Mauke beim Pferd Titelbild

Mud Fever (Pastern dermatitis) in Horses

Seek veterinary advice before applying any treatment.

Mud Fever is often caused by bacteria in wet environments. It is a non-contagious skin disease. When the skin softens due to long exposure to wetness, in combination with mud that rubs against and damages it, bacteria can enter. This most often occurs on the lower legs, horses with feathering are more prone to it since the feathering doesn’t dry well and hold on to mud more.

Another cause can be leg mites, which break the skin allowing the bacteria to enter.

Symptoms of Mud Fever in Horses

  • Lameness
  • Swollen Legs
  • Hot Legs
  • Sensitive Skin
  • Crusted Skin
  • Reddened Skin
  • Oozing Skin
  • Skin Lesions
  • Matted Coat
  • Fur Loss

Common in

  • Breeds w/ Feathering
  • Rain
  • Floods
  • Hurricanes

Treatment of Mud Fever in Horses

The basis is to treat any underlying conditions such as mite infection or contact allergy, remove infection and allow the skin’s natural barrier to heal.

Wash the affected leg(s) with a warm, very dilute Hibiscrub solution – 0.1% solution and rinse it off fully with warm, clean water.

Heavily feathered horses will benefit from having their legs clipped.

Other treatments that may be prescribed on a case-by-case basis are Systemic antibiotics; courses can vary from 3 days to 3 weeks.

Topical antibiotics. Pain relief/anti-inflammatories. Mite treatments. Topical or systemic steroids for horses with immune-mediated conditions.

Prevention of Mud Fever in Horses

Limit the exposure time to wet, muddy environments. Reduce the risk of pastern injury. Dry your horse’s legs after exposure to mud and wetness. In horses with feathering, it can help to clip the feathering during the wet months.

How Happie can help you manage your horse's health

Happie Horse App digitale Gesundheitsakte

Digital health management offers numerous benefits in modern equine healthcare.

With the Happie Horse App, you can track symptom patterns and body values, such as Temperature, Pulse and Respiration. Allowing you to notice abnormal changes in body and behaviour early on, leading to more successful treatments.

The Happie symptom checker allows you to add all of your horse’s abnormal symptoms in order to present potential causes and diseases.

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