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katherineepea
Gold Member
England
883 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Jan 2010 : 9:51:21 PM
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Ive got a chestnut who got it dreadfully the first two winters i had him. this is our second winter with no mud fever. we had one mini scab a few weeks ago but i put paraffin on his legs and that was it.
i thoroughly blame it on him being run down as when i got him he was skin and bones, living out with no feed or hay in the field. this, our fourth winter together is the first where he hasnt lost condition and he looks great, and no mud fever.
restore is great as a tonic or boost for poorly horses as alot pf people believe that mud fever relates to the liver working sluggishly |
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Timbercroft
Gold Member
Wales
936 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2010 : 12:12:26 PM
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Oh Ros I feel so sorry for poor you and Ruby, I wish i was closer so i could try and be another pair of hands to help. I would say if you are unhappy try and call the vet back out.
Can the vet not take scrapes from it to try and see what it is? Not sure if you can do it or not but might be worth asking.
Sending lots of healing vibes to Ruby and stay strong vibes to you Ros...xxx |
      
www.lma-arabians.co.uk |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2010 : 12:55:37 PM
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Thanks Linda, i know you're thinking of us and that means alot xxx
I called the vet out again yesterday, i just wasn't happy with her and in the afternoon she just shut down which was pretty scary. Typically when the vet arrived she perked up at the prospect of visitors. However, she still couldn't walk properly, she was trying bless her. The vet put her on different antibiotics alongside the original ones and gave me a swab to do monday morning and take in, just to make sure we're on the right track. I actually felt so relieved the vet had seen her again, she'd confirmed she wasn't right. She did some simple neurolgical tests and she responded normally to them, thank god! So it looks like it's "just" pain. The vet thinks she may have kicked out at the wall and given herself a bash? Who knows.
She is now eating (haylage, she won't touch her hay, and thank goodness she's eating her sugar beet with danilon/oral antibiotics/eccinacea/probiotics/liver tonic...phew! poor girl!). I bought her out this nmorning, gave a her a really good brush which seememd to relax her. Her legs are still incredibly painful, and when i bopught her out she stumbled on her back legs, and completely collapsed on her back end, nearly bring her box down! She managed to recover herself and looked non the worse, but it's all so strange. Now alot of the snow has melted the other 3 are off up the field grazing leaving her on her own unless they come back down for hay (there isn't loads of grass, so they're backwards and forwards). She can still see them, but she still goes through periods of being really distressed. I am starting to get really worried about keeping her in long term. We are having a fence put round our yard area, but there is now way we can do it until it thaws properly. At there moment there is still i thick layer of ice around it (coevered by hay to stop the horses slipping!!! Looks a complete mess!)
Her legs themsleves look better, or drier and less swollen at least. I can't get close enough to actually wash them with hibiscrub, as i think what they need really now is to have all the crusts taken off and her legs cleaned so i can get to the skin.
Thank you so much for all your advice and stories, they really help
Ros |
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Qui Gon Jinn
Platinum Member
Scotland
1627 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2010 : 2:42:08 PM
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So sorry to hear about your girls plight Mogwai. I have been here myself with Kalidah last October and nothing we tried either from the vets or any other potion for mud fever seemed to work. She has 3 white socks and pink skin underneath, so you can imagine her discomfort!! We were also in the process of building an extra box for her, so I couldn't even bring her in at night!! The whole thing was a nightmare. She would aim kicks at me if I even so much as looked at her legs and her near fore was the worst. She had reacted badly to MFP Oil and her leg was badly swollen and she was evidentally in pain.
In desperation I asked my local tack shop for advice, who told me to stop washing it (I'd been programmed to do so from the vet!) and she sold me a large tub of NAF MSM Cream (not the Ointment) and she said to rub that in every day and to just leave it to work it's magic. I was skeptical, but had spent a fortune on everything else so paid my money. This has worked well for Kalidah, as within 3 weeks the whole lot of her mud fever has gone and all the hair that was missing as now grown back in. I never thought this would work so well, but there you go! The pain and swelling subsided within a few days of putting the MSM Cream on and I was really pleased with the result.
It's worth a try. Good luck. |
The Soul would have no Rainbow....If the Eyes had shed no Tears. |
Edited by - Qui Gon Jinn on 17 Jan 2010 2:45:38 PM |
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Timbercroft
Gold Member
Wales
936 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2010 : 4:08:26 PM
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Gosh Ros it sounds awful, poor girl. Have you got anyway of keeping another friend in/beside her? It must be so hard for her to see her pals out...thank god she is still eating.
I have a rock salt licks in the stables of all mine(you may have too!) but i find if they have to stay in they love licking them for good lengths of time.(but im sure she just wants to be out with her pals)
All sounds so painfull for her.
Linda xx |
www.lma-arabians.co.uk |
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BabsR
Platinum Member
England
2790 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2010 : 6:29:48 PM
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My advice is really old fashioned......Do not keep washing down legs and scrubbing off scabs!!!
