Oedema under stomach and sheath

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Chianti

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Sorry - this is a long one. About ten weeks ago I noticed an oedema under my pony's stomach - just to the side of the mid line and about three quarters of the way back from the elbow. I thought it might be a reaction to a fly but when it hadn't gone done after a few days I got the vet out. The vet took a blood sample to check if anything obvious was amiss and for the presence of red worm as he said this could cause swelling. Both came back clear so vet said to monitor and go from there. Two weeks later it was still there so the vet came back out. He did a scan of pony's heart and gut area and all looked OK. Listened to pony's heart and there was a very low level heart murmur - which had never been heard before. Vet also sent off another blood test to recheck nothing had changed since the previous one as he said it sometimes took a while for inflammation to show up. I think it also tested protein levels? These were OK

A couple of days after the vet visit I noticed that the swelling seemed to have changed shape, becoming longer and thinner, and to be moving back towards his sheath, which was becoming slightly swollen. A couple of days later the swelling had got a bit larger so another vet from the practice came out. She offered to rescan him, on a new scanner the practice had just bought, because it would give a clearer image. New scan was much clearer - even I could see lines and shapes on it- but it still didn't show anything obvious. While pony was sedated she also did a rectal exam to see if there was anything horrible lurking in there and did the same for his sheath. This time there was no heart murmur heard. The vet said that she couldn't see any reason for the swellings - although there could be a growth deeper inside the gut - but at the moment she wasn't overly concerned. I asked if an anti inflammatory jab would help and she gave one but I think that was more to reassure me than she thought it would help. I obviously need to monitor it in case the swelling around the sheath increases in size so he can't wee but feel I might be able to do something more productive to help the situation.

I went to the yard today and there is now a swelling back next to the mid line. The swelling around the girth is still there. So - has anyone ever dealt with anything like this? I know it could be something horrible but I'd really like to know any similar experiences. Pony in himself seems well and happy.
 
I had one that used to get fluidy swellings by his sheath. A course of detox cleared it up, and he stopped getting it at all when I started doing regular spring/autumn detoxes. May be totally different to what your boy has but worth a try.
 
Sorry to read of your pony's swelling under his stomach. I was wondering what age your pony is please? Also, does the swelling reduce or change with exercise - or is he off work at the moment?

My horse had a similar swelling, but he was 25+ and had been on Prascend and Bute for several years. His vet ran blood tests, and it showed that he had high liver enzymes, which she thought was most probably associated with the Bute.

I hope your pony's swelling reduces/ disappears soon, as I know it's worrying when you're monitoring it. 🤞
 
Nocturnal said:
I had one that used to get fluidy swellings by his sheath. A course of detox cleared it up, and he stopped getting it at all when I started doing regular spring/autumn detoxes. May be totally different to what your boy has but worth a try.
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Thanks. How did you detox him?
Northern Hare said:
Sorry to read of your pony's swelling under his stomach. I was wondering what age your pony is please? Also, does the swelling reduce or change with exercise - or is he off work at the moment?

My horse had a similar swelling, but he was 25+ and had been on Prascend and Bute for several years. His vet ran blood tests, and it showed that he had high liver enzymes, which she thought was most probably associated with the Bute.

I hope your pony's swelling reduces/ disappears soon, as I know it's worrying when you're monitoring it. 🤞
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Thanks. He's 18 and is basically retired. In the warmer months I walk him in hand and, ironically, I'd just started riding him for ten minutes once in a while before it started. He's out during the day and in at night, although he has some hard standing at the back of his stable so he can wander around a bit. Was your pony Ok?
 
Swelling in and around the sheath and along the mid line can be caused by a slowing up of the lymphatic system and as suggested upthread a detox can help. EMS horses often have the same oedemas when the liver becomes compromised and can’t expel the toxins which in turn overloads the whole system. I use a high grade milk thistle powder (not seeds) all year round as I’m on soil with a very high iron content but for an emergency detox Ron Fields Remount is very good. It’s an all natural supplement 10 day course in a liquid form added to a feed. ETA it’s now in powder form.

