Swollen udder in non-prego mare

[hollyhorse2000]

Anyone have an idea of what THAT might be about? Mare is definitely not pregnant. Teats are swelled up somewhat, as is the area in front of the teats on both sides. No discharge. Not heat or pain.

[whitney159]

I have an obese mare with the same thing, I write it off to just another fat deposit.

[WaningMoon]

My mare bags up with each heat and has milk duct swelling way up to the girth area. Her mom and grandmom always did the same thing with the grandmom even leaking milk. Vet said its some hormone type thing related to her line and not to worry. I don't. She is 14 and it's always happened, jeez, her gram was my first horse in 1969 and I've never had it affect any of them other than the looks of it.

[BornToRide]

If it is not tender and due to some inflammation it can be a sign of insulin resistance, just like some swollen sheaths are.

If your horse is chubby and easy keeper and shows other IR signs, I would highly suspect possible IR

[Nanerpus]

This happens to my mare every now and again - she is 7 and had a baby when she was younger. No discharge (even if I squeeze), no heat, etc. I clean her udders once a week, at least, so it's not gunk buildup. Vet said it was probably just hormones. She doesn't act any different and it goes away in a day or two.

[medhorse]

sweat glands!

[SSS4]

Bugs!! Happens to one of my mares every summer when we go to NY. I think it's those darn gnats!! I sometimes put her on SMZ's and it goes down a bit but it doesn't seem to bother her so mostly I put swat all around the area and keep her in during the day.

[Percheron X]

If the mare is truly "bagging up"....

Clover can cause this (in pasture or hay) as it contains estrogen like substances.

Some of the more severe causes could posably be a symptom of the onset of cushings, an ovarian cyst/tumor or mastitis.

If this is a new "symptom" for this mare, having the vet out to rule out the severe causes by drawing blood and checking her hormone levels may be prudent.

[Cruise1]

My mare did it occassionally. Even leaked milk (or milk like substance) and she NEVER had a foal. Vet checked, seemed to be a weird hormone things. She was also a big sleeze bucket too.
I have a gelding now!

[hollyhorse2000]

Thanks all. Vet is out tomorrow for health program and I'll have him give it a gander . . .

[hollyhorse2000]

Vet said it wasn't anything to worry about. He said mares sometimes do it this time of year. May be pollen (she does have allergies) or something hormonal. Unless it gets hot, bigger, painful or whatever, he said just keep an eye on it. Whew, one less thing to worry about. Mare has other tricks up her leg, though, to keep mommy excited this summer . . . .

[BornToRide]

Hope the vet is right - many vets are still unfamiliar with IR and or Cushings and its early symptoms.

[pintopiaffe]

Clover and soy are culprits.

I just had a 'false pregnancy' for all intents and purposes. She should have been in her last 90 days, and sure as heck looked it. When she got hives (truly, when I realized they were hives, not bug bites) I pulled the soy--I'd upped the soy in giving her Sunshine Pellets to prepare for birth/lactation... the symptoms, and the udder, went away.

She was open. :(

[Daydream Believer]

Clover and soy are culprits.

I just had a 'false pregnancy' for all intents and purposes. She should have been in her last 90 days, and sure as heck looked it. When she got hives (truly, when I realized they were hives, not bug bites) I pulled the soy--I'd upped the soy in giving her Sunshine Pellets to prepare for birth/lactation... the symptoms, and the udder, went away.

She was open. :(

I agree..check what she's eating. I had a similar experience last summer with several mares bagging up that were on a high soy diet. It is the phytoestrogens in it and in clover that can cause this.

[Mariequi]

I clean Dublin's udders and between her legs and under her tail daily. Today I noticed ONE udder was bigger and more fluidy. No heat. Not sensitive. We have PLENTY of clover. She doesn't drool like the others. Maybe she releases her liquid elsewhere. ; ) She is too chunky right now too though.