Extremely Dropped Belly in mare

[d.scott]

Worried about my daughters QH mare. She's fifteen years old and had three foals since we've had her. No problems. Has fantastic thoroughbred bloodlines. But the problem is been checking on her on pasture as she readies to foal, she gets nervous in a stall and does better when with the other horses, I noticed her belly has dropped and not like usual. She looks like a old pregnant jersey cow. A definite hard section the length of the whole bottom part of the belly. My daughter that took equine reproduction in college thought she might have miscarried but no discharge, smell and other than how she looks is acting fine. This morning she has a perfectly beautiful little filly. Baby nursing, good colostrum. Afterbirth passed no signs of infection on it, no discharge but still as huge as can be and belly still extremely dropped. Still looked like an old cows belly. Called the vet and they said watch her but they think since she's acting fine and the foals in good health, afterbirth looking fine, she should be fine. It should go back to normal with time. Just worried because she's never looked like this before. Any one else ever had this happen?

 

[Dry Rot]

I believe there is a condition where ligaments can become ruptured or excess allantoic fluid is retained. I had an 8yo mare with a similar condition and the equine vets said they could do a full internal and external examination and possibly find the cause but it might not be a good idea to breed from the mare in the meantime. The distended belly did eventually return to normal.

Sensing the vet's mental calculator was at full throttle and I was heading for a very large bill if I gave the go ahead for the examination, I decided to sell her as a riding mare with a recommendation that the new owner take veterinary advice before breeding.

I'm afraid that probably isn't much use to you except to say it might be a good idea to get the opinion of a specialist equine vet before breeding again.

 

[JanetGeorge]

A few of my old mares who have had a lot of foals get this hard swelling all along the belly line before foaling. It is oedema and it should subside within a few days of foaling. They also have dropped bellies - will try to get a pic later of Rosie who is 20 - has had about 10 foals - and foaled last week.

 

[d.scott]

Thanks, baby and her are still doing fine at one day old. A little case of the runs but nothing bad. Will keep an eye on that. Have daughter's show mare, a gelding, and our orphan from last year, lightening killed his mom last year, going to move her in with them tonight. It's closer to the house and away from our stud. I'll let you know when she starts looking better.

 

[berry]

My friends mare went like this and her pre pubic tendon had gone. She kept the mare fir a year after weaning but she wasn't any better. She eventually fad her put down thus year. Google the condition and see what it comes up with.

 

[JanetGeorge]

My friends mare went like this and her pre pubic tendon had gone.

I found a pic of a mare with the condition you mention - oops - removed it as it's HUGE. Check out http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/eiltslotus/theriogenology-5361/equine pregnancy_2.htm - and scroll down.

This is obviously much more serious than ventral oedema - which disperses slowly in the week following foaling.

 

[Tharg]

What is that first photo?

 

[Dry Rot]

Anyone like to comment on this mare? She was 7yo, naturally inclined to being a bit fat, but had a normal birth with a healthy foal, but we won't be breeding from her again. She did return to a nomal shape in a few weeks.