A few quick questions...
My pony has mud fever. This is a bit of a worry because she came to me with it (I mistakenly assumed they were just scabbed over cuts like the other fifty scabbed over cuts she came with but when they didnt go away like the others did I discovered that they were actually mud fever.) There is no swelling but those crusties are there. Now, where she came from did not have a lot of mud but it was open pasture... so best as I can figure she probably had these few little patches left over from last spring. She has a dollar coin sized patch on one pastern, a few penny sized patches on another two pasterns and one foot with none at all. Something in my gut is telling me that there is something going on in her system... but I'm not sure what... worms, poor gut flora, a missing nutrient...something... anyways, I am more than open to any suggestions as to how to treat the mud fever topically...
Also, my little princess is constantly pestered by flies....no seriously, flies love my mare like nobodies business! Her pasture mate will not have a single fly on her and where as my girl will have a dozen, especially and specifically on her legs. Now, I am wondering if maybe these two things are connected in some way. Any ideas on why flies love her legs and if there is anything I can feed her to help her out (garlic?)?
Her and her salt block are best friends. Seriously, she has gone through like half of one of those mini ones (that you hang in the stall) and she is constantly at the one out in the pasture. I feel like I am missing something here. I am starting her on a supplement (usually I would already have her on one over the first ten days or so she had the runs, was on new hay, new grain, new pasture and had just been wormed so I thought I would hold off until she had settled in before introducing anything more...and this past week I just havent gotten to it.)
So... Mud Fever. Flies. Salt addiction. Hmmm....
I battled mud fever all last winter. What works great to treat it is either using Betadine to spray on the affected area, or to hose down her legs with a Nolvasan solution (mixed with water) and use your fingers to scrub off the scabbies, then put on Nolvasan ointment (if you can find the ointment, I heard that it might be discontinued? which would really suck, cuz that stuff is the bomb!) Nolvasan is expensive, but it works awesome for scratches (mud fever), and any minor cuts. I also keep my horses lower legs clipped down with a # 10 blade (a #15 would work too) which helps the legs dry way quicker this time of year.
ReplyDeleteThe flies could be attracted to her legs due to the mud fever, especially if there is any oozy, crusty stuff there.
My Arab loves her salt. She is constantly licking the salt block, and I hardly ever see Fritzy or Chance licking it.
Good luck treating the mud fever and enjoy your little princess!
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ReplyDelete簽到喔
http://www.eqyss.com/pet_microtek_spray.asp
ReplyDeleteMicro tek spray, works like magic for all skin conditions.
A little spendy but a bottle lasts me over a year . I have used it for years and always recommend it, its gentle, effective and smells good. It heals the skin without irritation.
Microtek or a 50/50 mixture of generic Listerine and mineral/baby/or Vitamin E oil. Peel the crust bu running a comb at an angle under them and they lift off.
ReplyDeleteFly Predators or another brand thereof really made a difference here.
Micro-tek shampoo and spray, Nolvasan and also Listerine for a mild case. I don't take off the scabbies - it hurts the horse and also doesn't allow the scab to provide protection for healing skin. If conditions are wet, I'll put Desenex powder on the areas to keep things dry.
ReplyDeleteHorses with white legs can be very prone to this.
Some horses eat a lot of salt - be sure you're using the white blocks not the colored ones which are for cattle - and that's a good thing as it encourages good drinking.
Welcome to the world of white legs or heavy feathered draft legs !!!
ReplyDeleteI have both... ugh
I wash legs thoroughly with anti-fungal then dry very very well, then spray listerine and Vitamin E oil.
I don't pull the scabs, I just scrub really really well, what comes off, comes off.
Good luck!
~Jeni
I have had problems with mud fever in the past as well as rain rot. The best thing I've found that will cure both fast is called M-T-G
ReplyDeleteMane Tail Groom. You can order it online from most horse sites like valley vet or KV supply. It is in the conditioner section. It is really greasy and smells yucky but it works and will help her hair grow back too.
