mudfever

[nicole1968]

if a horse has had mudfever really bad ie right up to the knee which no matter what you did it got infected and really swelled up lots of antibiotics needed do you think this would now be more prone to mudfever now even though never had it before

 

[TicTac]

Not necessarily. Mud fever is caused by a bacteria that lives on the skin of all horses. It causes a problem when the skin becomes weakened by either cuts and abrasions or being permanently wet. Also if the horse's immune system is challanged, that doesn't help either

The ideal scenario is obviously to try and avoid thease situations in the first place by using a good barrier cream and not letting the horse stand in a very muddy field all day, but horses being horses, this is not always possible.

A young horse I had once got a really bad attack of mud fever one year and had to have a lot of anti biotics, creams and treatment and kept off the field. How ever, that was the one and only time as after that I made sure I was fanatical about his leg care. I have found that hosing the mud off and towel drying is the best method for my horses and apply the cream before thay go out in the morning but as with all horses, you have to find what suits yours best.

 

[Lollii]

My horse has had it really bad last year, he had to have anti biotics to clear it up in the end.

This winter I have put udder cream around the bottom of his legs and in his heels and olive oil or baby oil all over his legs up to his knees every morning when his legs are dry and before he goes out in the mud.

Touch wood - all clear - touch wood again just in case!

 

[somethingorother]

Hrm, it might be that if you washed the legs a lot when he had mud fever before that you have removed the natural oils that might protect the skin, and the skin may still be a little weaker (depending how long ago it was). I'm no vet, but have found that overwashed legs (which is hard to avoid when they have such bad mud fever, i know!) are more prone.

As above, i would take extra care and get into a routine of prevention. Vaseline or other barrier cream on clean dry legs before going out, then rinse with cold water (hot opens the pores too much) and towel dry thoroughly. I wouldn't use anything in the water unless the mud fever comes back so you don't remove any more oils etc. Just make sure they are really dry and then leave them.

 

[nicole1968]

the horse came to me with the mudfever from a friend who had had it on loan to someone and when it came back to him she was like that, they say that they had left boots on at a comp too long and she must have got sweaty, all the hair on the outside of the cannon bone came out thought we had got on top of it then really flaired up with variouse small patches on two other legs my friend has her back at his yard at the mo as he didnt want me to have all the vets bills she is better now so got to decide whether to have her back or not dont want constant vet bills if i can help it but she is lovely to ride im in such a dilema