was clear. so i finished of washing in hibiscrub and dry abit and applie baby oil alo vera is the one i used i used 1 bottle as 4 legs. as hibisrcub stopped bateria coming back and kept clean , dried awee bit as baby oil likes abit of moisture rubbed it all over where he had it. done this every 3-4days for 2 weeks and then just once every few weeks and touch wood all good.

you see the hibiscrub kills the bateria and the oil returns moisture and helps waterproof keeps his skin great and he loves it. hops this helps and sorry for spelling mistakes.
 

smallgirl

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Just wondered what people do with horses that live out 24/7 that have got mudfever? Mine has got scabs around the sides of his fetlock not at the back on his heels, they are crusty (not red or weeping), he comes in each day for about 8 hours so this would be the time I would treat him. Keeing him in is not an option as he doesn't settle well when kept in and has arthirits in his back legs so need to keep him out to keep that under control.

His paddock has got muddy areas so it will get dirty, what would you recommend I do?

I am thinking of hibi-scrubbing it when I bring him in tomorrow, leaving to it dry during the day and plastering with sudocream before he is turned out.

I am worried though that taking the scabs off will leave it exposed even under the lashings of sudocream (due to living out and the muddy areas of the field) and I might actually make it worse than if I left it alone as long as it wasn't developing into swelling and infection.

What do you think?
 
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