To combat the fly situation I have always fed a yellow sulfur block free choice to my horses. It works great and you will see a difference within a week or so.
Hope this helps!
Hmm - don't know much about the mud fever - hopefully some of the suggestions here help...
ReplyDeleteToo bad about the flies - I've heard good and bad about the garlic feed supps - might work though. Makes sense that they would be attracted to her legs if she has sores there.
Rusty is a salt licking machine. He didn't have salt at his old barn (I know!) and he ate through 2 in the first month at the new place. I started him on a vitamin and mineral supplement (purina) on my farriers recommendation (his hooves were really chipping badly) and he doesn't lick the salt lick as much as he used to.
I'm sure you will get her all sorted out...
So sorry about these problems....
ReplyDeleteI have had my mare get mud fever once, it was at a barn that threw the poo into the soggy run....leading me to believe its in the ground primarily....since, she's never had it again. I made the mistake of washing her with warm water (which opens the pores) letting the bacteria take hold.
If I wash mudd off now...cold water and I wipe her legs drywith a horsey devoted towel (s).
If I were to try something now, if probably use-sore no more-"the sauce". But the others have experience..and some proven outcomes above.
I use"Springtime inc." Garlic. They have the science and links to the testing proving that airdried method is safe. + testimonials.
Hope your princess gets healed soon!
I keep legs clipped so they don't stay wet and gross and use MicroTek for any skin funks that come up. It works great on scratches. They have a spray, gel, shampoo and blanket/wrap/pad wash to cover all the bases. I've also just discovered Mane and Tail's Pro-Tect (or something like that). It has a different active ingredient and works pretty good too, though I haven't put it to work on scratches. Yet. lol
ReplyDeleteAny time my ponies have the runs I use Fast Track, which works really well and is pretty inexpensive.
I would guess the flies are related to the mud fever ickiness. I can't think of any correlation with the salt lick. Maybe she just hasn't had one in a while. I know my horses go through phases with the salt blocks. They'll leave them alone for a while and then suddenly put a huge dent in them overnight.
I am no expert, just what I've learned with my little freak of nature Midori, who has taught me about soooo many skin and gut things that I never had a clue about! lol Good luck!
good luck! Why do our situations keep sounding so familiar? I bought my mare the beginning of May and since then I bet she's lost 100 pounds. I wormed every month and finally a few weeks ago did a power pack wormer, hopefully things are cleaned up in her system now. I moved her to a new barn too. I've never even heard of mud fever but it sounds unpleasant!
ReplyDeleteI can't really help you with mud fever. But, I will vouch for Novalsan. It really is the bomb for critters of all sorts. I have some ointment and liquid leftover from dogs of the past that I use for the horses too. It's the best stuff I've ever used!
ReplyDeleteM-T-G works great on rain rot. Good luck :)
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do...DO NOT WASH LEGS. I see lots of advice of washing legs..no water, it only harbors the bacteria. Towel dry legs, put vaseline on to soften the scabs...once soft, you must peel them all off because medication will not kill the fungus if the scab is intact. Any scab is like a house for the fungus. Once you peel all scabs off, use any type of dermilogical treatment...or vetricyn. I use demosol..(i think that is how you spell). I live in Oregon..deal with this all the time. Trust me...this works....no water..hair will retains moisture and make it worse.
ReplyDeleteGet your vet to do a fecal test (usually $16) and figure out what beasties you need to target.
Good luck girl...not sure about salt...maybe she was just deficient.
MTG is a great product. I use it for all the skin stuff and the tail stuff and it rocks.
ReplyDeleteUse the Himalyan salt blocks if you can. I buy them online. They are all natural with salt and the minerals and my horses just love them.
White horses are often 'targeted by flies, bees and ticks. Keep a sheet on em or let the mud build up..
We at equinecare probitoic spray provides mud fever treatment in Australia. Kindly visit https://equinecareprobiotic.com.au for more details.
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