Scab removal?

[Shavings]

Ok so my little to has got mud fever on both back legs (smaller then 50p size amount on each)
On the "ball" of the joint if you like
Any how I have been given quiet a few products which claim to treat mud fever (or so the labels claim)
I have never had a horse with mud fever so all a little new
A lot of websites and fellow liveries has told me I need to remove the scabs before applying said products l, what's best way to do this? Tried Yeterday evening and they are quiet stubborn scabs and my lad was getting rather irritated by then end (not kicking but lifting his leg up and away from me)

So can any one recommend best way to remove the scabs?

Is this even the right thing to be doing?

Any advice will be kindly received!

 

[Charlie007]

My older lad suffers with a tiny bit of mud fever. I have had him 11years and the only time I took the scabs off was the only time he was lame with it!! I don't touch them at all now. It us only small patches and I keep a close eye on them. If they look slightly sore I spray them with purple spray. Whether it works through the scab I don't know but it seems to help.x

 

[Maesfen]

DON'T try to pull them off. It's unnecessary and painful for them as you've found out.

Smother the area with a decent cream like zinc & castor oil cream, Protocon, aqueous cream, udder cream, Sudacrem and so on. Vaseline will do at a push but that tends to become claggy; the creams are easier to apply and be adsorbed too. Next day add more cream and gently massage the area; same again the next day. Don't wash between applications at all even if the area gets muddy, just brush mud off and start again. The scabs will soon soften and as you massage in circles the scabs will roll off easily - and all with no pain for the horse. It will leave new skin which will soon grow hair back. Personally I would add the cream until everything's gone and then use a barrier cream in future.
Bonus is your hands will feel softer too!

PS: My old vet always advised leaving well alone especially if the only turnout is very muddy unless the horse becomes sore in which case use the method above; it's served me well for more years than I care to remember.

Mud fever does clear up on its own, takes about two months usually but with horses that are in use it's always nicer for them to help them a bit.

 

[Auslander]

Ditto Maesfen - pulling the scabs off isnt a good plan. If they are particularly stubborn, I cover the legs with cream, wrap them up in clingfilm, leave them overnight, then wash away the scabs, dry the legs thoroughly and cover with a thin layer of flamazine

 

[Shavings]

thanks you every one!
no more scab removal for me then!
good old Sudacrem will be coming out of the tack box instead

 

[Auslander]

thanks you every one!
no more scab removal for me then!
good old Sudacrem will be coming out of the tack box instead

You might find Sudocreme a bit claggy - but if you mix in a bit of baby oil, you can get a nice gloopy consistency, which does the trick

 

[Shavings]

You might find Sudocreme a bit claggy - but if you mix in a bit of baby oil, you can get a nice gloopy consistency, which does the trick

Great tip! thank you!

he never had it last winter but he has had a rough winter will illness and lameness so i think because his body is "tired" its managed to work its way in!

so rather kick it in butt before it got any worse!

 

[Enfys]

We use any of the mentioned creams smothered on, then wrap with clingfilm, then stable bandages, leave on for 24 hours and the scabs will just come off.

 

[atropa]

Yep, ditto above. Slather legs with a cream, clingfilm then stable wraps on top for 8 hours...the scabs soften and come away so easily. Once you're rid of it I find pig oil with a layer of Vaseline on top applied every morning waterproofs the legs so easily that the mud just slides off when dry. Hate mud fever.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Udder cream is cheap and really good for this job!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Udder cream is cheap and really good for this job!

Caution advised, as I learnt at great cost last year.

Cream with or without lanolin and/or oils and sunshine on white legs can lead to sunburn. I very nearly lost my best horse last year. He did not have mud fever which is unusual for him. Throughout the winter I coated his legs with udder salve with great success. Spring came but the fields were still wet and the gateways deep so I maintained his legs as I had through the winter.

A couple of sunny days and bang, I had a horse with hind pasterns/fetlocks that virtually exploded. Grossly swollen and seeping yellow crud. The white fore limb followed suit a few days later. The only black limb he has was not affected. I battled 8 months of LV with him and it was mid winter before his legs healed.

My advice would be take great care with scab removal and if possible let nature deal with it before you intervene.

 

[wench]

When mine have had mud fever I have just slapped cream on over the top of all of it and had always cleared up

 

[indie1282]

Heel to hoof is the best thing I have used for mud fever. Rub a good dollop in to the scabs then repeat the next day then you will find you can just gently rub the scabs away. It contains lanolin, is waterproof and smells lovely!

 

[Roxylola]

I have had some success with Red Horse Honey Heal cream on scabby legs recently, seems to go a long way, stays on well and not mega expensive