Mud fever in horses can be a challenging problem during the winter months causing so much irritation to the lower leg and sometimes whole legs can be Mud fever is similar to a person having chapped hands or lips — the horse’s skin can become very inflamed and sore. Pink skin under white hair is more sensitive, but dark skin can be affected too. Whatever the trigger, the skin will become red, crusty and scabby and the legs will become swollen.
Sometimes the hair will fall off. In severe cases the horse will be lame. Long, “feathered” hair can act as a protecting waterproofing layer, unless it gets completely waterlogged or is infested with feather mites. no time at all. Mud fever in horses usually occurs during the wet winter months and is principally caused by the bacterium dermatophilus congolensis. Signs of mud fever are inflammation of the skin, leg swelling, cracked skin, weeping, hair falling out and scabs.
When you run your hands down the leg the scabby lumps are easy to feel, these should fall off soon but be careful you don’t pick any off that are not ready, ouch! Forcefully removing scabs can be very sore for your horse and cause much more problems. Remember hygiene is so important to reduce cross contamination so grooming tools, boots and hands must always be clean. There is no cutting corners when dealing with Mud Fever!
Pro-Equine have two products to help with mud fever in horses, Mud Bug Buster which is super waterproof and will last for days during turnout and Neem Oil, both of which prevent the occurrence of mud fever and tackle the symptoms of mud fever. Both products contain Neem oil which is antibacterial and help to prevent mud fever taking hold. Neem oil contains vitamin E and many essential amino acids which help moisturise and soothe the skin. Its collagen properties promote healthy, new skin, reduce scar tissue and encourage rapid hair re-growth. Neem also has anti-inflammatory properties to relieve the pain.
There are several factors that may cause damage to your horse’s skin, leaving them susceptible to bacteria and therefore mud fever. These include:
- Standing in muddy or wet conditions for long periods.
- Standing in dirty bedding.
- Regularly washing the legs, especially if they’re not dried afterwards.
- Having broken or damaged skin due to a wound, such as an overreach injury.
- White legs as the pink skin under white markings is often more sensitive than dark skin.
- Thin skin such as Thoroughbreds or Arabs, which can be damaged more easily.
- Having a weakened immune system – which is usually secondary to another condition, such as Cushing’s Disease. Horses with a lowered immune system are less able to prevent and fight off infections, so are more prone to health conditions. If these horses suffer from mud fever, it can be more difficult to treat.
Boots can be worn but they have to be dry and clean with every change, if they rub then this may cause worsening of the condition.
Our 3 step plan is simple when you use our recommended products for Mud Fever in horses. Do not wash and scrub legs every day, try to let the legs dry before paying attention.
1/ Brush dry mud off lower legs using a clean brush.
2/ Apply waterproof Mud Bug Buster to affected areas.
2/ If ground is dry use Neem oil and if you need to wash legs use the Pro-Equine Bug Buster Shampoo with neem.
We are interested to hear your views and experiences on tackling mud fever in horses and anyone who has ever used Neem oil for mud fever.
