Puffy/swollen faces

[franki_rosewell]

Has anyone experienced a horse with a face that swells up and down? Its not significant, but noticeable up close.

Usually it's most obvious in that hollow above her eyes, it's suddenly completely flat rather than hollow and when she chews its quite a prominent bulge. Its not hot, she is not irritable, or different in her behavior in any way. I have her on full livery and so see her in the evening 5/6 days a week and it will be swollen one day but not the next. She is out at night (in a starvation paddock because shes a fatty) and in during the day.

She can also get puffy around the side of her face/cheek. Most noticeable between the corner of her mouth and the line of her cheek. Again shes completely normal and has her teeth done every 8/9 months so I'm pretty sure it isn't that.

Just wondered if anyone else experienced it with their horses. I suspect its a kind of hay fever or something. Should I be more concerned then I am?

 

[Nasicus]

If it's swelling in the supraorbital fossae, I thiiiink it could be due to metabolic changes? Might be worth looking in to maybe? I could be wrong, but I seem to recall something about the hollows being puffy/spongy and something about laminitics/Insulin resistant horses? I'm sure someone will correct me shortly!

 

[Micky]

Yes quite right Nasicus...keep an eye on her feet for laminitis, if she's a fatty, second flush of grass being here n all... the hollow does bulge when they eat, more noticeable on some horses than others..the lump on cheek might be 'saved grass' !!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

As above but also can indicate a tooth/chewing action problem.