I think its a ventral oedema - help!!

[CazD]

My mare has presented this evening with what I think (having googled) is ventral oedema. She has identical palm sized swellings about a centimetre deep on both sides under her tummy. She seems fine in herself, she's eating normally and still being a bully to her fieldmate. She lives out although was stabled for about 2 hours this morning due to heavy rain. She's 10 years old. I've only had her 8 weeks but in that time have done several "hard work" lessons with her with no problems. I've googled and it all sounds like it could be pretty serious. I'm now panicking!! Typically its now the weekend. What would be the best course of action? Emergency vet call? Monitor for the weekend and if no improvement get vet on Monday? Is there anything I should be doing?

 

[Nudibranch]

Bear in mind oedema just means swelling and the most likely cause at this time of year would be something straightforward like fly bites. If she's not lame, eating and behaving normally then I'd just keep an eye...Dr Google is not always helpful.

 

[TheMule]

I would monitor for now and call the vet tomorrow if it increases.
It can indicate something very serious (I lost one sadly to intestinal tumours and the first symptom was ventral oedema but that was much more extensive and led to a high temp and colic within 12 hours)

 

[Haphazardhacker]

Agreed I that googling does not help in things like that. I was convinced my mare had ventral odema but when vet came she was able to put my mind at ease that it wasn’t. Keep an eye on her yes but please do not panic.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Bear in mind oedema just means swelling and the most likely cause at this time of year would be something straightforward like fly bites. If she's not lame, eating and behaving normally then I'd just keep an eye...Dr Google is not always helpful.

This is what it sounds like. I’ve had similar before on my gelding together with swollen sheath.

I’ve recently seen ventral oedema caused by blood loss and gradual heart failure on an elderly Shetland and it went across his belly and was almost square in shape and didn’t look like the swelling I’ve seen due to fly bites or swollen glands. He also was off his food, very lethargic, severely anaemic with very pale gums and tongue and obviously unwell.

 

[claret09]

sounds like a bit don't panic

 

[Nari]

I'd have started by checking another horse to be certain I hadn't just noticed something that was normal, nothing like calling a vet for something that's normal to make you feel a twit!

If it wasn't normal I'd check temperature & have a feel to see if they felt soft, hard or fluidy & whether there was any heat. It would also let me judge her reaction to them being felt. If they're on both sides in the same place I'd be less likely to think fly bites unless I could find obvious bite sites, but sometimes they do bruise themselves kicking at flies & that can produce swelling. Was she vetted when you bought her? If she did that should have shown up anything major such as a heart defect.

It depends on how your practice is, but if the swellings felt filled with fluid I'd probably have given my vet a call to see whether they thought a visit was needed or if it was ok just to monitor. If they felt more like bruising then I'd have been more inclined to see how they are this morning & go from there - any worse or her not seeming right I'd call the vet, no change then I'd keep an eye on & put a fly rug & spray n in case kicking herself is the cause.

 

[twiggy2]

Could be just normal muscles, I have been called into work by worried owner for symmetrical lumps of that size under the belly and they have been normal muscles.
I would look at other horses in similar work and condition, and also ask an experienced person you trust what they think. If your still worried then a vet should be able to put your mind at ease.