Help and advice pleeeease - all swollen up

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Abz88

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Heya,

I am a bit confused and worried about my girly. She has swollen glands (running up her cheak bone) and what appears to be the lymph nodes (sorry about poor spelling) swollen up her lower jaw bone (not high up to her neck though).

Bit of back ground - I noticed her raised lympth nodes on her jaw on Friday, but she has been scaping out her field for a couple of days and stuffing her face with lots of medow grass. I walked the medow type area she'd been in and saw nothing (plant wise) of any concern. She seemed a lot more doppy and dosile than normal. I stayed with her and watched until I saw her drink and eat. My mum checked on her later and she hadn't escaped again and the glands hadn't got bigger. Yesturday, there she was - escaped and stuffing her face again! Under her jaw line at the front still swollen - but not sore to her as didnt mind me feeling and plaing with it (seems fuild). I lunged her and she was her usual spritly self charging about. Eyes bright and alert.
Got to her today and as I had moved her fencing so she had more grass, she hadn't escaped, but not only are her lympth nodes still swollen, the glands running up her cheak bone are also swollen. Again, she seems alert, I rode her, no trouble breathing, very excitable as normal and whinnied for her dinner.

I was terrified that she had strangles, but she hasnt been anywhere otehr than the yard and no-one else seems to have symptoms. Also, her apitie is fine and she is full of herself still! A bit lathargic in hand, tad more than normal - but she has been on stroopy mare for about 3 weeks - so it may be this kicking in! But in the school, you'd never think anything was wrong with her. She also hasnt been stretching out her neck, classic of strangles or coughing and no muscus from nose or eyes (eye lids and gums are still a lovely healthy pink too)

Any ideas or suggestions? Any one else come across it?

I had a few people look at her in the yard and most didn't seem overly concerned as she seems so alaert still (head high) but one lady was quite admiment I need to call a vet. I am a worrier, but don't want the vet out for nothing. Also, if it is strangles, I have read that if you can fight strangles with no medication, it means your horse is immune from it for a minimum of 5 years?
 
Grass glands :) ebony is all puffed up when I bring her in at night, if you want to be certain it's grass glands bring your pony in overnight, the glands should have gone down by the morning, they may still be a bit puffy but nowhere near as big. It's a slight allergic reaction, lots of horses get it, it's harmless :)
 
I did think grass glands - but I was under the impression these were only the glads by the cheak and ear (more the eye end area of the horses head) which is where the glands are up today, but the ones under her chin have me confused :confused: as these shouldnt come up from grass?
 
Queenbee said:
Grass glands :) ebony is all puffed up when I bring her in at night, if you want to be certain it's grass glands bring your pony in overnight, the glands should have gone down by the morning, they may still be a bit puffy but nowhere near as big. It's a slight allergic reaction, lots of horses get it, it's harmless :)
Click to expand...

If I could keep her in over night I would! We are still working on that one....she decides if she cant see me the stable is terrifying and needs to be kicked to the ground :rolleyes: silly pony! But,...would a grazing muzzle on for a while have the same effect?
I do hope it is only grass glands. Just doesnt make sesne with the glands under her jaw up and puffy?
 
No abz this got me too when I first saw it, the glands named grass glands are situated further up, but this gland (can't remember it's name) Still comes up as a reaction to grass, believe me, I've had a puffy horse for many summers! I was only just talking about it with my vet this week because he is seeing her on another matter, I was querying whether they were up due to an infection as she was only on grass for an hr that day, he told me a few mins is long enough to cause a reaction and it will go down overnight... Which it did, he would have been a bit worried if it hadn't, so a night in the stable should be enough to confirm if it is the grass. My mare reacts in exactly the same way as yours and hers is definitely grass reaction :)
 
Probably not, do you have an arena, would yo let you put her in overnight with hay and water possibly with a friend for company? I know how bad it can be when they hate their stable my mare used to be awful, but more hope for you... Ten years on she is an angel in their ;)
 
Good idea. Yes, we have an outdoor arena, I could ask if fo one night I can put her in there, I am sure they wouldn't have too much of an issue. Surrounding the arena are 2 fields with sheep and she can see other horses, so should stay calm. Good thinking! You are all putting my mind at ease! Thank you :)
 
Queenbee said:
Grass glands :) ebony is all puffed up when I bring her in at night, if you want to be certain it's grass glands bring your pony in overnight, the glands should have gone down by the morning, they may still be a bit puffy but nowhere near as big. It's a slight allergic reaction, lots of horses get it, it's harmless :)
Click to expand...

This^^^^^^^^^
 
Good luck abz, I'm sure it will be the grass, but there's nothing like seeing it with your own eyes for peace of mind :D keep us informed and tell your mare she's a naughty girl for scaring her mummy! I totally lost the plot when I saw ebony like this for the first time :) x
 
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