Keep Horses Clean and Dry for Winter Health

'Mud Fever', 'Greasy Heel', and 'Rain Scald' - equine infections caused by the bacterium dermatophilus congolensis - are the focus of more attention than usual at the moment.

A series of mild, wet, winters has increased their prevalence, and bad management, which leaves horses wet and muddy for long periods, is at the heart of the problem. Repeated immersion of horses' legs in mud, or persistent wetting of the coats of grazing horses, can result in infection, since the causal organism gains entry when the horse's skin is saturated.

The outcome is a matting of the coat - with a distinctive appearance like a wet paint brush - under which exudate accumulates, and the skin becomes damaged and thickened.

Since prolonged moisture and poor hygiene favour the development of these infections, the first step in therapy should be to correct both these aspects of the horse's care.

Firstly, housing or shelter should be provided to facilitate the drying of the animal's coat, since the infection is self-limiting in dry conditions. Then the affected areas should be cleaned and disinfected. The equine broad spectrum cleanser and disinfectant Virkon Shas been proven effectiveagainst all bacterial, viral and fungal organisms affecting horses, including dermatophilus congolensis, and can be used to achieve a clean and bacteria-free skin surface.

The hair over the affected area should be clipped away and burned, since it will carry the infection. Antec International, manufacturer of Virkon S, recommends that mud should be thoroughly washed off, using a solution of Virkon S and warm water. This should be left on for ten minutes, rinsed with clean water and allowed to dry. Antec also reminds horse owners that since infections caused by dermatophilus congolensis are transmissible to man, great care should be taken to observe all possible hygiene precautions, and to wash the hands after treating horses.

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