Would slightly filled legs in a youngster...

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FfionWinnie

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... Be a concern?

Horse has been stood in for a few days due to weather and has slight mud fever.

And would slight mud fever at this time of year be a concern?

I've never had a horse with mud fever, are some more sensitive to others and will it go away with a move on to very dry ground with no poaching.

Thanks.
 
Some land is worse than other land and some horses are worse than other horses. The trouble with mud fever now is that you could be struggling with it all winter. I hope you manage to get it under control.

The filling would not concern me if the horse was used to movement and is now being restricted.
 
how old is youngster?

are the filled legs warm to touch? are they all affected by mud fever? it could be that he needs a course of antibiotics... and then looking at why he is getting mud fever. My first port of call would be looking at his diet.

My 5 year old gets filled hinds when in. He's a big horse in a relatively small (12 x 12) Stable so it's understandable.
 
The filling would non concern me enough to panic as I assume it is the legs with the mud fever? Try to get the mud fever under control though now with gentle washing to remove the scabs with very dilute hibiscrub, rinse, dry thoroughly then apply sudocreme liberally. Re wash as above every day until cleared up and keep in if bad.

Muddy marvel cream is very good ongoing to keep this at bay.
 
The mud fever was very slight, the horse is 4 and has been out 24/7 until 4 days ago due to flooding in area. I wouldn't have said there was heat, and it wasn't noticeable until I felt down her legs.

I can speak to the vet about antibiotics just to get it away before the winter.

Is it actually caused by mud/wet conditions. I know rain scald is a bacterial infection, is mud fever something similar?
 
I suppose what I really want to know is that if I buy a horse with slight mud fever which is stood in a wet poached field and move it to my land which is dry, extensive and not poached, should the mud fever resolve and not reoccur.
 
Not necessarily. Some horses are very prone and mud fever can be the result of damp whether mud is present or not. So even on well drained land, if the horse is predisposed then it could still get it. Good diet is often a key, with many horses deficient in copper and zinc with effects on skin quality. If the horse does still get it on well drained ground, my advice would be to consider supplementing copper and zinc, and as a basic minimum make sure you are giving it an allround vit and min supplement.
 
Yes, mud fever is something similar but my point is that he might be sensitive to something or have a dietary imballance which is making him more susceptible to it. If he does get it repeatedly and it is costing you lots of money in meds etc, not to mention the discomfort for him, it might be worth you getting a forrage analysis and diet plan written... or feeding him something like Micronised Linseed which will help his skin :)
 
cptrayes said:
Not necessarily. Some horses are very prone and mud fever can be the result of damp whether mud is present or not. So even on well drained land, if the horse is predisposed then it could still get it. Good diet is often a key, with many horses deficient in copper and zinc with effects on skin quality. If the horse does still get it on well drained ground, my advice would be to consider supplementing copper and zinc, and as a basic minimum make sure you are giving it an allround vit and min supplement.
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Great minds think alike...
 
Thanks CB fan. I bought a horse with rain scald once and after 3 years of preventative baths in hexocil & pevedene she was cured and needed no further treatment or preventative.
 
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