The wet, dark winter months are here, it is so typical of the UK and as the winter months come so does the attacks of 'Mud Fever'.
Mud Fever is a common skin condition that appears mainly in the winter months, when it is wet, cold and muddy in the fields. It is usually found in the heels and lower legs of the horse, occasionally it may effect the belly, back and hindquarters. Cracked heels usually accompany Mud Fever.

Mud Fever is a bacteria that enters the skin when it becomes saturated by rain or mud. Horses with long feathery legs are often more susceptible to infection as it takes longer for the legs to dry. A classic symptom of it is that the hair goes matted and into tufts. When the tufts are lifted, underneath is a grey/green pus at the bottom of the scabs. Horses may often be lame as a result of it.

Before Treatment

To treat Mud Fever you must first house the infection. The old traditional way of treating is to remove the excess feather, wash and dry the area. When washing add a little surgical spirit or pevidine solution to the water. When you've rinsed the infection, thoroughly dry with a 'clean' towel or even a hair dryer! When the area is dry add some antibacterial cream to the sores. When the infection has cleared to prevent it coming back apply barrier creams to waterproof the skin. I.e. Udder cream which is an antiseptic treatment. In extreme cases you will need to consult your veterinary surgeon for advice.

There are lots of alternative products on the market to help protect and treat Mud Fever. A company called Gaynor Prospero Ltd has brought out a product called Equr. It is a thick cream that sticks to weeping sores and brings relief by drying out the infected area whilst helping to heal. Equr does not need washing off. Simply brush off any dirt and apply a new layer of cream. The advantage of this product is you don't have to worry about the leg being dry and it is much less time consuming.

Another good product available is by NAF Ltd. It is a supplement called Mud Guard. It's a multi-ingredient antitoxic formula, which maintains skin integrity and helps to support damaged skin. This combined with Tea-tree oil shampoo (helps to disinfect skin and repel harmful bacteria) and MSM Ointment (for external protection of damaged skin) is said to attack and prevent Mud Fever.
The only way of protecting your horse 100% is to never let it out in the field during wet, cold months. This isn't ideal for the majority of owners or the veteran horse. Other more serious problems can arise if kept stabled for long hours.
The cheapest method is to make sure you have good stable management for your horse and try to keep his legs dry as much as possible by using barrier creams.

After Treatment