A horse may develop a painful infection on the back of its pastern. The pastern is the part of the leg just below the ankle joint and above the hoof. Poor pasture conditions or trauma to the pastern can contribute to grease heel. Grease heel is also known as “mud fever” and “scratches” for good reasons.

Mud Fever

Grease heel is also called mud fever because it is the result of muddy conditions. Mud gets caught in the fetlock hair causing dry, cracked skin on the back of the pastern and heel.

Scratches

Grease heel is also called scratches because chigger mite bites or rough pasture vegetation can cause scratch like-cracks in the skin.



Grease Heel

Bacteria enter the skin through the cracks and cause infection. A purulent discharge – pus – collects in the fetlock creating the “greasy” heel. This discharge has a foul odor.

Advanced Stages and Horse Lameness

Untreated grease heal may result in ulceration of the skin, hair loss, swelling, and bulbous growths. This can lead to lameness.

Grease Heel, Scratches, and Mud Fever Treatment

In the Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook, James M. Giffin, M.D. and Tom Gore, D.V.M. recommend treating less severe cases of grease heal by shaving the hair off of the affected area, soaking with saline, and using Betadine scrubs. Zinc oxide paste or calamine lotion may be used to dry the wound. The infected area can be treated with antibiotic-corticosteroid ointment and covered with a bandage.

With proper treatment, the condition should improve in a short time. If the wounded area does not heal, a veterinarian may have to administer antibiotics. The veterinarian will most likely surgically remove any growths.

House horses in a dry area and keep the feet clean in order to prevent grease heal. Keeping the hair short on the pasterns will allow the skin to dry quickly and easily and will prevent mud from easily sticking to the leg.

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