Mud fever

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Horsekaren

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just as all was going so well i've noticed the boy has mud fever :'(
he has it in both back legs, one is smelly and a has pus in places (i cant get a good look because of his heavy feathers)

I've never experienced it before but can only presume is shouldn't smell like death so must be infected and have booked the vet to come and look.

I'm worried it is going to be a bit of a nightmare to treat as he is out 24/7.
I washed with hibiscrub but not sure if that will be of any help.

Has anyone delbt with it in a heavy feathered horse. Ideally i dont want to clip his feather but will do if it needs to be done. Can they live out and heal from mud fever? I know oils help to prevent it but how is it treated?
 
LaurenBay said:
If it as pus then 100% vet ASAP. I also wouldn't wash with hibiscrub as would make it quite sore.

When it has healed up, I recommend pig oil.
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Vet is coming tomorrow morning, they have asked me to wash as best i can so they can get a good look. Do you think something like Johnson baby shampoo would be ok? need something that lathers to get the mud off. Really dont want to aggravate it.
 
Glad they are coming tomorrow, mud fever can be very sore.

Have you got any hardcore you can tie him up on so his legs can dry off? I would call the vets and ask their advise as what to wash with. Then towel dry his legs (gently) so vet can have a good look.
 
LaurenBay said:
Glad they are coming tomorrow, mud fever can be very sore.

Have you got any hardcore you can tie him up on so his legs can dry off? I would call the vets and ask their advise as what to wash with. Then towel dry his legs (gently) so vet can have a good look.
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I am borrowing a friends stable so he can dry off in there. Will call and ask re shampoos. Must say i'm a bit nervous about it as the smell is terrible, i just hope something awful isn't hidden under his feathers. Cant imagine this warmer weather is helping as im sure he will be sweating under his feathers.
 
I'd recommend clipping both affected legs, wash gently with very dilute hibiscrub or preferably betadine cleanser and debride any scabs off. I don't usually call a vet, and have a drying powder that works. Also use a barrier cream for turnout.

If you have pus and smell then it's very infected and needs immediate attention.
 
It can be really sore and I found when I washed with hibiscrub it did make mine very sore indeed. Previous to that I had tried lots of different creams and potions (not all at once i may add!) Manuka honey, Aromaheel, pig oil, Nixoral shampoo, some actually seemed to make it worse!

When my mare had a particularly bad flare up and her leg swelled and was hot, i phoned the vet thinking she may need antibiotics however they suggested applying sudocrem first before coming out, and do you know what, it worked! Other than that I now don't do anything and she's ok. I'll only apply sudocrem now if i feel i need to.
The last time went on a fun ride it was particularly boggy, and in different soil and she got it again, but i did nothing apart from brush mud off when dry and it went of its own accord.

with a hairy feathers they often advise to clip hair off to get to the skin, to allow it to breathe, but alternatively hair can protect! I'd see what vet advises, be interested to know what current advice would be? it does sound like yours has infection I'd imagine they will clip off feathers to get a good look and be able to treat? Definitely a vet visit and then manage as best you can once settled down.
 
I think you may need to clip feathers off. As folk have said above, the feathers help protect from new bouts of MF, but once they have it and it's well established (as it sounds like it may be) then the feathers can get in the way and hinder the healing process by keeping the moisture/bugs in. The skin will dry quicker if it's more exposed to the air too, and it'll be easier to brush off dried mud and scabs as it's healing. I'd take vet's advice though.
 
I’d be clipping feathers off, it will make management much easier.

Might be you answer as to why he has felt a bit flat 😉

My vets make their own mud fever cream up. It’s a thick base cream with steroid and antibiotic in - it’s great stuff and clears scabs up in days.
 
ihatework said:
I’d be clipping feathers off, it will make management much easier.

Might be you answer as to why he has felt a bit flat 😉

My vets make their own mud fever cream up. It’s a thick base cream with steroid and antibiotic in - it’s great stuff and clears scabs up in days.
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My thoughts exactly!

Feel awful it has obviously been there a while for it to be infected, but you just cant get near the skin. I thought just leave them alone, thats what the feather is there for so havnt been washing or brushing them often, no lameness, i check them but cant get to the heel. Only spotted it as i watched him role and the feather flung about on a dry day so i could see pink. My other half kept saying he smells but thought it was being naked and rolling in poo.
 
What you describe as pus, could it just be grease? Heavily feathered horses are prone to a build up of a greasy yellowish discharge that may be due to mites. Yes this can smell like something has died. You have to treat the underlying problem which may be mites. Have a look at this
https://m.facebook.com/farriersequinecare/. They give some excellent advise and the products are great. Please don't take the feather off unless you have to and definitely don't force the scabs off or you will end up with a very sore horse that won't let you touch his legs. Hibiscrub can be quite harsh, perhaps try a mild teatree shampoo and give his legs a good wash. You'll probably find the scabs that come away will sit in the hair. You can gently comb them out with a metal dog flea comb. Hope that helps.
 
