The dreaded mud fever

[frostyfingers]

Dhorse has (I think) succumbed - there is a patch on his heel, on his white foot which whilst not scabby is definitely oozing and sore. There's no heat or inflammation but he's not keen on me handling his foot. I have spoken to the vet who has recommended Terramycin spray and Sudocrem and I have decided to keep him stabled for the next couple of days to try and get it to dry out properly. Unfortunately I can't do longer as he will go nuts (more nuts than he is already). I am planning to bring him to my field at home which has good grass cover and is big so doesn't have any muddy patches and has been animal free since the end of September. There is nowhere to stable him though which is why he's at livery but his field there is a muddy swamp and I thought being out of the mud for a week is better than puddling around during the day and dry at night......

I have seen these Equi Chaps which are meant to be good at keeping legs dry - does anyone have experience of them, and are they worth the £££'s? There is no chance of changing his muddy field so he will have to go back to it in the New Year - I can't keep him at home long term.

This is the first year I have really wondered why I do it, at the moment it is all expenditure for not a great deal in return - my fellow livery is giving up her horse and I know I won't do that, but do feel just a little tinge of envy sometimes!

is that the pink stuff from the vet that actually zaps mud fever? Then any barrier cream you like on top?

commiserations, I found muddy marvel (and a change of field at least during day) helpful but every day we haven't yet succumbed (or to bog burn) this year is a miracle

Terramycin is that blue colour spray which is used in cattle & sheep for foot rot etc, and I use it for any small cuts and abrasions at is has some antibiotic in it (I think!). I was going to put Sudocrem on whilst he's in and dry and then the spray and vaseline when he's out.

I'm rubbing pig oil into 8 legs to try and keep it away, so far so good.

Oh gawd I meant to order some more pig oil. Another thing I've forgotten!

When our Irish draught ( deceased) got it we used to wash with hibiscrub to get the scabby bits off then dry well and barrier cream ,it wasn't too bad as he had a full clip all winter and we kept his feathers off all year to make management easier .

Dpony had a patch developing last week - washed his legs with Muddy Buddy, dried, then a good coat of sudocreme, and they are fine this weekend in spite of still being in the mud (plenty of places not to be in it, just that they have made it muddy round the haylage bale).

He still absolutely honks though - they are all wet, muddy, and have their heads stuck in the wet haylage, and its horrid

Dhorse isn't scabby at all, it just looks like a carpet burn really so I'm hoping I will have caught it in time. The problem with the livery field is that there is absolutely nowhere to stand that's out of wet mud, which is why I want him home for a bit. I was going to do it today but feel that a couple of days in the stable will hopefully give it a head start on the healing front.

Hibuscrub then leave legs until totally dry.

Udder cream.

Never fails

Id use sudocreme rather than vaseline when hes out. It stays put better. In terms of that sort of barrier cream, how about metanium? I remember that from when DD had really bad nappr rash. It sticks like shit to a blanket! and is the same consistancy! By far the gakkiest cream I can remember from back then.

Equichaps can be a mixed blessing tbh. They can rub if not put on exactly right, get covered in mud and incredibly stiff so even harder to fit, and are
Useless if you already have mud fever. I used to have some fab thermatex stable bandages for the winter, I would hose legs on bringing in, and put thermatex bandages on to dry them off quick overnight. I used to use dermobium ointment from the vet, but I don't think you can get that anymore, which is a shame as it was amazing stuff. I also used to clip legs as shorter hair means quicker drying. Never used ointment or anything unless there was actual mud fever or a cut, as I was told by the vet that it makes the skin softer and more vulnerable to scrapes/grit rubs.

Agree. I'm not a fan of putting anything long term on a horse that nature didn't intend to be there!