Yikes not Tendons - severe mud fever making fetlocks joint swell - Now what ?

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Beatrice5

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As per title.

Went down this afternoon and had another really good check over and found some horrid deep patches of mud fever on inside of fetlock ( I had just looked at heels and ouside of back legs which are clear ) Feel very ashamed for not sticking my head around the inside of her back legs :(

So now what do I do. Hibi scrub washed and dryed off yest. On clean pasture today so still clean and now on hardstanding for night. Gave a danillon with tea and put some liquid parrafin on to soothe overnight whilst I seek advice.

Do I need antibiotics? really worried as obv affecting joints hence swelling. What should I do now?
 
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Keep clean and dry, as much movement as possible to reduce swelling, if they dont go down, at least after she has been turned out, anti-biotics may be required to tackle the infection. I use gold label wonder gel with good results it is easy to put on and does not stop the air getting to it.

On a positive note it is better than tendons and it must stop raining soon and we can all dry out.
 
Mud fever can make a horses joints swell but it won't actually affect the joint as such. Mud fever is a skin condition, it will not affect the internal joint although it gives the appearance of doing so due to the swelling.

I'd get an extension lead, hair dryer and kitchen roll. Wash the horses legs with warm water to soften the scabs, and don't fanny around, give it a good scrub with the warm water and hibiscrub. Then rinse with copious amounts of water, pat dry with kitchen roll and then finish off with the hair dryer (use a power breaker in case the horse steps on the hair dryer lead and obviously use only in a stable/indoors and well away from your water bucket!). Give the horse a clean deep bed, and keep in for a few days until its healed. Treat with sudocream or an effective and soothing barrier cream. You might like to consider flower of sulphur mixed with lard and put on the horses legs whilst the weather is raining hard when your horse goes out again. Nightmare to get off but fantastic protection against wet/mud. You can leave it on for a week at a time too.
 
A simple course of antibiotics cleared it up in my old mare after trying everything else. Hibiscrub to remove the scabs or you can buy Scab remover which is really good stuff.
Once it's gone you can then use barrier creams etc to prevent it from coming back. Thermatex leg wraps are a good investment for drying legs out overnight so you can slap the cream on dry skin in the morning.
 
Thank you for replies.

Sadly I don't have electricity in field she is in so can't dry her out fully.

I have phoned vet and am awaiting a call back.

Will the antibiotics be edible ones or topical ? My little gelding also has one swollen fetlock poor chap.

I have one stable and 4 horses who all need a break from the mud so am managing them in pairs with one in stable and one on hardstanding outside stable and doing switch over morning and evening. Have made a fresh paddock but with all this rain again lastnight and today it won't stay fresh for long. I feel I am fighting a loosing battle as even when on hardstanding there is water coming from the sky :(

Fingers crossed vet can help really need the good weather to come and be on my side. Don't know how others with horses out 24/7 and no stables cope in this situation. Will do my best to get some decent field shelters this year ready for next winter as this isn't funny.
 
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