Hopefully you will get to the bottom of the swelling quickly and your pony is ok.
 
HappyHollyDays said:
Swelling in and around the sheath and along the mid line can be caused by a slowing up of the lymphatic system and as suggested upthread a detox can help. EMS horses often have the same oedemas when the liver becomes compromised and can’t expel the toxins which in turn overloads the whole system. I use a high grade milk thistle powder (not seeds) all year round as I’m on soil with a very high iron content but for an emergency detox Ron Fields Remount is very good. It’s an all natural supplement 10 day course in a liquid form added to a feed. ETA it’s now in powder form.

Hopefully you will get to the bottom of the swelling quickly and your pony is ok.
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Thanks you.
 
I've come across similar once, it was winter and the horse was kept in a lot. As far as I'm aware it improved with turnout. Not sure if that applies for yours but thought I'd throw it out there
 
Yep, one of mine had exactly this while he was struggling with hindgut & liver issues. It disappeared (and touchwood - hasn't returned) on getting his system a bit happier. L94 from Trinity is my first go-to as a detox a couple of times a year or if I have any concerns that they're not quite 100%
 
Leaky gut is another possibility, and my old boy has presented with a very swollen sheath this week. I'm going to bathe with hand hot water to try and get some swelling down, then give him a gentle wash out. Agree with all the above that it may be toxin related. My old boy is 31, and age will catch up with him.
 
My old boy who I had lots of issues with low protein/high liver enzymes presented with oedema around his tummy/sheath when his levels where out of synch. It’s the only real symptom he had to tell me his levels were wrong. He was diagnosed with IBD and had to have courses of steroids each time it happened. He went on a few more years but unfortunately his arthritis got him in the end.
I believe his protein levels were 24 or less each time it happened so you might want to double check the levels as I found different vets used different numbers as to what were in the normal range.
 
My gelding had oedema under the stomach area both sides, caused by acute liver stress from buttercup leaf toxicity in wet haylage. It started with big hives, then oedema.
With liver detox herbs, charcoal, clay it cleared up pretty rapidly, but those hives were very big and some seeped serum, causing hair loss, that rapidly regrew again.
Clearing the toxin as fast as possible was the most important part.

The trouble with buttercup in haylage as opposed to being safe in hay, is it’s still wet in haylage so the toxic blistering acid in the buttercup is still active. The toxin is deactivated and neutralised when dried in hay.
I don’t bother with ‘meadow haylages’ anymore as I’ve had other brands with buttercup in. Not worth it. The toxin causes blistering of mucous membranes, so the gums, throat, stomach and intestines can be affected. The haylage that affected him was absolutely loaded with buttercup, every handful there was buttercup leaves, and made by a well known supplier. I stupidly trusted it being fermented would change the toxin profile but it doesn’t, further research proved only drying it out as hay does.

When they graze they avoid buttercup leaves, but in haylage they can’t avoid them if it’s loaded with it.
 
chaps89 said:
I've come across similar once, it was winter and the horse was kept in a lot. As far as I'm aware it improved with turnout. Not sure if that applies for yours but thought I'd throw it out there
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Thank you but he's out all day and at night has an open stable at the back so he can mooch about a bit then as well.
 
olop said:
My old boy who I had lots of issues with low protein/high liver enzymes presented with oedema around his tummy/sheath when his levels where out of synch. It’s the only real symptom he had to tell me his levels were wrong. He was diagnosed with IBD and had to have courses of steroids each time it happened. He went on a few more years but unfortunately his arthritis got him in the end.
I believe his protein levels were 24 or less each time it happened so you might want to double check the levels as I found different vets used different numbers as to what were in the normal range.
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Thanks. I'll look at the blood test results again.
 
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