Possible mastitus?, 21yr old not in foal mare! help please.

J

JCWHITE

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21yr old hunter mare, (sorry I have been away for a few days), horse has been well looked after, but has what looks like swollen teats, glands, ducts under belly are hard and covered in a waxy like "glue globules".Looks like blisters and heat inside both front legs at the very top.
History, has had foals 10 yrs ago. Introduced to a new 3 yr old filly last week, (at stables where stallion was present within hearing and seeing distance).Old mare, when both of them coming home, was really horrible to new filly for a week, now they are best friends.I suspect it is a hormonal problem, with all the changes and the time of year.She was in a very strong season last week.
Sorry to ramble, trying to get opinions, and does she need injections, just for tonight I have bathed the area and put some proflavine on to try and soothe. I also have zinc and caster oil cream ready to use. your thoughts please, as I am in France and things like this make you want to be in UK!
JC
 
Josie does things like this, esp this time of year. Hav eyou changed her field at all? It could be caused by oestrogen in the grass, or esp if there is a lot of clover in the field.

A vet has never given Josie an injection for it.

To treat, hot towels, and excercise gently to see if goes down/drips out. If she will let you strip her, do so a tiny bit, then let it drip freely. Some people may disagree with the stripping bit. But my vet told me when weaning a foal, you must never touch the udder, but mastitis years after a weaned foal, isn't caused by excess milk, ie drying up, it's caused by blockage in the ducts.

If there is excesive heat, antibiotics may be needed.

Hope this has helped x
 
Yes thank you.
Yes there has been a fair bit going on in her life, in the last 2 weeks, away for 3 days while getting used to new filly, yes, the grass is growing like topsy, we are strip grazing as normal,I will do as you suggest, good idea, I have plenty of old towels.
I will look at her first thing, but I am worried, as the local vets take the P.... if they can ££££, and last time she had Histabione,for an abcess, she became very ill and went down.Worrying.
JC
 
If you can get that milk moving, she might not need the anti b's. It's just vital the ducts get unblocked as thats where infection sets in. Hence the warm towels.

Hopes she improves x x
 
My 12 yr old rescued mare came to me with mastitis following the traumatic death of her foal. She was so close to death (from ragwort poisoning) it was hard to know how to help her. She was in terrible pain from the mastitis and it took 20 days of antibiotics to clear it up. When she was backed, 18 months later, she went down with another bout where her udder was just as you describe. She was boxed to the trainer's yard about 10 mins away and we think that she may have thought she was going to a stallion, or the different yard or different grazing. We were unable to strip any of the milk out - certain death lol. She had a 7 day course of antiobiotics and it cleared up immediately.
 
Thankyou, I will get the hot towels right away.I am seeing the vet tomorrow at an event, so I will find out what the term is in French, and then ask.Will keep you posted.
JC
 
Right, have taken mare to vets.
Midge bite allergy, so the whole thing about the season, stallion, and new filly were a false alarm.
been sold an expensive course of injections, COBACTAN, and a cream called POMMADE.
Does anyone know how I can find out the Uk equivalent name?
Panic over for now, and thanks to those who replied.
Now off to bathe affected parts and stay safe!!
JC
 
Hi, I'm currently having a similar problem with my 4yr old who's never had a foal. She did have an infection in her teats back in jan which was cleared up but still produces fluid on & off. My vet put her on regumate thinking it was hormonal. Her seasons have stopped but she's still producing fluid. And yesterday her whole udder ballooned out all up under her tail etc and she couldn't walk without it rubbing! The vet came out on emergency 2 giv her anti-inflammatories but she's sooooooooo miserable. It's been 4 months now!!! Any ideas. I can't get near that area unless i hav a death wish! She's so sore!
cshells
 
Just to say that the above 21yr old mare is being treated with a very expensive course of injections as she is allergic to the cheaper drug!!, Cobactan, and then an emoillient cream , Tifene Pommade. Both these names are used here in France so you would have to find out the English name.Remember hse was diagnosed with infected midge bites, yours sounds like mastitus thingy to me?
all the best
JC
 
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