| Mud
Fever -
Causes.
Mud Fever is the partner to
wet and muddy conditions, with the climatic
conditions we have had in the last 12 months
it’s a wonder we haven’t all developed
Mud Fever, but then we don’t live in fields,
which by the very nature of our weather are
muddy.Rainy days combined with an increasingly
warm climate make muddy fields worse than ever
and ideal breeding grounds for Mud fever.The
constant wet, makes the skin soften (a bit like
us when we’ve been in thebath too long),
the legs become vulnerable. The legs, plunge
in and out of wetgritty mud and this abrasive
action causes little lesions in the soft skin.
Dirt and bacteria get in and infection begins.
Symptoms
The skin over the pasterns
and heels becomes infected, resulting in scabby
lesions, which can be very painful. Sometimes
the infection extends to the skin further up
the legs. For some reason white limbs are particularly
susceptible, maybe the pink pigmentation is
more sensitive!
Mud fever is the term used
to describe the condition when it involves the
lower limbs, most commonly the back of the pastern
and the heels, where it is seen as crusty scabs.
It can also occur along the backs of some horses
that are kept outside without rugs, this it
is known as rain scald. The inflamed skin may
have adischarge, causing the hair to matt, giving
the coat a rough, un-groomed appearance.
In severe cases, the skin
at the back of the pastern may split open, producingdeep
horizontal cracks, commonly called cracked heels.
Infection can enter these areas of damaged skin,
resulting in a hot, swollen and painful leg
andcause severe lameness. In the summer months,
a less severe but equally persistent form of
the disease occurs. Firmly adherent scabs are
found in the pastern and heel regions.
Prevention
Mud Fever can be prevented
by limiting the contact with mud, during turn
out,and can be achieved by using a barrier cream,
The legs must be clean anddry when applying
or moisture will be sealed in, creating an environmentwhere
harmful bacteria thrive. There are also various
leg wraps and bandages that are designed to
be worn in the field, to help prevent Mud Fever,
becareful that the Mud doesn’t get up
underneath these, as the abrasive mudcould rub
the skin raw and allow infection in. Always
make sure both legs andboots are dry before
applying.
There are different schools
of thought on whether muddy legs should be left
todry or hosed off when the horse is brought
in. (Some times it has to be done,but not every
night, if you do, be sure to dry legs thoroughly.)
If a good barrier cream has been applied prior
to turn out, though there is mud seemingly on
the leg, it is actually on the barrier cream,
not the leg and therefore you are not making
the leg any wetter by leaving the mud to dry.
In the morning youwill find most of the mud
has fallen off into the bed. Brush off any remaining
mud and reapply the barrier cream. Some barrier
creams will last for 2 – 3days with out
re-applying!
Treatment
Remove your horse from the
cause i.e. the wet and the mud. This could meanstabling,
or onto a hard stand, for a few hours a day,
to allow everything timeto dry out. Carefully
brush off any dry mud and bathe the infected
area, with amild antiseptic, like Savlon, diluted
with warm water. Dry thoroughly
Usually itis at this stage
removal of the scabs is recommended, which will
at the very least be uncomfortable for the horse
and at most, very painful. Apply an ointment
that has strong antibacterial properties. There
are some ointments where scab removal is not
necessary and can be applied straight onto thescabs,
which will soften and become easier and less
painful to remove, or indeed drop off all together.
Treatment of the scabby sore
areas needs to berepeated daily until the condition
is under control. Before the horse is turned
out again apply a barrier cream. There are some
barrier creams available,which also have strong
antibacterial properties and are effective in
bothtreatment and prevention.
Always test any new products
for your horse, on a little patch of skin in
case they have anallergic reaction
.© Hilary Clifton Browne 2008
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