Edema in heavily pregnant mare

[Welshy]

My girl is 328d today and has developed a lot of edema under her belly - running from her udder area to just before girth area!

Im guessing inactivity is partly to blame for this as due to the horriifc weather we've had, i've kept her in for a few days, only turning her out before and after work for an hour!

She' been out last few days for a good 7-8 hours though and always on the move - infact she bucked and leapt across the field when i turned her out this morning!

Is there anything i can to do alleviate it? Must be so uncomfortable for her :-( Is it 'normal' for this stage in pregnancy or is it another thing for me to become unheathily obsessed with (teats, lady-bits, stomach....)

 

[Chestnuttymare]

The horse i used to share had an Oedema in that sort of area when she was really heavily pregnant. The vet told me to walk her for quite long periods of time to disperse it. He said that if she was just turned out that she would just mosey around and not move enough to shift it. I just walked her round her field and let her graze a bit as we were doing it. It did eventually go. I can't think that there was anything else. that he advised. Can you call your vet for advice?

 

[Magicmadge]

My pony foaled nearly 3 weeks ago now and for about 10 days prior she had a swelling about the size of a 1/2 a grapefruit forward and to the side of her umbilical area came suddenly and went the morning she foaled. Think it is very common, so long as the area isn't enormous.

 

[sahiba]

I have an old mare who always has these, more so with her colt foals funnily enough, which are bigger - helps me to guess what sex the foal is going to be!
It doesn't seem to do her any harm excpet that she is a bit uncomfortable but that may be due to the size of the foal anyway and my vet wasn't overly concerned. As long as she seems happy and healthy I would think she is OK but you could always check with your vet in case.