What to do against mud fever?
Autumn usually means wet and muddy fields. Around this time of year, many horses have to deal with the unpleasant skin condition known as mud fever. In this blog we'll explain what mud fever is, what causes it and how you can treat it.
What exactly is mud fever?
Mud fever is a collective term for skin irritations in and around the pasterns of your horse. It can be recognised by a sensitive and red skin with wounds, flakes and crusts. This causes itching and pain. This in turn causes your horse to rub, which makes it worse. That is why it is important to treat mud fever immediately.
The causes of external mud fever
Often external mud fever is caused by factors outside or in the stable.
• Long periods of time in a muddy paddock, pasture or stable
• Contact with poisonous plants
• Fungal infections
• Scabies mites
• Insect bite
Causes of internal mud fever
Even horses that are never kept in a wet and muddy environment for too long can develop mud fever, this is the internal type. This is caused by factors in your horse’s body. For example:
• Decreased resistance
• Disease
• Medication
• Improper disposal of waste products
Treatment of mud fever
Keeping the spots as dry as possible is the most important thing when treating mud fever. In order to support and protect the sensitive skin, it is advisable to apply an ointment to the spots. There are different kinds of ointment and one will work for your horse and the other will not. When applying the ointment, it is advisable to wear gloves.
There are different kinds of ointments against mud fever:
•
Leovet Silver Ointment•
Lubrication Cream Sectolin Moccare
•
Effol Skin Repair Balm
•
Vetramil Honey Ointment
There are also drops available that help to counteract mud fever.
Puur Sulphur is an example of this.
The
Turnout Boots from LeMieux are special leg protectors designed for use in the pasture or paddock. Your horse's legs will be protected from dirt and moisture.
In order to treat internal mud fever, the waste products in your horse's body must be disposed. A detox treatment can help your horse with this. This can be done through feed, for example by adding
VITALstyle DetoxMix or
NAF D-Tox.
Puur Detoxi is a detox treatment in the form of drops.
In addition to disposal of waste products, it is important to keep your horse's resistance optimal. When your horse's resistance is good, the chance of internal mud fever and of your horse becoming ill is smaller. For this you have various supplements which you can use.
Pavo HealthBoost and
PAVO Vital can serve as concentrated feed, but can also be added to the feed your horse is already given.
VITALstyle OerBalance,
NAF Pink Powder Booster and
Puur Vitamins and Minerals can be added easily to your horse's feed.
Excellent Vitasporal Horse and
Equivital Vitamins Paste are tasty pastes that come in a handy injector.
Is the mud fever not going away, or is it getting worse? Please consult your veterinarian!