Flippin mud fever!!!

[mogadoga]

Alex's mud fever has been fine this year. Tiiiiny scabs on the backs of his knees but nothing to worry about. With no warning or anything he got two strips of nasty looking black scabs on the back of his cannon bone, on both front legs. They were about 1/2" - 1" wide, and about 3" long.

I cleaned his legs, and applied cream, after patting them dry (they are clipped). He wasnt overly happy with me doing it, but neither would you be im sure! Then this morning i covered his legs as usual with a barrier cream. Out he went.

He was slow coming from the field, but i had another horse and he always drags behind when im leading anohter horse with him. Poped him outside his stable while i changed the other horses rug.

When i went to clean his hooves he wasnt walking right. Struggling with both front legs. And catching himself with the back. Like we do when we limp. I felt awful not realising!!

What do i do??? Ive cleaned his legs again, and there is swelling in an oval shape now on each stifle where the scabs were. I dont know weather bandaging with the cream is best, to keep the muck off. Or leaving them , as the heat under the bandage may make some dirt get under the skin (bandages are clean but obviously wont be sterile).

I knew something would happen! Ive put off getting my saddle sorted as when i get it done im normally ill and it doesnt fit again. Now its alex's turn!!

[vikkig]

bless ya sorry to hear its alex's time to be bad,

there was a thread on here about pig oil of something like that which is suppose to be really good

i bandages one of the horses on the yard with fleece when his was really bad to draw the damp out also give him a nice deep bed also to help.

[mogadoga]

Normally when he gets it hes fine, but i did bandage them the night before so thinking maybe this caused the swelling? I tried without lastnight so will try with tonight.

It looks scary! It looks like he has navicular or something the way he is walking, but i know it isnt with the scabs etc, but it did cross my mind!!

He has a huge bed (i always tell people off for this on the yard as they do it for no reason but 'it looks nice' and wonder why the owner gets mad lol) so the poo will bury below where the swelling/scabs actually are.

Ive been fine with what i do Vikki , i stopped feeding MSM 5 days ago as ran out, i fed it cos i think it helped with his mud fever, either a scary coincidence or it worked!!! Hes back on it now though!! Il bandage today when i get there :) Thanks

[cariadbach10]

I totally understand where you're coming from - it's a nightmare. My loan horse arrived with mus fever on his heels. After a week of washing it clean, drying it and rubbing in steroid cream I was panicking as it wasn;t working and Ernie was trying to kick me every time I went near his back end! Not suprising as the scabs were sore and damp.

Some one reccomended Keratex Powder to me and I started putting that on over the top before he went out. It's like talc and disinfects and protects the area, effectively drying the fever out. The best thing about it for me was that I coudl just 'puff' it onto his legs without having to handle them too much. I put it on every morning and evening and didnt even touch his legs other than to pick his hooves. A week later when the trimmer came the scabs literally just came off in her hands and he was virtually clean.

The mistake I felt I made was keeping washing and drying. It causes pain and is uncomfortable for the horse.Keratec is about ten quid and just dries everything out.Makes sense really!

[Jenni]

pig oil and sulphur :D

im a convert to this :)

[coyote]

If you need my help pm me.:D

[mogadoga]

Can i use it when hes already scabby etc(Pig oil/sulpher)? Im scarfed to cover them with something now as i dont want to trap the bacteria.

He wants to be out, but i dont wonna let him out as the muck wont help. But his legs are filled so i want him out. I think its infection rather than just swelling though.

The heat is gone and he is putting weight on his legs much better. Will see how he is then call the vet on tues if no improvement tomorrow.

[coyote]

save yourself a vet bil,try it, slap it on,it kills the bacteria and heals the skin underneath,the scabs soften and fall off on their own.:D

[mogadoga]

Ah so its not just a barrier, what was the name of the person on ebay? I remember you saying once :)

[coyote]

this is him,hes on ebay too,
http://www.matthewburks.co.uk/

[mogadoga]

Whats his ebay name so i can find the stuff off the right person :D

[coyote]

here it is.

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/matt286bay/

ask him for 5l of pig oil and sulpher already mixed if he can dio that,tell him i said so,sam xxx

[mogadoga]

Thanks, ive emailed!

[Nookster]

Massive thumbs up for pig oil and sulphur and coyote for her introduction to it.

Vol had mud fever which was horrible and with my years with horses the worst I have witnessed myself he just takes a reaction really badly. Massive scabs and very sore. Even with all the ‘so called’ Mud products I had been applying to try and prevent it. He had everything from keratex , turn out boots, to muddy marvel products. Nothing worked and I spent a fortune on different products that I went through quicker then I bought them!!

After reading posts I bought Pig oil and sulphur to give it a try – rubbed it into his very sore legs and still turned out in to a winter muddy field daily – they have healed! Scabs dropped off by themselves and nice new pink skin underneath that the fur is growing back on. Really impressed how well it has actually worked!! Considering nothing has worked before. Also is ten times cheaper than any other product!

Mud as people have said just comes off.

Washing and drying just sadly aggravates the problem.

I have no maintenance over his legs now – no washing/drying of turn out boots that never worked, no putting on boots, no rubbing in powder or creams and the most fantastic one - no upsetting him daily trying to apply creams when his legs were so sore. He gets his application of pig oil and sulphur and is just left alone till his next application. Really impressed and less stressed haha!

[Big Ears]

I found the Barrier H cream was excellent as either a barrier cream, or to soften the scabs, if you massaged it in for a few days, they just came off, leaving nice clean skin underneather.

I used the thermatex leggings overnight and found that they were great, even if put on over the cream, sure they got greasy and you needed more than one set, but the legs were dry and toasty warm in the morning.

[mogadoga]

Update::

Its on, hes going out when i get a lift to the farm - car died!

The swelling is non existant when out, going up again when in, might add some global herbs restore to take the toxins out as dont want lymphangitis to occur and it looks like this is going to happen!!! (only out alternate days :mad:)

Also, once i brush off any muck etc like i do anyway, and if it seems there isnt enough pig oil on...do i wash and re-apply. Or simply wack it on as it is? Im guna be your worst nightmare coyote.

Andrew, my handy helper and farmers son decided to stick his nose in the bottle and go 'wow it smells like the oil on the tractors!!!' so yes, if he likes it that much he can apply it and get covered next time haha

[Nookster]

Also, once i brush off any muck etc like i do anyway, and if it seems there isnt enough pig oil on...do i wash and re-apply. Or simply wack it on as it is?

I do them simply as they are 'never' washing again unless for a show But my lad just comes in for evening gets brushed off if needs too next morning (normally just runs off tho) and applied new pig oil.

[Shannon_Clover]

I remember a special kind of long boots a little like the travel boots that help prevent mud fever and can be worn in field.

saw in mag, anyone remeber name and where buy online?

[Rips]

Equichaps?

I wonder where you can get pig oil and sulphur here?

[Shannon_Clover]

I had a look at link are the pig oil suplhur mix any good for lice, it say can be use to treat or prevent mites are lice the same thing?

[Nookster]

Equichaps?

I wonder where you can get pig oil and sulphur here?

would the ebay seller post to you ?

[mogadoga]

Well last update i need.
All cleared and hair grown over. There is small scabs but on the ned of grown hair which tbh im going to cut off cos they are annoying.

No swelling/lameness woohoo :D Im a pure convert now!!!!