Mystery, any ideas welcome!

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superted1989

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As a disclaimer :- trying to put off calling the vet as last time there was a 'mystery', vet's insisted on doing test after test after test when it turned out to be pinworms (had suggested that, they said can't be as she was on a good worming program)! £750 bill later, mare no longer covered by insurance for skin complaints or ovaries. No obvious pain, no lameness so feel safe to try a bit of 'armchair diagnostics'!

Here goes;

My friend's mare is 12, WBxTB ish (bits of other stuff too), does a bit of everything, jumps competitively once a month through the summer but only every other weekend at home. She does have EPSM (prone to tying up), this was diagnosed when she was 5 and she has been managed for the condition ever since (totally cereal free, as much turnout as possible, long warm ups and cool downs etc etc) Throughout spring, summer and most of autumn she's out 24/7, winter (ie now) she's out 0600 to 1600, then stabled overnight.
This year, for some unknown reason, she's stopped peeing when stabled. Never been a problem before, she's been in the same stable for 5 years, same winter field for 5 years, same field company for 5 years, rubber matting with a decent amount of shavings for 5 years, as near as dammit the same everything for the past 5 years! She's drinking what's always been normal for her too.
She barely gets into the field and the floodgates open and her pee is dark, as if she's been holding it in. Also, her hind fetlocks have been slightly puffy but go down within half an hour of turnout (she's been in bandages for last 10 days which has helped with the puffiness). In the past, she has always puffed up a bit in the first few days of 'in overnight' but it's never gone on longer than a week. Her droppings are fine, if anything a little looser but still in 'balls'. Her temperature is normal, bright coat and eyes, teeth were done 5 weeks ago and her back etc done during August.
I'm thinking that the puffiness and the lack of pee must be connected. Or, she's getting older and puffy for longer and has become stable shy to pee?
Any ideas welcome. If anything does go more awry, the vet will be called but it would be nice to save a bit of cash on visits by saying 'yes, her legs have been bandaged.........X has been checked.................Y has been added to/taken out of her diet', if that makes sense?
Thanks in advance
 
What other humans are involved in her care? Is it possible shes been told off for weeing in her stable?

I had amare that we needed a wee sample from and she just couldnt resist a nice pile of fluffy hay in her stable corner to pee in. Have you tried something like that?

Do you notice whether she holds her wee in the field too and then has a flooding moment?

Whilst her stable may not have changed, has there been a change of horse either side of her?
 
Horse at work will just not pee in his stable.During the summer its fine as hes only in for a couple of hours but in the winter he gets pee'd at 10pm so last thing and then he goes out for a pee at 8am. We just take him to the pee spot and he goes. Used to pee in his stable when he first came but wont now
 
Thanks.
She does have a different gelding stabled next to her, but she was happy to pee next to him when they were stabled at odd times over the summer. He's not in the same field, but in the fied next door. She's always been kept next to geldings.
She had paper over the summer (it's free!) and the intention was for her to be on it over winter. After 3 'no pee' days, she's gone back to shavings as that's what she's always had.
In the main, the same 3 people are involved in her care that's been the same for the past 3 years, her sharer/loaner does most turnouts, my friend (owner) and I share the bring ins. She's quite happy with all of us, she's a bit of a diva and knows her humans.
Trying straw in going to be next week's option. She's not bedded on it as she's a bit of a filthy baggage and it takes ages to muck out (she just can't manage to leave a pile of poo whole, it's got to be kicked around!).
We have a gelding on the yard who has to be taken out to pee, but he's been like it forever (ex grade A showjumper), he's her fieldmate, amybe he's told her all about it!
 
mine also point blank refuses to pee in her stable since we moved (6 months ago...)

I have to let her out first thing so she can go have a wee......... crap at 7am before a show day!...........
 
Personally I would be ringing my vet for advice. If her pee is dark then she sounds like she hasn't got adequate fluid uptake, be it from external or internal reasons. If she is drinking normally, but still peeing dark then I would def want to be getting it checked out - or take advice over phone to start with.
 
Would second looking at the colour of the pee.
Sorry if you've already mentioned it (I've only glanced) but how's she peeing out side of the stable. Could it be that it's painful for her to pee?
 
It could be that she does not know that she needs to pee when she is stationary in the stable (older age) and only notice's when she is being walked out to the field and 'feels full'

Does the pee appear to be dark and 'thick' (closer to treacle than tap water) or dark and thin?

You could try encouraging her to take on more water to see if you can lighten the colour and get her to pee in the stable?
 
Is it possible that the reluctance to urinate could be linked to the swelling in her hocks?

Would it make it painful for her to position herself to pee?

Possibly the movement of walking to the field frees off her hocks a little and makes it more comfortable? Or maybe the ground in the field has more grip or is softer?
 
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We used to whistle too when we knew they were due for a wee to encourage horses to pass water, sometimes it works, sometimes too doesn't, try a running tap too, works fine on me as well as the horses!
Try putting her in her stable without any horses in the next stables for a few times if you can just to see if it makes any difference.
 
moosea said:
Is it possible that the reluctance to urinate could be linked to the swelling in her hocks?

Would it make it painful for her to position herself to pee?

Possibly the movement of walking to the field frees off her hocks a little and makes it more comfortable? Or maybe the ground in the field has more grip or is softer?
Click to expand...

Thats an idea, what about giving her a bute at bedtime and see if she pees then?
I would call the vet if nothing changes over the next few days though.
 
Janah said:
Is it possible that she has slipped when taking a stance to pee and frightened herself?
Click to expand...

My thoughts too! How much bedding does she have down, is it concrete or rubber matting under the bedding?

I think the filling in the legs is linked to the not peeing. Damp her feeds beyond what you normally do so that she has extra fluid.

If she is happy in herself then don't worry too much but what you could do is to catch a sample of urine and take it in to the vets for them to check over before having them come out to you.
 
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