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VETERINARY ADVICE
Over the past five years, vet Stephen Ashdown has written many articles, spoken on equine matters and contributed widely to horse magazines.

Here he reproduces in the form of questions and answers about 100 topics, all of them common problems which afflict horses.

To access Topics click on Vet Advice Menu.

Treating mud fever
Q:In the six months that I've had my grey Arab on loan, a number of things have gone wrong. First he got mud fever. Then he suffered a severe bout of colic and had to be operated on.

Are there alternative treatments I can use to try and prevent mud fever and boost his overall wellbeing?

A: Your horse has certainly had a tough time. Mud fever can be a difficult problem in some horses and never seems to go away. The key to helping your horse is to strengthen the immunity in his skin so that he can fight the bacteria that cause this problem. At the same time, you can use supplements that help reduce the likelihood of bacteria growing and causing problems.

The approach I take is as follows:-
1. I use a specific formula of herbs which help improve skin condition and act against the bacteria involved.

There are many other products containing hebs cuch as calendula, which can also help.

2. Use a general herbal formula to boost the immune sytem and general health all over the horse's body. This will be particularly helpful since he has been ill so much. You could consider a formula containing echinacea for short term use. Also herbs which help the liver and digestion have a profound effect on skin condition.

3.Protect the skin on your horse's legs and try to prevent scratches and small wounds. Regularly apply a good cream to such areas - there are many designed for mud fever.

Back to Mud Fever (1)

 

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