Mud Fever

Mud fever is a common condition relating to pain, heat and inflammation of the skin of the lower limbs, mainly the pastern and heel. The disease is most often seen in the winter months and as its name suggests occurs when the horse is exposed to persistent wet, muddy conditions. It can also occur in a less severe form during the summer months where the heels have scabs and matted hair. The horse often resents the area being examined due to pain. Often legs with white markings are worst affected. There may be a genetic link to the condition, but the management of the horse has a significant contributing factor. Damage to the skin over time allows many different opportunist bacteria and fungi to enter and cause infection.

Treatment

The aim of treatment must be to provide an environment on the skin within which bacteria are controlled.

• Close clipping of the hair or feathers of the lower limbs is essential to control bacterial growth and note the extent of the lesions. As the condition can be excruciating, some severely affected horses may require sedation.
• Antibacterial washes, e.g. Hibiscrub may be beneficial, but continued use can be detrimental. There are creams and dressings on the market with antibacterial properties (some contain silver), which can be beneficial.
• Keep the affected areas dry. This often means avoiding turnout, but it does not mean the horse cannot be exercised. On the contrary, exercise often improves circulation and encourages fluid redistribution from swollen limbs. This, in turn, can help to alleviate pain.
• Remove scabs as they often harbour bacteria underneath, so it is important to encourage them to lift. If firmly attached they may lift following the application of a moist hydrogel.
• Injectable or oral antibiotics may not help because of the number of different types of organisms involved in the infection. The antibiotic may not be able to reach a level on the skin in sufficient numbers to kill the bacteria.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs may help to improve horse comfort and assist treatment.

Prevention

Repeated regular washing and rubbing dry of affected limbs can cause further skin damage. It is often better to let the mud dry and gently brush off the dried material. Applying a barrier ointment or powder can prevent the legs becoming wet and infected if applied to dry legs prior to turnout.

Early recognition and treatment of mud fever is important in the control of this debilitating condition. Prognosis for each case is variable. Deep-seated infections will invariably take longer to treat and are more likely to flare-up again.