# Scratches/Mudfever



## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

My TB mare has scratches/mudfever this year, my farrier said he's seen a lot of it because the winter was so mild and we had mud. I started with a fungal spray in the am and then an antibacterial spray (Eqyss Micro-tek) pm. I added the Eqyss antibacterial gel in place of the fungal spray about a week ago, and there has been improvement, but it's still there. It's not open but still pretty crusty.

I used a mix of destin/triple antibiotic ointment/athletes foot cream in the past but this is worse than I've ever experienced. What is your tried and true, go to treatment for scratches? Thanks in advance.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Haven't dealt with scratches personally in a very long time but I thought I'd mention that I recently read that the old timers used to put sulfur on it. Idk if they mixed it with a fat or what there were no details. 

The last time I personally dealt with it (a looong time ago ) I think we used mtg (so still sulfur.) Do ppl still use it for that?


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Haven't dealt with it myself, but I was recently reading Pat Coleby's Natural Horse Care (I know just what you wanted to hear "I don't know, but I read" lol!). She suggests a 30% copper sulfate wash and then a little copper supplementation in the diet. She does say that darker animals tend to suffer from mudfever more than others.

Good book, but take everything with a grain of salt. 

ETA: I googled it and there were plenty of other sources that suggested copper as well. Maybe something to look into.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I use high sulfur yellow crude oil. It clears it up really well. You end up with black spots where ever you put it but it keeps the skin soft and pliable while protecting it from the moisture. 
Works good to pull infection out of a horses sole and if they get cinche sores.
Just remember wherever you put it, it will stay. You can't wash it off. It has to wear off. It will make a good enviroment for the body to heal. The sulfur acts as an antibiotic. 
Coppertox would work well also. (I use it on a foals umbilical cord)


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

This stuff works great for scratches...and rain rot too 
Original M-T-Gâ¢


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## turpelzoo (Jul 4, 2009)

My mini donkeys get scratches every spring. I use desitin cream on it - I buy the Walmart brand of creamy desitin, coat their lower legs with it and it works great. After a couple of springs I have learned my lesson and now I just put it on their lower legs when the weather starts getting warm preventatively.


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## westcoastjazz (Apr 24, 2012)

I second the MTG, wonderful stuff that keeps my Foundation American Shetland from rubbing his main out due to repeated ichies under his main, and grows tails on rat tailed appaloosas!


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

For mud fever, I wash off with a weak Betadine solution, dry really well then use an antiseptic ointment like Nitrofurizone. I do it every three days or so. 
I know people say to use something that kept it dry rather than an ointment but where I live is soooooo wet for sooooo much of the year, that I have had the chance to try many things and this has worked best for me as it doesn't get wet and disappear so fast.
Surprisingly too I found it helps to bang the tail a bit if it's long to keep it from slopping wet mud over the back legs.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

wolffeathers said:


> Haven't dealt with it myself, but I was recently reading Pat Coleby's Natural Horse Care (I know just what you wanted to hear "I don't know, but I read" lol!). She suggests a 30% copper sulfate wash and then a little copper supplementation in the diet. She does say that darker animals tend to suffer from mudfever more than others.
> 
> Good book, but take everything with a grain of salt.
> 
> ETA: I googled it and there were plenty of other sources that suggested copper as well. Maybe something to look into.


Huh, it's always been my impression that _white_ legged horses with pink skin are more prone to scratches. Although this mare has no white on her legs and her pasture mate is sabino with three stockings and doesn't have a problem. Thanks for the link I'll check it out.

There is Copper Sulfate in the Fungasol I was using but that was the product that didn't show much of an improvement. I'll have to check the ingredient list for the Eqyss Micro-tek spray and gel. 

I honestly didn't think I'd have this much of a problem clearing this up. Thank you all for your help.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Yes, it's usually the white legs that are affected. In fact, out of probably thousands of cases of scratches, I've only seen one on a dark-legged horse - though hers was one of the worst cases and hardest to remedy.

I mix NFZ and a Fenbendazole dewormer about 50/50 and slather that on. It has worked for me, though I am starting to believe that different areas of the country have different types of scratches, which is why some remedies work for some people and not for others.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I've never used dewormer for anything other than internal deworming, Malinda do you know why it works? Just curious. I have FNZ and I can order order a tube of Safeguard, it's certainly worth a try, I have a feeling that this is going to take a long time to clear up.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

I've been told it works as a fungicide, while the NFZ treats the wound.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

In draft horse circles, the term "scratches" is loosely applied to any of a variety of skin conditions that crop up on the lower legs and particularly the pasterns.

These skin conditions can be fungal or bacterial in nature or even be caused by a mite infestation (chorioptic mange). A thick milkshake-like concoction of flowers of sulfur and mineral oil is usually the remedy that people turn to and often cures the skin ailment. M-T-G is basically the same thing.

However, if you aren't seeing improvement it would behoove you to get a diagnosis so that you can tailor the treatment to the specific cause. Mites, in particular, will require a different approach. Ivermectin and moxidectin are the most effective treatments for leg mange.