We have very, very wet land and our Anglos live out 24/7 except for coming in daily for feed/ and feed/Hay/Haylage during the Winter and I can honestly say, never had mud rash
The stable yard opposite...are "the hose legs every day when they come in for the night owners......and all their horses suffer with mudrash every year. Then out comes the hibiscrub, scabs picked off etc etc (poor horses so sore)....no wonder!!
The best advice I would give......get a big tub of fifty/fifty cream( from the chemist...used for leg ulcers)hose mud off with cold water, dry gently, when dry rub in the cream for a couple of days.....scabs will then peel off easily without any rubbing or scrubbing once healed, apply the cream daily as a barrier
Long wet grass which slaps the legs can also cause a mudrash, again use this cream to prevent mudrash occurring
Hubby rides all through the winter...but never washes or scrubs at Oscars legs (and he is a grey) just lets the mud dry off naturally in the stable, then towel, never ever brushes lower legs in the
Winter/Mud season!!!
Babs
www.SunrayAngloArabianStud.co.uk
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2010 : 7:47:31 PM
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Well, i think we may have turned a corner. She is much more settled in herself, and hasn't wobbled so much today. I managed to actually get to her legs today without her being in absolute agony (bless her, she has never once tried to kick me!). Her legs are drying up and look a mess (all flaky and crusty), but less inflammed.
The vet called this morning to see how she was, and i have another appointment on thursday. She'll have bloods for her liver done then too, just to make sure it's not anything to do with that. She has finished one course of antibiotics (the ones i had to inject. though again, she was so, so good!) and is still on 2 danilon a day.
I feel much more positive today, there seems to be more light in her eyes today.
Big thank you to Kim for sending her a crystal clip. She looks gorgeous,and who knows, maybe the jasper will heal her!
Qui Gon Jinn, i have bought some MSM cream today. The sulphur thing definatly seems to be effective on many horses.
Ros
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ali bali
Gold Member
Scotland
641 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2010 : 3:24:18 PM
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Im in no position to give advice on mud fever being in my 3rd month of battling it, scabs off for culturing as we speak  BUT my neighbour struggled with it in her horse for 2 years before it was discovered the horse was mildly allergic to Hibiscrub and all her well meaning washing was making things worse. She then got it cleared up and has had no problems for last year.
Best of luck getting it sorted, big hug to Ruby hope she feels better soon, Alison |
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Zenitha
Gold Member
England
1078 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2010 : 7:43:36 PM
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Poor Ros, I really feel for you, especially having been there myself a time or two.
I have to say, I agree with some of the comments re Hibiscrub - I believe after a point it actually starts to make things worse ! My vet advised warm hibiscrub then liberal olive oil covered in clingfilm. Cleared up pretty quickly but the last bits wouldn't go, and it looked very sore still. This went on and on......In the end, I ditched the hibiscrub, stuck with the olive oil (which is very gentle - and the scabs just rub off, no picking)and the last bits went really quickly.
My mare had it pretty bad, and its awful to watch them struggling to walk when it is so painful - but sometimes I think we can make it worse by doing too much, if you know what I mean ? One filly I had didn't respond to any treatment, in the end I kept her stabled on wood pellet bedding (really dry), left her legs completely alone, and within a week she was completely healed.
I really hope you find a solution for your mare soon - its a very frustrating and distressing condition. |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 08:18:58 AM
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Thanks Jane and alison  . I think in the early stages, hibiscrub seems to be important to get rid of the infection, and drying it all out is certainly a good thing. Ruby had vile, wet dermatitis all over all 4 legs, and the hibbiscrub and wound powder has dried it up nicely. However, it's knowing when to stop before the skin gets too dry and splits.
I'm not sure where we are with ruby. The swabs went off, so we're waiting for the results (6 days apparently). Her legs are dry and crusty on the outside, but still leaking bright yellow serum, and her skin/hair on her legs is sloughing off in handfuls (i'm tempted to think that this is a good sign, at least indicating some regeneration of tissue). She is now on e45/sulphur/antibiotic cream as prescribed by the vet, that i have to mix up myself. She is still in, and getting progressively more irrate (understandably! She lives out with her friends usually, suddenly she's incarcerated, and in pain and she can't understand why!).
Anyway, I have no idea if we're making progress.....Vet comes again tomorrow.
Ros |
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Montikka
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2653 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 08:49:32 AM
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Babs - I couldn't agree more
So sorry about your struggle with this Ros, it sounds a real nightmare. Hoping Ruby continues to improve. |
   
Louise, Warwickshire |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 09:22:52 AM
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I've been thinking about Babs reply. I totally agree about not picking off the scabs, but if you seal the infection in with a petrolium jelly, won't the bacteria just multiply under the barrier cream? Ruby aside until i know it definatly is mudfever, would the protocol not be to dry it all out and get rid of the infection with an antiseptic, then once scabs are dried apply an antisptic cream to get rid of scabfs,then apply barrier cream to new, pink, clean, bacteria free skin?
