Mud fever - How to deal with it and how to cope!

The best thing you can do if you suspect your horse has mud fever is not panic. Occasionally mud fever  has an awful tendency to look a lot worse than it actually is and can cause the leg to ballon up in a matter of hours.

Before we start looking in to possible cures and how to treat, we need to establish what exactly mud fever is and why some horses get it and others don't!

What is it?

Mud fever is a group of diseases that causes irritation and dermatitis in the lower limbs of horses. Often it is caused by a mixture of bacteria called "Dernatophilus congolensis and Staphylococcus spp". Although mud fever is normally associated with mud, it can also be caused by mites; this is less common but owners should be vigilant.

Before Ceaser was got mud fever last winter I thought it was something that was associated with winter, wet weather and mud. However, this myth is wrong and a horse can suffer an attack at any time of the year - autumn, winter, spring and summer.

How will I know if my horse has mud fever?

Any of the following can be signs:
- Matted area of hair containing crusty scabs
- Thick, creamy, white, yellow or greenish discharge between the skin and overlying scab
- Raw looking skin
- Inflamed, sore looking legs
- Lameness
- In bad cases: lethargy, depression, loss of appetite.

In Ceaser's case, sometimes his legs looked clean and I struggled to find the scabs. However, I was told once that even the smallest of scabs can cause swelling and lameness. You have to be very vigilant when checking the legs and almost go through with a fine tooth comb to ensure you get every scab off.

How can I help if my horse has mud fever?

Keeping your horses skin clean and dry is the basic necessity to treating mud fever. There is no point in washing the legs if you are then going to leave them wet, put your horse back in the stable and go. If you intend to do that then you may as well leave the mud on. One of the most important things to do is dry the legs.

If your horse has any scabs on his lower legs that you suspect may be mud fever then the best thing you can do is soak his legs in a warm water with some salt in and gently remove the scabs. It may seem cruel and sore to pick the scabs off, but it is important that you get them off in order to be able to clean the infected area. It is important to not clean the area with a normal shampoo - this won't work! Once the scabs are removed then wash the area in a mild disinfectant such as an iodine wash or hibi-scrub.

In particularly bad cases I have found with Ceaser that washing in a warm mix of salt and water is fantastic. Then after drying the legs I spray on an iodine spray which helps get rid of any infection by thoroughly cleaning the area. For a while I spent a fortune on creams from the vets and antibacterial jelly, however good old salt is just as good and what was used way before any specialist products were introduced.

If you do want to add some cream onto the wounds after spraying on iodine then Betnovate cream is your best friend. This cream is traditionally used for treating Eczema in humans and has a steroid in that  is fantastic for treating skin conditions in horses, like mud fever.

To clip or not to clip. To wash or not to wash?

Often horse owners put mud fever down to a horse being stood in a muddy field for too long or washing his legs too much. They are both wrong. I have been told by my vet this is another myth and incorrect. If a horse is prone to mud fever he will get it whether or not you wash the legs once a day or once a week. It is all about working out what works for your horse. If you find you have been washing his legs every night and he still gets mud fever then try leaving the mud on to dry and brushing it off instead. If this doesn't work then try a different approach. Individual approaches will work for individual horses - no two cases of mud fever are similar, it really does depend on the horse.

Clipping is another big question. I have spoken to many owners that ponder whether or not to clip. Again, it is about working out what works for your horse. Some need their feathers to protect their legs, whereas others need their feathers removing so you can get right to the core of the scabs and get rid of them. I have found that Ceaser needs his legs clipping regularly. When I clip I try to get as much hair off as possible.

What else?

If you know your horse is prone to mud fever then it is important to check his legs daily, or even twice a day.

In bad cases, your horse may need antibiotics if the mud fever has turned in to an infection.

A few top tips to dealing with mud fever and preventing it:

- Remove scabs that you find. Don't pick them off without soaking in hot water first.
- If you are using gloves or paper towel to remove scabs then remember to use a new glove or bit of towel before moving on to a different scab. Mud fever is a bacterial problem and can be transferred.
- Carefully dry the area to prevent skin remaining wet and water logged. Again, always use new clean towels.
- A variety of creams, ointments and other lotions are available to use. Seek advice from your vet and work out what is best for you horse.
- If the affected area is particularly bad and open sores are evident then they should be dressed with something. I use a cream for Ceaser if he is bad that I get from my vet. It has a antibiotic in and is fabulous for horses like him that cannot have antibiotics intravenously.
- Sever swelling, lameness and open sores can mean your horse has a secondary infection to the mud fever. At this point you will need to get your vet out as your horse could need a shot of antibiotics intravenously to get it into his blood stream quicker.
- Mud fever isn't confined to the field. If your horse has a horrible, wet and dirty bed whilst he has an open sore, then it could turn into mud fever. Keep your bedding clean!
- Aloe vera cream is fantastic for soothing mud fever sores. I have used this ever since Ceaser first got mud fever and it is fantastic!

Myth:

Mud fever doesn't just occur on horses with pink skin. Any horse, any colour can get it, but it is just less likely. Even if your horse is bay, be vigilant.

If you suspect your horse has mud fever then seek advice from your vet. It may not always mean he/she needs to come out, but they can offer advice over the phone. It is not the end of the world if your horse has mud fever and although it is a pain to treat it is treatable.

Here is a link to the diary I kept of Ceaser's mud fever. Whilst we had a very bad 11 months with it last year, I am glad to have finally got it under control and he has been mud fever free for 5 months now!

Salt, warm water, Betnovate, heel dressing, aloe vera and iodine has been my best friend!

SHARE:

Labels: betnovate , equine , iodine , mud , mud fever , mud fever in horses , salt water , stable , vet , warm water , water