Beating Mud Fever/Rain Scald

My mare had mud fever during the winter. I treating it with Hydrex surgical scrub. The hair on her lower legs started to grow back but now it has stopped and there's a few scabs. Any advice on how I can stop her getting this? Or any different treatments I could try. She seems to be pron to fungal infections as she also has rain scald on her back and hips.

Thanks

Both of those problems come from a comprised immune system. What is her diet like ??

Immune system combined with living in damp/wet conditions .

Getting rid of both require that the horse be allowed to "dry off". For both you need to get all the scabs off and treat with an antibacterial scrub, then dry it really well. For the mud fever you can also apply zinc cream to keep the moisture out. For the rain rot Medicated Gold Bond powder works quite well.

She's on haylage alone as she is in no hard work due to a health issue, tumor in ovary. She gets haylage morning and night, full hayrack. Her stable is kept very clean.

Would I be safer getting veterinary advice?

Actually G adn K horses that never see rain or mud get rain rot and mud fever not as often but they do :)

It is a organism that is alive on all horses skin ... just takes two things to trigger it weak immune system and opening of some type in skin :)

Martina chances are your diet for her is not balancer and there are defiences in it therefor taking away from the immune system to keep the rest going... add a good vitamin/mineral suppelemt or ration balance designed togo wth you hay and that will be a start, good grooming also helps to stimulate the skin and hair keeping it healthier as well as keeping her as dry as you can :)

I'm aware of that, but the two things you have listed are not the main reasons.
This is directly from the Mereck Vetinary Manual

The natural habitat of D congolensis is unknown. Attempts to isolate it from soil have been unsuccessful, although it is probably a saprophyte in the soil. It has been isolated only from the integument of various animals and is restricted to the living layers of the epidermis. Asymptomatic chronically infected animals are considered the primary reservoir.Factors such as prolonged wetting by rain, high humidity, high temperature, and various ectoparasites that reduce or permeate the natural barriers of the integument influence the development, prevalence, seasonal incidence, and transmission of dermatophilosis. The organism can exist in a quiescent form within the epidermis until infection is exacerbated by climatic conditions.

Clinical Findings:Dermatophilosis is seen in animals at all ages but is most prevalent in the young, animals chronically exposed to moisture, and immunosuppressed hosts. Lesions on a host can vary from acute to chronic. Age, sex, and breed do not seem to affect host susceptibility. Pruritus is variable. Most affected animals recover spontaneously within 3 wk of the initial infection ( provided that chronic maceration of the skin does not occur). In general, the onset of dry weather speeds healing. Uncomplicated skin lesions heal without scar formation. These infections usually have little effect on general health.

There's lots more if you like.

I wanted to add, but got busy at work...... to the OP, for sure, if your not sure how to treat or it's getting worse call your vet.

As I said before you need to soften and remove all the scabs. The scabs can be painful so soaking them first with some type of antibacterial scrub makes them come off easier. Dry the horse completely and either move them to a dry enviorment or you can apply something like zinc cream to keep the moisture off the sores. For the body a blanket that "breaths" will help.

Sweat can cause rain rot ;)

I think the best thing for rain rot is Muck Itch by skin saver. You spray it on, leave it overnight, rinse the next day, and repeat. Works great. When my family owned a tack shop, we couldn't keep this stuff on the shelves in the spring! We sold out every time we got a shipment.

Muck-itch - Skin Saver

I hate Mud Fever. :( My baby has it at the moment.
He's so unhappy 24/7.

I've been using Quit-Itch, an antibacterial shampoo, and after washing with that I put on..... I think it's called Filta-bac, a zinc cream.
It's been helping heaps, but sadly it keeps coming back. -sigh-
I guess that's what you get for not having a stable.

Good luck with it all.