TCJ77 Mud Fever: Part Three

TCJ31 FURTHER TO MY UPDATE:

To be suffering with mud fever in August...via a very wet June & July does seem a little ludicrous doesn't it?  But here we are, and Henry has mud fever around his left fore pastern.

This is what Horse & Hound say about managing it from 2008+9 (don't worry, mud fever hasn't changed since then!).  I regularly consult the H&H vet pages, it's brilliant.

10 ways to manage mud fever:

21 April 2008

Mud fever is a general term for a skin infection around the heels and pastern of a horse. It is also frequently called “greasy heels” or “cracked heels” and is caused by an infectious agent called dermatophilus congolensis, which loves muddy wet conditions.

The infection can stay dormant in the skin, becoming active when the skin is compromised in some way, usually by prolonged wetting.

Spores germinate to produce hyphae (threadlike tentacles) that penetrate into the living skin and spread in all directions from the original site. The result is an acute inflammatory reaction. **it only needs to be a tiny break in the skin surface therefore to let this nasty in.

Often the disease is made worse by a secondary infection. Classically there will be serum oozing from the skin, causing the hairs to stick together.

There are often crusty scabs on the skin surface that, if pulled off, will reveal a greeny-yellow pus with the protruding hair resembling paint brushes.  

Mud fever can be extremely painful to touch, especially if secondary infection is present, but is rarely itchy.

Frequently more than one limb is affected.

In severe cases, the whole limb may swell up and a secondary lymphangitis can develop. This is serious and requires intensive veterinary treatment usually including both intravenous antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.
**This is what Henry had, very nasty indeed, and that's why I'm a fanatic now.

Karen Coumbe MRCVS

8 January, 2009
While there is no magic cure for mud fever, there are certain steps you can take to minimise the detrimental effects to your horse's health:

1. Where possible eliminate any recognisable triggering factors such as mud or mites, so consult your vet to obtain an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment plan.

2. Stable the horse on clean bedding and provide good living conditions.

3. Carefully clip (not shave) the affected area, so that air can get to it and allow it to dry.

4. Remove the scabs. A suitable antiseptic wash (like chorhexidine) and warm water is best to reduce infection. Your vet may need to sedate the horse to do this effectively.
**I use Hibiscrub on mine, SR

5. Carefully dry the area — use clean towels or a hairdryer with a circuit breaker — to prevent the skin remaining wet and waterlogged.

6. A variety of ointments, lotions and potions are available to use as an emollient to maintain hydration of the skin. Again your vet should be consulted as to what is best for your own horse.
**for a bad case where your horse is lame, he'll need antibiotics from your vet and some anti-inflammatory (equipalazone).

7. Remove all scabs and debris and ensure the stable is properly disinfected. Keep the horse in or turn out on to a manège or well-drained, dry field.

8. If there are deep heel cracks or big open sores, they should be dressed with a non-stick dressing and cotton wool or gamgee, otherwise leave the legs unbandaged to allow the area to breathe; bugs flourish in damp areas, so do everything you can to keep the limbs warm and dry.
**I have successfully used hoof-boots over these dressings so Tom & Henry can go about their usual routine.

9. Severe cases with obvious infection CALL YOUR VET, your horse may need a long course of antibiotics, which needs to be continued for seven to 10 days after the soreness has abated. Your vet may also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as bute to reduce the pain and swelling.
**This what happened to Henry, he has a swollen leg for over 2 weeks, it was horrible.

10.Make sure your horse has been protected against tetanus.

Henry:  this time began when he lost a shoe in July and his hoof boot rubbed him a little, you wouldn't even have noticed it, but it was enough for that nasty infection to take it's hold on my boy once again. 

Well, I'm not standing for it this time. 

I have washed the area until Henry can't stand it anymore, I used a hose to soften the crusty bits and as I dried the area thoroughly, the scabs came loose.  I dried it more, all the while administering treats, and applied an after lotion I bought on-line for mud fever: MUD MARVEL.  It isn't cheap, but it does the job.

In a few days, Henry's skin that straight after I've just done the first-aid bit above, looks red, sore and angry, will fade, go pale and dry up completely.

I think we're all going to have to get used to these climate changes, and prepare for flies in the winter and mud fever in the summer, always a good idea therefore to have your first aid and lotions and potions cupboard fully stocked, because you never know now when you might need what used to be seasonal applications.

Here I have wrapped the pastern in a bandage with a liberal application of wound cream and a dressing on top.  The bandage does the trick to keep the area moist and clean as well as keeping the flies away, we don't have to worry about this in winter...mud fever in summer is a different matter!

This stays on for a few days whilst the area becomes pale and then Henry will go without any topical applications to clear it up completely.  The bandage also has the added bonus of helping any swelling to go down, leaving Henry free to gallop around with Tom.