Mud Fever
Mud fever is essentially a form of dermatitis which affects the skin on the heel, fetlock and pastern.
It can affect all horses, but particularly those with long hair around the fetlocks. In more severe cases it can lead to inflammation and infection and spread up the legs.
Mud Fever usually occurs during the wet winter months and is primarily caused by the bacterium Dermatophilus congolensis that also causes rain scald. The bacterium forms spores that are capable of surviving for many months, even years. If not effectively removed, the condition can recur at any time.
The hind legs are more prone to mud fever than the front legs and usually white socks and stockings tend to be worse affected.
The skin and underlying tissues become inflamed and leads to the skin swelling, stretching and weeping; the skin starts to crack, hair falls out and hard scabs form.
Generally, horses that are exposed to a muddy environment or which are kept in a dirty or unsatisfactory condition are liable to develop mud fever. Also horses with cracked heels are at high risk from mud fever.
Can Niagara Equissage help with Mud Fever?
Yes it can.
The bacterium responsible for mud fever cannot invade skin that is healthy hence it is more often seen in wet weather when the skin is more liable to become chapped thus allowing the bacteria to enter. Some horses are more susceptible than others because their skin is a less efficient barrier to the infection.
A horse with healthy skin and a healthy immune system can more readily “fight off” this infection. If the bacteria are able to penetrate deeper into the skin, then that is when swelling occurs and the classic signs of thickened skin are seen. Once a horse has suffered from mud fever it is then prone to further outbreaks.
For the affected horse, use of Niagara Equissage helps to reduce any associated swelling and by promoting healthy circulation of blood and lymph, waste materials are readily eliminated and nutrients to aid healing are brought in. Thus keeping the skin and coat in good condition.
Application
For mud fever, a daily session with the Back Pad on a medium setting will readily promote healing in the distal regions. If the infection is particularly severe i.e. has penetrated deeper or there are large numbers of scabs, then a twice-daily treatment can only do more good.
As it is often necessary to clip the legs in order to effect scab removal, the legs may well then be too sensitive to accept the Leg Boot or Hand Unit; however use of the Back Pad alone will still be effective.
Use Niagara Equissage as a regular part of the management routine to boost the immune system so that the horse is more readily prepared for fighting off infection.
Testimonials
See All- The pony was qualified for the Horse of The Year Show in England, but was ill with a virus 10 days before the show and the vet advised not traveling. 50 ml/day of Brandes Formula and a week later the bloods were dramatically improved and the decision made to travel, albeit later than intended. The pony had to be ridden by an English rider for qualification reasons, and Christie Prichard had not sat on him till 20 minutes before the class. They jumped one of only 5 clear rounds, and then won the Jump Off to be crowned Pony Of The Year. Without Brandes Formula we would not even have been at the show. As it turned out he looked great, jumped superbly, and thanks to Brandes Formula our dream has come true.
- "I use the Niagara Equissage on a regular basis at home and would not dream of going to a show without it. Our horses are athletes and we expect tremendous fitness and performance from them. The Niagara Equissage helps prevent injuries so we can have healthy, comfortable, riding partners. It aids tremendously in the warm up and cool down phases of work. The horses always look forward to their massage time!"
- NRHA Hall of Fame
“I have found many benefits of Niagara Equissage. Using it daily during competition keeps my horses feeling good and doing their best. Another benefit of Niagara Equissage is the improved healing time of injuries by using the Back Pad and the Leg Boot.”
