Mud fever!
- Thread starter MrA
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Never had a horse with it, so can't really comment, I check Belle all over at least once every day, I would be looking out for anything that didn't look normal. Prevention I believe, although I'm not certain, is pig oil and keeping them out of the wet as much as possible, however I do know one horse who had it in the summer on dry pasture. Isn't it caused my a similar microbe to rain scald?
Opinions vary but this is from 2 different vets:
It is caused by repeated wetting and chilling of the legs rather than the mud itself. Horses wintering out knee deep in mud rarely get it. If you want to wash mud off, it's best to also dry the legs afterwards.
No evidence bandages prevent it. Lots of feathers are protective, but in minimally feathered horses, clipping is helpful.
It starts with small cracks in the heels.
Pig oil or other barrier treatments are good for prevention.
None of mine have ever had it. Cally lives out and stays muddy and once a week she comes in to dry off, I brush off the dry mud and put pig oil on her.
Xav & Oscar are in at night but I don't wash their legs very often either unless we are competing. They also get pig oiled once a week.
It is caused by repeated wetting and chilling of the legs rather than the mud itself. Horses wintering out knee deep in mud rarely get it. If you want to wash mud off, it's best to also dry the legs afterwards.
No evidence bandages prevent it. Lots of feathers are protective, but in minimally feathered horses, clipping is helpful.
It starts with small cracks in the heels.
Pig oil or other barrier treatments are good for prevention.
None of mine have ever had it. Cally lives out and stays muddy and once a week she comes in to dry off, I brush off the dry mud and put pig oil on her.
Xav & Oscar are in at night but I don't wash their legs very often either unless we are competing. They also get pig oiled once a week.
Ale had it the first couple of years I had him, just mildly but quite high up his legs.
To prevent I use pig oil and I reapply when the mud starts sticking to his legs overnight while in. Usually every few weeks.
Just interested in hearing what you all use to prevent etc.
So @Kite_Rider do you not apply anything to Belle legs?
To prevent I use pig oil and I reapply when the mud starts sticking to his legs overnight while in. Usually every few weeks.
Just interested in hearing what you all use to prevent etc.
So @Kite_Rider do you not apply anything to Belle legs?
ETA it is caused by bugs, but the bugs ionly cause a problem when they penetrate the skin. And this is far more likely with repeated washing of the legs as is causes the legs to chap and crack - like your hands would. Yes you can get cracks in the skin in a dry summer but wet, cold, winters are much more associated with dry chapped cracked skin from all the wetting and cold.
@Ale no I never put anything on her, tried pig oil once but kept forgetting and she's been fine so far so never bothered again. That said I never wash her legs off either, just leave to dry overnight. We don't really have a lot of deep mud either on this yard so she's never really wet and muddy anyway.
I've had two very different horses with it.
Joe had it, but mud chaps more or less solved the problem. Along with restricting his access to mud! None of the creams or lotion potions from the vet really worked for him, just the equilibrium chaps and molly coddling!lol tb's eh?! By spring it usually went.
Chloe however is much different as she has cushings which causes other on going complaints connected with skin. We use pig oil - not with sulphur tho. It helps to soften the scabs and acts as a good barrier. Hers never really goes and OH maintains it by picking off the softer bits. She loves being scratched on her legs so its not a problem most of the time. She does get a bit worse in mud but even atm being more yard / arena based still suffers. Malaseb shampoo helps once in a while or the green one, can't remember it's name!lol we've tried loads of things but pig oil so far and maintaining with scratches is the one things that works.
Joe had it, but mud chaps more or less solved the problem. Along with restricting his access to mud! None of the creams or lotion potions from the vet really worked for him, just the equilibrium chaps and molly coddling!lol tb's eh?! By spring it usually went.
Chloe however is much different as she has cushings which causes other on going complaints connected with skin. We use pig oil - not with sulphur tho. It helps to soften the scabs and acts as a good barrier. Hers never really goes and OH maintains it by picking off the softer bits. She loves being scratched on her legs so its not a problem most of the time. She does get a bit worse in mud but even atm being more yard / arena based still suffers. Malaseb shampoo helps once in a while or the green one, can't remember it's name!lol we've tried loads of things but pig oil so far and maintaining with scratches is the one things that works.
With both J and Chloe we kept washing to a minimum. Still can't recall that green shampoo name!lol will have to check in the tack room later. Seba something?! Its licensed for dogs and cats but vet gave it me for Chloe.
