[QUOTE=starrunner;8120691]
My older mare expresses fluid each year that she’s out on pasture. I have always attributed it to the clover. She does look like she’s about to foal any day though. ;)[/QUOTE]
It’s comforting to know that other people have horses with milk problems that are “normal” and seemingly harmless for their horses. She look that big? Ever seen a fat horse that low in the stomach? I’m being hopeful that it’s gas lol
[QUOTE=alibi_18;8120705]
How does the top of her bum feel? (mucles on both sides of her tail)
She really does look pregnant.
Have you try to feel the baby move? Put her on crossties and hug the biggest/widest spot on her belly. Wait. If there is something in there, you should feel it![/QUOTE]
No relaxation of of the pelvic muscles that I can tell (I keep checking lol!)
To play Devils advocate, have you ever seen a non pregnant horse as big and low in the belly as her?
Do I do the hug test while off of her? Or lay on her back? I have tried to put my hand on her side and belly to feel but got nothing. I have also heard that not all foals kick though, so that might not be the most fool proof test. I seriously can’t wait to get her into the clinic. And a theriogenoloist will likely be looking at her so I can trust their findings.
A client of mine just had the same thing happen with her mare. The vet called it witch’s milk. This mare is 13 so not what I would consider young. Her mare was sensitive around the udders so vet prescribed some pills to dry it up, I guess. I can ask her more about the meds if you are interested
[QUOTE=Lmabernathy;8120783]
A client of mine just had the same thing happen with her mare. The vet called it witch’s milk. This mare is 13 so not what I would consider young. Her mare was sensitive around the udders so vet prescribed some pills to dry it up, I guess. I can ask her more about the meds if you are interested[/QUOTE]
Did the mare also have the large belly like my mare? That is a big concern because she seems to keep getting bigger. That’s okay, I know they give bromocriptine to inhibit hormones. That is comforting that it happened to a mare around the same age as mine.
Yes, shes a fatty:yes: 14.3 quarter horse around 1200 lbs. She actually has just a touch of rain rot down her spine because it sits in a valley between her hips. We like to call it a sweet heart hip, because it gives her bum a heart shape from behind <3
[QUOTE=Lmabernathy;8121052]
Yes, shes a fatty:yes: 14.3 quarter horse around 1200 lbs. She actually has just a touch of rain rot down her spine because it sits in a valley between her hips. We like to call it a sweet heart hip, because it gives her bum a heart shape from behind <3[/QUOTE]
Lol! Oh gosh XD do people tease you that she looks pregnant? Mine has some fat deposits in the typical places but no muffin butt as I call it haha
My mare was probably 10 at the time, so not young. As for a bag, she had somewhat of a bag, but not the impressive bag you get with a mare about to foal. (not huge, but not dormant and empty).
[QUOTE=Mysterymare;8117986]
One of the pics makes you think she would theoretically be further along?
And she doesn’t have a bag (maybe a tiny thicker in the mammary tissue but barely noticeable). Just the weird lactation thing. She is such a mess! Have you seen a hay belly that looks like her belly?
I just have a hard time thinking she could have gotten pregnant when i don’t know of any viable stallions that should have contacted her. But I always hear from people “weirder things have happened with horses”.[/QUOTE]
I went back and reread your OP and saw that you had her shipped at the beginning of August. I realized it is almost the end of April which made her possibly farther along if indeed she was bred.
She has no bag, but the teats are enlarged and you can express liquid of some sort?
Hay bellies can vary depending on horses. In my pregnant mares they were very wide and dropped soon before delivering. If you place your hand flat along her side ( just in front of the hair whorl at the flank) and leave it there you might feel if something is in there.
She was out of your control and with a hauler for a week. Anything could have happened.
Please don’t give or do anything to her until you get a vet to examine her.
[QUOTE=candyappy;8121590]
I went back and reread your OP and saw that you had her shipped at the beginning of August. I realized it is almost the end of April which made her possibly farther along if indeed she was bred.
She has no bag, but the teats are enlarged and you can express liquid of some sort?
Hay bellies can vary depending on horses. In my pregnant mares they were very wide and dropped soon before delivering. If you place your hand flat along her side ( just in front of the hair whorl at the flank) and leave it there you might feel if something is in there.
She was out of your control and with a hauler for a week. Anything could have happened.
