Plants that cause mud fever?

[HorseMaid]

Two of our mares have suddenly developed mud fever/pastern dermatitis. Neither of them are prone to it and I'm wondering if they may have been eating something that causes photosensitivity - wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to the cause?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Buttercups can cause photosensitivity

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

As can Giant Hogweed and St John's Wort

 

[HorseMaid]

There isn't a large amount of buttercups - we've got what I've always thought of as cow parsley however having googled it I think I need to have a proper look and see what it actually is. My mare has also had a terrible case of what I thought was sunburn on the nose this week which I'm now thinking is related!!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think the hogweed is white flowers could be that

 

[Carrottom]

For treatment I use summer relief from biteback products. I think st John's worth caused it for mine.

 

[TheOldTrout]

My mare has apparently mud fever that hasn't cleared up over the summer, just on her stockinged leg. I wonder if it's the same thing?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Try a steroid cream. I called the vet out years ago to a patch of mud fever in summer that would not clear up. It was vasculitis and some steroid cream cleared it up. It was sunlight rather than mud that flared it up so going forwards the horse wore fly boots in summer and that prevented it coming back. Silver whinneys were the absolute best but expensive and now virtually impossible to buy in the UK but the cheap shires socks were pretty good too.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It comes in kind or circular patches of scab, often with clear skin in the middle

 

[HorseMaid]

I have whacked on some betnovate cream - one advantage of having a daughter with eczema! Hoping it will resolve with it

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have whacked on some betnovate cream - one advantage of having a daughter with eczema! Hoping it will resolve with it

Good shout! I believe thats antibiotic and steroid isn't it? Should be helpful

 

[HorseMaid]

No it's just steroid (but quite strong), I've also got some flamazine if needed which I think is more antibiotic although that's more aimed at treating burns

 

[Pinkvboots]

Arabi had very bad mud fever a few years back and I tried a number of things someone suggested a nappy cream it's called metatanium in a yellow tube, it really cleared it up and I use it quite a bit now for the horses it's good for bites or cuts and stops flies landing on them.

 

[Cortez]

Several plants can cause photosensitivity sores on white markings/pink skin, particularly on the nose and legs. Buttercups and clover being the most common.

 

[HorseMaid]

Thanks for all the replies - I'm not sure we've got a huge amount of clover but there are plenty of other bits and bobs apart from grass that they could have been eating, I think my money is on the hogweed type stuff as they do like to eat it from the hedges and I have seen it growing in the longer grassy parts of the field.

 

[lamlyn2012]

Thanks for all the replies - I'm not sure we've got a huge amount of clover but there are plenty of other bits and bobs apart from grass that they could have been eating, I think my money is on the hogweed type stuff as they do like to eat it from the hedges and I have seen it growing in the longer grassy parts of the field.

Common Hogweed can cause the same issues as Giant Hogweed. Burning/scaring.

 

[Timelyattraction]

Two of mine have this aswell on just their white legs. I assumed it was the buttercups in the field. Ive been slapping sudocrem on and it has been helping