Please don't think i'm being rude, i'm just really interested, it's something that obviously works for you, i was just wondering about the science behind it. I have a nasty habit of overcomplicating things, and i really don't want to do that with Ruby's legs (they're bad enough!). Such a simple solution sounds so attractive, i'm just worried about sealing all that bacteria in and making it alot worse.
Ros |
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Timbercroft
Gold Member
Wales
936 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 10:37:49 AM
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Ros i have done the same many times as what Babs has said and it has worked for me in the past, i try not to pick and leave the scabs to come off on there own.
But as you say it may not be mud-fever and i would be very careful until you know ...go on as the vet has advised and wait for results, if she is seeming to improve i would for now stick with what you are doing!
Still sending lots of get better vibes to Ruby and hope she is on the right road to recovery!
Linda xx |
www.lma-arabians.co.uk |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 3:04:26 PM
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Ruby and i have been on a lovely walk today, it really seemed to raise her spirits. However, her legs are just appalling. Huge sections of wet skin are sloughing off. The skin underneath is very red and sore, BUT she wasn't lame, and whilst her legs are still inflammed, she seems to be able to use them ok. It did her so much good to get out and about.
I guess i'll see what the vet says tomorrow
Ros
Edited to say: Thanks Linda, it's very tempting to try that once we get the results back. Much molre simple and less costly option if it works! |
Edited by - mogwai on 20 Jan 2010 3:06:52 PM |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 12:40:58 PM
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Swab result came back today, and she has Pseudomonas. Resistant to just about evcerything, and the only thing that she can have is Gentamyacin which is pretty liver toxic i am told. She can't have longer than 5 days of it, and if we re culture and it's still present, we're stuffed. I just knew this was something more than mud fever.
To be honest i am pretty devestated about the whole thing. The vet is coming out again tomorrow to sedate her again and clip her legs fully and then for the next 5 days to give her iv gentamyacin. She is also goingt to swab my 2 year old, as she has a patch of something revolting which i reckon is the same thing.
Poor Ruby
Ros |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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simbba
Silver Member
299 Posts |
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fidodido
Gold Member
England
797 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 1:34:00 PM
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So sorry to hear about your filly, have read this thread all the way through and you have certainly done all you can for her. Fingers crossed the Gentamycin works for her and she will be on the road to recovery soon  .
Angie |
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Zarena
Bronze Member
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 1:55:38 PM
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I do agree with Babs about this. Over many years of keeping horses I, too, have been advised by vets to wash mud fever with Hibiscrub. There's nothing wrong with Hibiscrub but constantly wetting the legs and picking off scabs makes everything worse in my experience. Last year a mare came back from stud with terrible mud fever on a hind leg, which had been treated at great expense by a vet to no avail, so I dabbed it once a day from my last precious tube of Dermobian. She was so sore, as some of you describe, and I only got one go at it each morning! She didn't aim at me but she kicked back very vigorously, understandably. Each day a bit of scab came off as I put more cream on. It was completely better in a week.
Personally I wouldn't wash legs in winter or even brush them much. Leave the mud where it is to dry off naturally.
I would love to get my hands on some more Dermobian. |
South Shropshire |
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CINDERS
Gold Member
England
750 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 2:10:36 PM
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| We had this and demanded our vet use Baytril - it worked!!! |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 2:21:52 PM
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she is resistant to baytril.
Zarena, i think this may work with most cases of mudfever, but she doesn't have mudfever, she has Pseudomonas which requires antibiotics, which unfortunatly she is resistant to!
Thanks for your support, we really need it right now
Ros |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 2:26:42 PM
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Oh Ros I really hope it works and she gets better soon! X
P.S. I too would love to get Dermobian again - works wonders on everything! Mum is protecting her last 1/4 of a tube like its gold dust |
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Montikka
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2653 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 3:16:16 PM
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Really hope the new treatment works Ros, you were right in suspecting it wasn't simply mud fever. Poor Ruby.
I agree with you Zarena and feel so strongly about the way people are constantly wetting and scrubbing their horses legs. Of course this is NOT the case with Ros and Ruby, and she doesn't have mud fever. |
Louise, Warwickshire |
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garnet
Platinum Member
2382 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 5:21:13 PM
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Yes, Dermobion was brill - what happened to it?
I know this won't suit everyone, and it depends on your soil type and how wet it is, but for several years now I have totally given up on washing or brushing once the mud season starts. Legs appear disgustingly clarted, but parting the hair reveals that the legs are dry underneath. We won't win any Best Turned Out prizes during the winter months, and there may even be those who take me for a slut, but (say it quietly so as not to tempt fate) this regime has worked so far. (They live out 24/7).
I do hope Ruby will soon be better. I am suffering from an autoimmune disease at the moment (obviously not the same one!) and they are swines! |
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ella
Gold Member
United Kingdom
786 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 6:20:11 PM
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At least you can get the right treatment for her now. Here's hoping you see rapid improvement. This is one case where lab results were essential, so glad you didn't persist with 1001 'mud fever' remedies.  |
   
"If an 'alternative treatment' has reliable effect it becomes classified simply as MEDICINE" D.B. |
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Not MF, Pseudomonas AND LV!!!
