I clean my mares udder whenever I groom. She has always enjoyed it, at least I assume she does as she purses her lips and drops her head (you know what I mean - like when you scratch their withers or itchy spot). Sometimes she would lean in or lift her foot very slightly. With any animal, I have always wondered if this is really an indicator that they are happy, or just a reflex.
For the past few weeks, this has become response has become EXTREMELY exaggerated, and she is doing the same thing with her head/neck, but more-so, and now she is lifting her leg (think a dog peeing) and squatting with both hind legs. She isn’t kicking out - she lifts and holds. It is extreme & I am afraid she is going to fall over (on top of me, or I’d get a hoof in the face on the other side).
The most disturbing part is that when I stop, her head stays in weird position, although not as exaggerated. She looks almost locked/tranced. I usually poke at her to move and she will, but still has weird, milder pursed lip & arched neck. So far she has gone about a full minute doing this before I become too disturbed and make her move. It may be my imagination, but she has a glazed look for another few.
Could this be something neurological? She is 19. I know when my cats have aged, some can’t repress the licking reflex when I scratch their base of their tail, even if they want to bite me.
Yes, it has been hot and gross, so maybe her udder is especially yukky, but this is so strange.
I thought about having someone record it, but have decided that I do not want to replicate it and have her hit the ground.
We started Prascend in April. It is a dopamine agonist & this makes me wonder if it is somehow related. She is great in every other aspect - healthy, good weight, shiny, sound, dressage schooling, trail riding, etc.
Yes, I will be calling the vet, and am currently trying to figure out how to describe what she is doing, exactly.