Auslander said:
I clip the legs and use Coatex shampoo (https://www.viovet.co.uk/Coatex-for-Dogs-Cats/c10204/) which softens the scabs very gently, and helps the healing process - then plaster with a flamazine/synulox mixture supplied by my vet.
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Me too re clipping, coatex, and vets mud fever cream.

Coatex is medicated shampoo with antifungal and antibacterial ingredients, but it is mild and skin friendly.

Hibi scrub is very hard, and drying and really dries out skin and can make worse.

I'd never use hibiscrub on white legs. It's okay very dilute on cuts on black skin to clean. But think are better options e.g. sterile saline pods.
 
I'm glad you're getting the vet because it might not be mud fever. Thick feathers can hide all kinds of problems and M can get nasty scabs from mites too.

Infections can lead to lymphedema.

The chances are you'll be clipping those feathers off though!
 
If he's not happy being touched, it sounds like you might need a vet, sedation, and clippers, and then be able to get right in and get light and air to the area and see what it going on.

Once clipped you can wash, with a large plant spraying hand pump if haven't got running water, and try with the kitchen paper towel (once clipped fairly easy to dry) and once patted dry, apply vet thick cream and keep fingers crossed. It should be okay to stay out, assuming you are fast drying ground this week, like most seem to be.
 
So... this happened :(
All in the name of health, my less furry friend. Looks very sore, hibiscrub, steroid and antibiotic cream twice a day plus anti b’s and danillon.
No box rest thankfully.
 

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he looks good with clipped legs, at least you will be able to keep an eye on it.....i had a coloured cob for many years, kept on the same fields and one year she got really bad mud fever on her hinds, like you i got the vet as her leg seemed hot and i carefully clipped her legs so vet could see how bad it was, didnt keep her in but had to wash with very diluted hibiscrub each day, pat dry and apply vets own mud fever cream,,it cleared up very quickly and for the rest of her life ikept her legs lightly clipped just down the back and the heel so we could keep an eye on her. i was worried about clipping legs as i always thought it was their protection but she never got mud fever again...so it worked for her....
 
He's nuuuude! It's always a shock, I had to do the same with my heavily feathered mare a few months after I got her, thankfully I thought she looked cute with her little bald leggies and long flowing mane! Don't let anyone convince you he neeeeeeds to be hogged/pulled now that you've taken the feathers off, as I guarantee there will be at least one person who absolutely insists that 'well you've taken the feathers off, it's not proper to leave the rest on!'. Feathers grow back pretty fast (as I can attest as I need to keep the mares legs bald throughout summer and feel like I clip them every two weeks!) but mane takes aaaaaaages.
 
Horsekaren said:
So... this happened :(
All in the name of health, my less furry friend. Looks very sore, hibiscrub, steroid and antibiotic cream twice a day plus anti b’s and danillon.
No box rest thankfully.
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I think he looks much smarter 😁 The legs do look sore but you can treat them so much easier now. Just be aware if you are keeping his legs clipped from now on he may get sunburnt so will need to pop some sunblock on, especially the heels.
 
As much as I like feather, it's so difficult to manage in winter. It can hide all manner of things. It's really hard to get a good look at the legs with them. At least it's sorted now. They should heal up nice and quickly.
 
i hate it, he looks so funny. Bit surprised to see such lovely clean legs under all that fluff. Smashing pair of limbs on him :)
I was generous with the pics before, this is the reality lol
IMG_5708 (002).jpg

I think the beard needs a trim. would you believe i tried to snip the tip of his mustache off (he was sedated twice and was 10 mins in to it, struggling to stand) i thought i would tidy it up whilst he was out and he came too! to defend its honor. Bless his heart and shame on me!

Defo wont be hogging as i love his mane, think i'll be getting it thinned a bit though.

The leg already looks a bit better :) just glad to be treating it with ease :)
 
Horsekaren said:
i hate it, he looks so funny. Bit surprised to see such lovely clean legs under all that fluff. Smashing pair of limbs on him :)
I was generous with the pics before, this is the reality lol
View attachment 30075

I think the beard needs a trim. would you believe i tried to snip the tip of his mustache off (he was sedated twice and was 10 mins in to it, struggling to stand) i thought i would tidy it up whilst he was out and he came too! to defend its honor. Bless his heart and shame on me!

Defo wont be hogging as i love his mane, think i'll be getting it thinned a bit though.

The leg already looks a bit better :) just glad to be treating it with ease :)
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Defo whip the beard off!
 
A few days of following the vets advise and it now looks like this, i think it looks a lot better :) doesnt smell and he doesnt mind me touching it. Would this now be at a stage to start trying to improve the skin? I have ordered some Redhorse Honey Heel to use once it is under control to help the skin recover from the scrubbing every day.

Will keep following the vets treatment for now but am cautious that his skin is tacking a battering from the scrubbing.

I haven't dealt with this condition before so would be keen to know what a more experienced eye thinks about how this is healing.

Excuse the monster of an ergot!

Day 1 day 1.jpg
Day 2 day 2.jpg

Day 3 (this morning before being scrubbed and creamed)day3.jpg
 
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