Mud fever misery!

[Monty123]

We've owned my horse at the same yard since 1999, now aged 21 he's suffering from mud fever, he lives out 24/7 and until November just gone was hunting fit, as I'm expecting child number 2 in march living in really isn't an option as he'll go mad. We've also bought a new horse which has very pink skin and beginning to show signs of mud fever .

I've spoken to my vet and he's suggested 2 supplements, mud gard from naf or mud warrior, mud gard is part of a 3 step protection program, and bending is not a great option at the moment.

Any suggestions are all welcome. Thank you in advance.

It is a bit of a nightmare if he has to stay out. My usual treatment is to clip all hair off, wash and dry getting as much scab off as possible, slather with sudocreme/udder cream and repeat ad nauseum. However this probably isn't practical if your horse can't come in. I think the bending is going to be inevitable tbh as I don't think a supplement will heal mud fever, probably just helps to prevent.

Thank you, sadly he's just to high powered and gets very easily board in the stable, to the point where he becomes a real pain to handle, if he was in more exercise it my be a different matter.

I've only got 7 weeks to go with this one, and I'm very lucky it's been an easy pregnancy.

The winter is coming to an end so hopefully will get rid of the mud fever during the spring/summer. First time of getting it this badly since we bought him! Just wanted to see what others do with regard to treatment and prevention.

Many thanks

Can you get someone to exercise so you can keep him in more? Maybe they can do some of your chores too on lieu of payment which might be really helpful with baby on the way.

Could he just come in at night? Then at least the treatment will have chance to work. I also wouldn't count on a nice dry spring to clear it up. After this snow I think we will have weeks of mud before it begins to dry up. The water table is saturated so any rain doesn't drain like it normally does.

I also think getting someone to do him until you've had the baby is a great idea.

Hi there!

Unfortunately my mare also developed mud fever last November time and I tried various things, which didn't work. I think it depends on how bad the mud fever is as to how well the over the counter preparations work.

I couldn't control my girl's mud fever that way, so my vet gave me a cream he made up with some antibiotics in, which worked a treat.

I've always been told not to constantly wash the area because the moisture helps encourage the bacteria to breed. I did clip her hair back around it though and, the girst time washed it with a warm water/hibiscrub solution and dried carefully. I then applied my vet's preparation. As it was very (constantly) wet/raining at the time I coated the area with petroleum jelly (advised by vet) to make a barrier. I would just wipe this off every time I applied more cream. I never washed again after that first time.

Once I had cleared the worst of it I then bought something called Aromaheel, which was highly recommended to me. I have honestly found it excellent. I also coated that with Vaseline too for added water resistance. Touch wood I've had no problems since.

I think whatever you do, you're going to need to find someone to bend down for you as there will be no other way of treating him.

I have a URL for the Aromaheel (sorry, can't do links on my phone).

Hope you are able to get it sorted and best of luck with the new baby .

www.aromesse.com/skin-problem/Aromaheel_Mud_ointment.html

I wouldnt leave it till after the baby is born as mud fever can become very serious if left. I also used to find with an old horse that suffered from mud fever that spring was often just as bad as the winter especialy if turned out in long grass.

As said above if you can the horse really needs to be brought in, even if you don't what it stabled how about been turned out during the day on a croncrete yard just to break the cycle of been constantly wet and muddy. The powers are good and stop the mud sticking to the legs and help form a barrier (these could be applied from a distance, so avoid bending) protocon gold is an old fashioned product that I used to use with a horse that was very prone to mud fever it helps to treat and forms a protective barrier. I wouldnt clip the legs unless you are going to be able to bring in and treat on a very regular bases as the hair will be giving a bit of protection.

Last year I persuaded my husband to lunge my mare so she was at least kept in a bit of work to help keep her mentaly stable through my pregnacy.

The new horse I would cover any pink bits in a preventative cream or powder. Worst case sinario your vet may prescribe anti-biotics for the short term.

I've been struggling with this for a few weeks now - the original patch has been seen off by Sudocrem, however a new bit showed itself on Monday and I had the vet out on Tuesday. It has become infected so he hibiscrubbed and then put a dressing with flamazine and steroid over it, plus a penicillin jab. The dressing was changed yesterday and it still looks horribly sore - the instructions are to change the dressing again on Sunday, then Wednesday then send him a photo. I am looking at least another week of stabling. I was really surprised at how quickly it developed too - within 24 hours it was an open sore.

He is now in 24/7 (usually only in at night) - luckily the bad weather means his mates are in too, and the vet has said that keeping it dry is the most important thing. Once it is healed I am to plaster the whole area with sudocrem whenever he is out. The vet is not in favour of washing but prefers the mud to be brushed off when dry. I am going to use Keratex mud powder as well as I'm told that is an effective "dry" preventative measure.

It wouldn't be cheap but you could always look at light sedation if your horse has to be kept in.