Please don’t give or do anything to her until you get a vet to examine her.[/QUOTE]
She was only with the hauler for 4 days so its really unlikely that she was bred then but I’m keeping it a possibility in my mind. Yeah I tried to feel for any kicks but got nothing but I’ve heard of super quiet foals too.
Yeah I wouldn’t give her anything. I’m a vet student so I’m well aware of double checking everything and just assuming she is pregnant until she gets checked but thank you! Can’t wait to get her in to the vet!
When will she get in to the vet? Please post when you have an answer----and pray it is not twins!
One of the last photos (from behind) makes me think she is indeed pregnant!
Although, we have a mare at our farm that is “NOT pregnant” who looks exactly the same. Owner says she hasn’t encountered any stallions before moving here. I am just waiting for the foal to drop…
[QUOTE=DJohn;8122173]
One of the last photos (from behind) makes me think she is indeed pregnant!
Although, we have a mare at our farm that is “NOT pregnant” who looks exactly the same. Owner says she hasn’t encountered any stallions before moving here. I am just waiting for the foal to drop…[/QUOTE]
That is so funny! Would you be able to take pics? Keep me updated if she ends up being prego!
Keysfins I am taking her in in about 2 weeks (as long as I can confirm things with my trailer ride!). I will definitely keep everyone updated!
I’ll let you know if a foal magically appears!
i vote no and she’s much older than you think, could be many things but cushings is at the top
[QUOTE=goldponies;8123902]
i vote no and she’s much older than you think, could be many things but cushings is at the top[/QUOTE]
Would you mind explaining all of your assumptions? I am a vet student so I have aged my horse myself throughout the 6 years I’ve had her and have had 2 vets concur with my estimation. Would love to know why you think she is older but won’t likely agree with your hypothesis because of my pervious sentence. Also crushing is low on my list of possible diagnoses mostly because she is losing her hair very well as she should this time of year. Most cushings horses keep long thick winter hair and as for the abdominal part of the pathology I’m pretty sure that is due to abdominal fat pads and she is not carrying external abdominal fat (maybe intraabdominal fat though).
I will share a picture of my mare later. She looks fat, but more saggy than fat. She had six foals before becoming my riding horse so she always looks like an old broodmare.
[QUOTE=starrunner;8124315]
I will share a picture of my mare later. She looks fat, but more saggy than fat. She had six foals before becoming my riding horse so she always looks like an old broodmare.[/QUOTE]
Thank you very much! Wish I knew my baby’s full history!
[QUOTE=Mysterymare;8124290]
Would you mind explaining all of your assumptions?[/QUOTE]
I boarded an old QH gelding and he looked similar to your mare - sort of swayback, potbellied, fat pads, lack of muscling over his topline…etc. He might have had Cushings but was never tested while he was here (he was euthanized here at 32).
I think it would be hard to mistake your mare for a 32 year old, swayback…especially if you’ve guessed her age and other vets have agreed via teeth. You never know for sure, of course.
Personally, I think she looks pregnant…but I don’t know enough about mares in foal to really be sure. I have a couple fat mares, though, and they don’t look like yours.
[QUOTE=S1969;8124396]
I boarded an old QH gelding and he looked similar to your mare - sort of swayback, potbellied, fat pads, lack of muscling over his topline…etc. He might have had Cushings but was never tested while he was here (he was euthanized here at 32).
I think it would be hard to mistake your mare for a 32 year old, swayback…especially if you’ve guessed her age and other vets have agreed via teeth. You never know for sure, of course.
Personally, I think she looks pregnant…but I don’t know enough about mares in foal to really be sure. I have a couple fat mares, though, and they don’t look like yours.[/QUOTE]
Yeah she’s not swaybacked but she does have muscle atrophy on her top line due to a lack of exercise which has unfortunately been necessary due to her heaves. She is definitely nowhere near that old and shows other outward physical signs that she is closer to the age that we aged her at. She has slowed down because of her respiratory disease by definitely has spunk on the days when her symptoms are minimal!
I also agree that she looks a bit different from other fat horses I’ve seen. It’s just that belly. She could have been used for breeding early in life and maybe is now letting it hang out this year but it’s just weird.
I vote fat but think it is a good idea to get her checked just in case. Oftentimes you can make the foal move by patting her belly in front of their flank.
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