never ending mud fever...

[mistymoo]

My poor horse gets mud fever and it's a never ending battle! it the moment her back legs are swollen and hot even thou there are not many cuts/scabs etc, she had this a few weeks ago but i cleared it up but now after all this rain they're bad again!! and i religously treat them which does make them better again but will ihave to do this all winter!!?!?! her front legs are fine as i have a set of equilibruim close contact chaps which are very good.. have some for her back legs on order but with christmas i've had to wait.

Sorry not really looking for advise although any more than welcome just wanted a moan about the british weather i guess!!

I do have 4 of the equilibruim stable chaps which are brill for drying cold wet legs, highly recommended! xx

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Have you tried feeding Echinacea, boosts immune system, so helps horse fight any infections.

 

[brightmount]

One of mine has started with it today, and I thought I was going to get away with it, despite it being rampant on our yard atm.

I used close contact chaps for turnout today but found they made her legs hot around the pastern, but better than exposure to the mud I suppose.

I've got some MABS spray that was offered as a free sample on one of the H&H forums a couple of weeks ago which I've used, although I'll probably get some Keratex mud shield as it worked well for my old cob who used to get MF.

If it's any consolation you're in good company this year - for some reason MF seems worse than I've ever seen it

 

[Rosyryan]

Isn't there some "wash" sachets that you can use to kill the spores of the organism that causes mud-fever--- micro-phyt or something i'm going to contact our vet tomorrow and ask for some, true it does seem to be rampant this Winter.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Been battling for the past 3 months with mine, incl. antibiotics and bute!

 

[squirtlysmum]

Try Heel to Hoof! I was very scathing about this until I actually used it and the effect was amazing. My mare was literally so bad she was in 24/7 in the winter and if mud fever took hold it would go onto her tummy and her neck, not good for a show horse! We tried antibiotics and all sorts of vet treatments, smothered her legs in goosefat you name it we tried it and Heel to Hoof changed her life and she was able to go out each day throughout the winter.
I did also keep her legs clipped so I could see any changes and when they were dry stable bandaged them. Its really important you keep there legs as dry as poss and the worst thing I found was hosing them down coming in from the field, its better to let the mud dry and then brush it off as the bugs thrive in a warm damp place.
I do appreciate it takes alot of waiting around and I didn't have much of a life but it was worth it for her to be a happy ned. Good luck!

 

[JACQSZOO]

I can understand the hosing of legs to a certain extent - but surely if they are plastered in wet mud hosing them off wont make a lot of difference will it?

 

[Ashy]

Having battled my mare's mud fever for 6 months last year and seemingly having used every product and trick known to mankind, i turned to homeopathy in desperation. Asking the body to heal itself - because no matter what i tried it just kept on coming back. I truly didnt believe it would work but I thought anything was worth a try. She had actually developed a hypersensitivity which flared up whenever she came within 6 feet of something wet or muddy. She even had it in the summer when i first got her! So I spoke to 'Ainsworths' and tried 3 remedies and after using silicea 30c for 3 days in her tea the mud fever miraculously cleared up. I couldnt believe it!! Ive had her over a year now and if she shows any sign of mud fever she gets a dose of silicea in her tea and away it goes. I also use sportabac long turnout socks which are the best on the market in my opinion for keeping legs clean, dry and injury free. Hope this helps someone else!

 

[brightmount]

I first posted on this thread a few days ago, when my mare had just started with mud fever, so this is an update as I'm really pleased with the way the treatment is going. The MABS spray that I am using was a free sample offered on this forum but you can get a free sample on this link http://www.mudfever.net/ - it's done a great job on my mare's pasterns and it feels so non-stick that I feel confident turning my horse out.

I am also using Equilibrium close-contact chaps, which are brilliant at keeping the mud off, so there is very little to do when she comes in, although the vet gave me some pevidine wash, and recommended flamazine (which I already had) rubbed in once the legs are dry.

Touch wood, this combination has stopped the spread of the scabs and the skin feels much healthier.

 

[Breezesbenefactor]

I agree with lynwood Equichaps are excellent though they might be a little costly (cost me £120 for a set of 4) once you've got them you'd wish you had another set