Mud fever

[Paint it Lucky]

When grooming one of the ponies at the yard today I noticed he had really bad mud fever on all four legs (on his white socks), I was quite annoyed no one else had noticed (other people have groomed him for the last few days, obviously not very thoroughly!) But anyway at least now I've found it. So I started to treat it, first washing with hibiscrub, leaving this on for awhile whilst trimming his legs (mainly to remove the scabs which were hidden in his feathers), then washing off the hibiscrub and trying to remove as many scabs as possible. They had softened by this time so were fairly easy to get off. But then a livery came up to me and said 'why are you picking the scabs off, surely that will just open his leg to infection' I replied that his legs wer einfected anyway and I was removing the scabs in order to get rid of the infection because the bacteria live in them so if I didn't remove them there would be no point treating it. SHe didn't seem convinced but I'm sure I was right, this is what I've always been told to do and has always done (successfully) in the past. And anyway I was putting some antibacterial cream (fungatrol) on afterwards to cover up the now raw areas and protect them from further infection whilst helping treat them at the same time.

I will treat him again for the next few days (until it clears up), hopefully won't need to wash his legs again as the cream should be enough now and I know it is not good to get mud fever affected legs wet unless you have to. I'm sure he'll be fine as almost all of the scabs came off today, luckily I have caught the infection early (ish!) so none of the scabs went very deep.

My question is, would you pick off mud fever scabs (I've always been told to remove as many as is comfortably possible for the horse), or leave them?

Thankyou

 

[apkelly01]

Yes that sounds correct to me. I've tried both ways - picking or leaving them. I found they healed up faster when you picked the scabs off. You are correct about picking them off to get to the bacteria underneath.

If you keep the treatment up, he be fine in no time

 

[sunny123]

I've always picked them off as well

 

[christine48]

yes you need to get rid of the scabs as the bacteria are anaerobic and thrive beneath the scabs. i sometimes poultice to soften the scabs initially. Then hibiscrub and apply a suitable cream for mud fever. You also need to dry the legs thoroughly. Should clear up quickly.

 

[jumpthemoon]

You are right to pick them off. If you leave them on the infection will only get worse under the skin as it will have nowhere to go.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Yey I'm glad you agree! I also dry his legs with a towell (find it helps to get off even more scabs) before applying cream.

 

[LauraHi]

Yes you are completely right - as an "expert" (sadly) on mud fever this is the way to go - that and Dermobian (until they banned it - grrr...) Sudocrem works for me now....