seeking info on mud-fever, scratches (horses)

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Have checked the archives, but need more information about mud-fever treatments. Thanks.

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), March 07, 2002

Answers

Scratches is a fungal infection of the (usually white) fetlock area. You need to kill the fungus if you're going to make any progress. I've used bleach. Others have used salve with tea tree oil in it. I've also tried iodine, but it didn't work for me. After applying the fungus-killing ointment, you need to put an antibiotic on as if it were an open wound. Try to keep the horse out of wet areas. Clipping the feathering around the area could help also.

-- malinda (teneniel_80@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

Scratches is photo-sensitive so it's best if you clip the area, scrub all the scabs off, apply antibotic ointment and wrap the lower leg to keep off any sun. Or you can stall the horse durring the day and turn out at night. Make sure that every day you wash the area and remove all scabs. Scabs can live in your dirt and can reinfect your horse or other horses later on. If the legs stock up really bad from the infection your vet can give you something for that also. I can remember what mine gave me for the horse with the 'elephant' legs from scratches.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), March 07, 2002.

Oh boy, I am the expert on scratches

There are about a zillion remedies toted, but the hands down, best, easiest stuff I have found that actually WORKS is from a company called Trail-Rite. This is what all us crazy endurance folks use :) You can order it offline http://www.trail-rite.com/ointment.html and it is cheap to boot!

Tracy

-- Tracy (zebella@mindspring.com), March 07, 2002.


Gosh Shannon......I could have told you allllll about Scratches. My old gelding Alvin was VERY suceptible (sp?) to it. We had to clip the area, clean it REALLY well with Betadine (also saline soaks help a lot too.....would also be beneficial if this is the new colt with the abcesses in his feet) and then treat with either zinc oxide paste or calamine lotion and wrap it up good with a sterile gauze pad covered with vetwrap. I'd be right out there to help, but......well.....you know........ ;o)

-- Lisa - MI (sqrrlbabe@aol.com), March 07, 2002.

I clipped, picked, washed, dried and applied Corona. Hate the stuff on my fingers but thats what makes it stick to the scratches and keeps out other bacteria and mud.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 07, 2002.


Try www.thehorse.com

-- Deborah Hardy (virgil@igs.net), March 09, 2002.

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