swelling under belly

[yankee_minis]

It looks like she has swelling/edema in her milk vein (don't know what else to call it). But I don't know if she is pregnant. It is possible she is pasture bred, but I don't see a belly or any other signs.

The swelling doesn't hurt her and nothing else seems to be wrong. It is soft, not hard. And isn't hot or anything. It got bigger over night and exercise or rest doesn't seem to affect it either way.

It is about 4-5 inches wide and runs the whole length of her underbelly.

Any ideas?

 

[chandab]

I don't know if it would be the same thing, but... My senior half-arabian gelding will get ventral swelling, much like you describe, in the winter if he doesn't get enough exercise and his feed is too rich. Usually for him, I just have to make sure isn't getting hay that is too rich for him, I try to keep him on mostly grass hay with little alfalfa, but some of our bales have too much alfalfa in them for him. He primarily just gets hay with little to know grain and a small amount of 12% senior pellets (the senior pellets don't bother him at all). Just a thought. Hope you figure out what's bothering your girl soon.

 

[yankee_minis]

She gets grass hay and 1 cup Trotter twice a day. We got new hay last week but I would be surprised if that was it because of the time lapse between then and now. No one else seems to be affected.

She's on a dry lot.

She has most likely foundered in the past, I am told.

I did have a similar thing on a pregnant mare and when she got more exercise it went down. I just don't remember it being this big.

 

[Boinky]

tracy,

not sure if it's the same thing but one of my big mares gets similar to what your describing from BUGS. she seems to be quite allergic to most types of bugs and will have differnt types of reactions to differnt bugs..but she will get big raised swellings on her body that just look so odd. Sounds like your mare might have some problems with bugs... if not i'm not sure what else to tell ya

 

[victoria]

Oh gosh we have a mare that gets that too. First time she got we called the vet they pulled bloods and it was the onset of hyperlipemia - she foaled during the night, and was treated as soon as the bloods got back, she never quit eating until after she was in hopital and being treated, second time I paniced and had had bloods drawn, came back negative for Hyperlipemia and everything else she foaled 2 days later. Both times she had it she has been carrying fillies, With the 3 colts she's had never had it. Wonder if it hormonal or just a co-incidence..

Is the edema pitting?

 

[yankee_minis]

Hmmmmm...might be bugs...I've seen some horse flies lately that I haven't seen before....but this is one huge reaction, if it is. It's bigger than my mini dachshund! (length-wise)

And I don't think she is pregnant for 2005. She might be for 2006.

I wish my camera batteries weren't dead, or I'd take a pic.

 

[victoria]

Hmmmmm...might be bugs...I've seen some horse flies lately that I haven't seen before....but this is one huge reaction, if it is.  It's bigger than my mini dachshund!  (length-wise)
And I don't think she is pregnant for 2005.  She might be for 2006.

I wish my camera batteries weren't dead, or I'd take a pic.

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I'll try and post a picture when I get home. I think I have a fair idea of what you are talking about... When I described it to one vet over the phone she said don't worry about it, we made her come out and see the mare, on arrival she knew we were not over-reacting..

 

[yankee_minis]

I just checked on my girl and it is still there. It isn't just 3 or 5 inches as I thought, it is more like 12 inches wide. And it is pitting.

Going to call the vet to see what they think.

Meanwhile, Victoria, can you post the pics of what you experienced?