‘Mud Fever’ by Emily Douglas-Osborn DVM MRCVS.
What is mud fever?
“Mud fever”, otherwise known as pastern dermatitis, is a skin condition of the heels and lower limbs where wet turnout conditions allow bacteria to breach the skin barrier, causing painful sores and scabbing.
Dermatophilor congolensis is usually the bacteria most cited as the main cause of mud fever, however infection with other types of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcal species and other faecal contaminants is common. These bacteria thrive in warm damp conditions, causing inflamed sores which scab over and give the characteristic appearance of mud fever.
Mud fever appears very similar to and may be confused with; or seen concurrently with other conditions such as chorioptic mange (leg mites), harvest mites, contact allergy, ringworm, autoimmune or liver disease.
Clinical signs may include: • Reddened inflamed skin, • Itching, • Bleeding, • Thick scabs that are difficult to remove, • Purulent discharge.
Treatment:
The horse must be removed from the field and put onto box rest, or a similar system where the legs can stay clean and dry. The area around the scabs should be clipped completely, failure to do so will give poor results unless the hair around the heels is very fine. All scabs should be removed and the wounds cleaned with dilute hibiscrub. Then they should be carefully dried with paper- towel, or even with a hair dryer. This should be repeated daily
until the lesions are improving, aſter which they can be leſt to scab over and heal. Turnout should only resume aſter the lesions have completely healed.
Drugs such as phenylbutazone (“bute”) are oſten given to reduce inflammation and pain.
If thorough cleaning and drying can be achieved, the skin environment is no longer hospitable to the bacteria, and the horse’s body will usually be able to tackle the infection itself.
Occasionally mud fever can cause a more serious skin infection (cellulitis); in these cases the limbs will swell and the horse will be lame and painful. In this scenario antibiotics (either oral or topical) may be required and you should contact your vet.
Prevention:
Mud fever is generally accepted to be more common in horses with legs that are washed aſter turnout, as the reduction in temperature restricts the blood flow to the lesions and limits the body’s ability to fight the infection. Muddy legs should either be leſt to dry and then have the mud brushed off, or should be washed with warm water and dried thoroughly prior to stabling. Regular clipping of the lower limbs means the skin can dry quicker and prevents the development of the bacteria-friendly warm damp skin environment.
Good paddock management during winter to reduce poached ground will also help prevent cases occurring.
Horses that are prone to mud fever should have a barrier cream such as “Mud-Stop” applied before turnout, but the legs must be clean and dry before application, otherwise there is a risk of trapping bacteria beneath them.
About the author: Emily Douglas-Osborn BVSc MRCVS Avonvale Equine Practice, Ratley Lodge, Ratley, Banbury OX15 6DT
www.avonvaleequine.co.uk
Emily qualified from the University of Bristol and then joined Avonvale Equine Practice on their Internship Programme. After completing her year as an intern, she gained experience in all aspects of artificial insemination at Twemlows, as well as working in ambulatory practice. Emily has a keen interest in lameness and poor performance.
14 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 For the latest news visit
www.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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