Me again with my swollen teats - oo-er! (also in breeding AND new lounge!)

[Switchthehorse]

Hi

I suddenly noticed today my 8yo mare has swollen udders, quite big - about 5cm wide and long, and they have a yellow crust on the end of them - they have never been this big before!

She is on regumate all year round - so cannot be preggers.

She is on week 12 of a course of antibiotics for hepatitis so surely can't be an infection.

They don't seem hot to touch but they are definitely 'filled' or swollen...

Any ideas?? Don't want to call the vet out if it is normal/something simple etc... but if anyone thinks its a worry I will.

Hard to tell how she is in herself as she has hepatitis so generally bit flat anyway!

HELP!!! Thanks! x

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Have you dismissed the obvious mastitis? This can be caused by all sorts of odd things such as a hot new gelding moving into the next door field, or new grass or a change of yards. I'd get the vet onto it asap because mastitis can be a pig to resolve especially when your vet tells you to "milk" the mare daily, when said mare tries to kill you if you even look at her teats!

 

[glenruby]

How old is your mare?

 

[JanetGeorge]

Hi

I suddenly noticed today my 8yo mare has swollen udders, quite big - about 5cm wide and long, and they have a yellow crust on the end of them - they have never been this big before!

She is on regumate all year round - so cannot be preggers.

Has she been on Regumate consistently for more than 12 months? A mare only needs 4-6 days OFF Regumate to come into season and be covered by a stray yearling colt. And Regumate's main use is to help ensure mares DON'T lose pregnancies!

Otherwise it's probably hormones - combination of the Regumate and improving grass could do it - or mastitis. Although the latter is less likely when she's ON antibiotics, it certainly could happen.

If you can touch her udders without getting your head kicked in, then check for very hot (or cold) udder and any pain. If you CAN do it safely, try to draw a bit of fluid from the udder. It should be clear fluid - if there's any blood or lumpy bits in it, it's mastitis!