Aromaheel stuff is nice but I struggled getting near Chloe to apply it as hers was soooo sore when she first landed. I'd maybe try it again but it's not cheap and for now the pig oil seems to do the do!
Aromaheel stuff is nice but I struggled getting near Chloe to apply it as hers was soooo sore when she first landed. I'd maybe try it again but it's not cheap and for now the pig oil seems to do the do!
I use pig oil with sulphur about every 4 weeks or so. Ben does get very bad mud fever without it, but the pig oil clears it up and prevents it coming back. I couldn't live without it.
Ginger had 4 white stocking anf very thin skin I never wash his legs unless competeting (and only if they are looking more inbedded brown than white) He has it one at my old yard treated with lincoln muddy buddy then pig oil. Moved yards to down south never had it here. So to me it was some thing in soil up there as the mud here when bad was awful. Chanter never has it.
I do check every morning when their legs are dry when I brush them down.
I had an arab that had it on all 4 white socks up to the hocks very year had to have vet treatment in the end I didn't turn out in the winter as the mud was hick deep and she would go lame.
I do check every morning when their legs are dry when I brush them down.
I had an arab that had it on all 4 white socks up to the hocks very year had to have vet treatment in the end I didn't turn out in the winter as the mud was hick deep and she would go lame.
Roxy has had it mildly in her off hind (which is her white foot.) I applied sudocrem, picked off the scab when it was ready, and other than that she's been fine. I towel her feet dry every night when she comes in, and she has a deep bed to stand in while she eats, to help with her feet. I don't wash legs as I've read that the chilliness can exacerbate mud fever - if I do need to for any reason, I put on Thermatex boots until her legs are dry.
Mud fever type symptoms in the summer I would think is sunburnt heels?
I don't wash her legs. If I towel dried her feathers after I run the risk of them breaking off.
Every week I check her, I do a top to tail pamper session
I remove any excess mud that's starting to build up. As and when I think to I use oil. So far this winter she has been done three times, today being one.
Pig oil can burn thin skinned horses I have heard.
Washing legs always puzzles me. If you stable overnight, it's dry and brushes off in the morning.
I was on box rest this time last year, it took four days for her legs to fully dry.
I don't wash her legs. If I towel dried her feathers after I run the risk of them breaking off.
Every week I check her, I do a top to tail pamper session
I remove any excess mud that's starting to build up. As and when I think to I use oil. So far this winter she has been done three times, today being one.Pig oil can burn thin skinned horses I have heard.
Washing legs always puzzles me. If you stable overnight, it's dry and brushes off in the morning.
I was on box rest this time last year, it took four days for her legs to fully dry.
Raf has had it two or three times, always when he has had a cut around his heels and the bacteria that lives in the mud has got in, and then it spreads. Luckily having white unhairy legs it's very easy to spot and attend to. I imagine it's a bit of a nightmare on hairies.
I tried some different creams that were suggested on a H&H thread but the only thing that worked was a cream that the vets made up which has both antibacterial properties and a steroid. Just massage it into the scabs and they clear up within a week or two.
I tried some different creams that were suggested on a H&H thread but the only thing that worked was a cream that the vets made up which has both antibacterial properties and a steroid. Just massage it into the scabs and they clear up within a week or two.
Jess used to get summer mf, well thats the vets best guess, not really sure why but I personally think its due to our sandy & flinty soil, as it drys they sink more into it and it abrades the skin and the cycle begins. The oil just makes for a mess in dry sand so I just use dry sulphur powder to heal it. I tried all sorts of creams and potions, from the vet and over the counter, picking scabs, washing with medicated shampoo and drying thoroughly, none seemed to help much. Since moving to a yard without deep sandy areas that they hang out in the problem seems to have all but gone.
Last winter jess got mf and thrush, brought silvetrasol in the end and that cleared it up. She's probably become more susceptible due to cushings and its was just the wettest nastiest winter last year, we only got 2 morning frosts here.
I just check legs quickly when picking feet out and I dont really do anything preventative in winter, other that try and make sure she's all round healthy and getting fed all she needs.
Last winter jess got mf and thrush, brought silvetrasol in the end and that cleared it up. She's probably become more susceptible due to cushings and its was just the wettest nastiest winter last year, we only got 2 morning frosts here.
I just check legs quickly when picking feet out and I dont really do anything preventative in winter, other that try and make sure she's all round healthy and getting fed all she needs.
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