Help! My Horse Has Mud Fever!
At the beginning of 2024, my daughter asked for a dog.
My husband, always the pragmatist, didn’t think a dog was a good idea and suggested: “Why don’t we get a horse instead?”
And so began our search for the right horse. After some searching, we found Moro, a 10-year-old Spanish gelding. At the end of June, Moro moved to a ranch near our home.
After the Move
After a period of getting used to his new surroundings and to us as his new owners, we noticed in early December that his right hind leg was significantly swollen. We called the vet, who diagnosed him with mud fever.
What is mud fever?
Mud fever is a skin infection in the horse’s pastern area, often caused by a combination of moisture and dirt that softens the skin and makes it prone to bacterial infections. Horses that spend a lot of time in wet environments—such as muddy pastures or damp stables—are at higher risk of developing mud fever. Symptoms include redness, scabbing, cracks, and swelling in the pastern area.
Treatment and our experience with Protectaplast Pet Protection
The veterinarian treated the mud fever and applied a bandage to Moro's leg. We were instructed to replace the bandage every two days and carefully clean the wound. This is when we were introduced to Protectaplast Pet Protection Cleansing Spray and the self-adhesive foam bandage.
The foam bandage proved to be extremely user-friendly: it only sticks to itself and not to the wound, fur, or our skin. Moro underwent the treatment patiently, as the foam bandage did not restrict his freedom of movement and was so light that he hardly felt it.
Additionally, we treated another stubborn wound for several weeks with the appropriate ointment, covered with the Pet Protection foam bandage. This kept the wound hygienic and helped it heal faster. Wounds on a horse's legs heal more slowly due to limited blood circulation and the lack of muscle mass in this area.
Horses are often in motion and constantly come into contact with earth, straw, manure, and sand, as they are in the pasture, paddock, or stable. Keeping such wounds clean is therefore a challenge. Thanks to the self-adhesive foam bandage from Pet Protection, Moro was able to continue moving freely while keeping the wound clean and protected.
Several months later, both the mud fever and the wounds have completely healed without any permanent scars.
Thanks to the right treatment and the support of Protectaplast Pet Protection, we were able to successfully overcome these challenges.