In _draft_ horses - particularly in the feather-legged breeds - I don't like to see people fool around with home remedies for too long because CPL (chronic progressive lymphedema) usually presents itself first as a chronic case of scratches. The earlier that a diagnosis of CPL is made, the better the horse's chances are of responding to treatment and living a comfortable and productive life.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

malinda said:


> Yes, it's usually the white legs that are affected. In fact, out of probably thousands of cases of scratches, I've only seen one on a dark-legged horse - though hers was one of the worst cases and hardest to remedy.


Ah, well, that would be the grain of salt. :gaptooth: I don't have any experience with it myself, just repeated what was read from that book. 

I hope you find a solution, I know our ponies like to keep us perplexed.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Irish Pixie said:


> My TB mare has scratches/mudfever this year, my farrier said he's seen a lot of it because the winter was so mild and we had mud. I started with a fungal spray in the am and then an antibacterial spray (Eqyss Micro-tek) pm. I added the Eqyss antibacterial gel in place of the fungal spray about a week ago, and there has been improvement, but it's still there. It's not open but still pretty crusty.
> 
> I used a mix of destin/triple antibiotic ointment/athletes foot cream in the past but this is worse than I've ever experienced. What is your tried and true, go to treatment for scratches? Thanks in advance.


Scarlet oil works pretty well.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

The crud is improving, but I ordered the MTG yesterday to try to speed up healing. If the MTG doesn't show a real improvement quickly I'll have a Vet out to check her. Thank you for your help.

I just read your post about Scarlet Oil, Farmergirl and I had never heard of it. It sounds like something to have on hand so I'll order some. Thanks.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Another vote for MTG.

Worked very well on the friesian/percheron gelding I had. Thank God I've never had to treat my gypsy for it!

I've only used scarlet oil on wounds....hadn't thought about it for scratches.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Scarlet Oil promotes scare tissue to build up quite heavily, when used below the knees.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

CIW said:


> Scarlet Oil promotes scare tissue to build up quite heavily, when used below the knees.


That has not been my experience at all.


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## Stonybrook (Sep 22, 2007)

My horse got it one year pretty badly. My vet had me soak it in epsom salt, to dry it out as I recall, wash it, and then put something like neosporin on it. It took awhile, but it got rid of it.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Thank you all for the suggestion of MTG. This is the second or third full day of using it and there is a tremendous improvement already. :grin:


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Irish Pixie said:


> Thank you all for the suggestion of MTG. This is the second or third full day of using it and there is a tremendous improvement already. :grin:


That's great! But how are your nasal passages fairing?


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## Harmony_Meadows (Nov 4, 2007)

When we had an outbreak at a stable I worked at, they used a product called Bickmore's Gall Salve. It worked miracles. Not sure why, what is in it or where to find it for that matter, but it was amazing the results. 

I use MTG also. Just be glad you only have to put up with that smell for a little while. The town down the road from us REAKS of it! All the time! 24/7! Luckily we are up wind and only get reminded once and a while it is there....but ohhhhhhh what a reminder it is!! I'd rather sleep with a skunk that smell that every day! :runforhills:


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

RamblinRoseRanc said:


> That's great! But how are your nasal passages fairing?


Duh! My nose has been sore for a couple of days and I never put the two together! I'm so incredibly happy that I used rubber gloves the smell would have permeated my hands...


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Lol!

I know what would help with the soreness... 

How 'bout a little absorbine rub?

I had bought my first bottle of Absorbine horse linament. Stuck it in the barn and forgot about it until I had a horse who had some muscle soreness going on. Grabbed that bottle, twisted off the cap and gently tipped it into my hand. Nothing. Shook it slightly and tried again. Nothing. Looked at the end of the bottle...no silver or white overlay, opening looked clear. 
HA!
I decided that perhaps I just needed to squeeze the bottle and not just tip it and as soon as I applied pressure the TRANSPARENT covering over the end of the bottle burst and my mouth, nose and eyes were suddenly FILLED with the liquid. I gagged and hacked and tasted that stuff for hours. I do have to say, nothing on my face hurt, though.....


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

That is an overpowering smell! It still brings up fond memories of my youth and my favorite barrel horse though. I usually used it as an all over body wash and there is nothing like the smell of wet horse and Absorbine. 

On the MTG- I had worked almost exclusively on this mare front legs because they were the worst, so yesterday morning I started on her hinds. It must *sting* because this mare will stand for anything (I had her AI'd while holding her with a cotton leadrope and she usually fell asleep) and she was shaken her legs and skittering around the stall. I'll go back to the Micro-Tek for a few days and then start the MTG again. I felt so bad that she got a 1/2 bag of treats. 

My old Vet is an avowed TB hater (he doesn't much care for Impressive mares either- he said they're stupid and just athletic enough to cow kick) he actually petted her neck and called her a "good Thoroughbred" a very high honor.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

The bay mare's legs are completely healed, nice soft skin. I did find that it had completed covered her ergots on the back legs (I missed it for a good week when I was first starting to treat her) but that's gone now as well. The MTG is great stuff! Now the chestnut mare has it on all three of her white legs, thankfully it's not nearly as bad as the bay mare, and I'll start working on her tonight with an diluted iodine wash, then the Microtek gel (it doesn't sting) and after a couple of days she'll get the MTG.

I found that soaking the foot (either with a wet rag or in a bucket) and then working a soft flexible rubber (not the hard rubber) curry really got the built up crud off quickly. You can bet I'll be watching for it next spring.


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