Swollen glands/ cheeks, help please!

[clairencappelli]

About 6-8 weeks ago my horse swollen cheek quite far back and low down. No evidence of any trauma so thought it could be a bite of some kind. It took a good 3 days to go down and was only 1 side and went down on its own.

I have been poorly and am still shaking off flu so didnt see my baby at the weekend but noticed monday eve when she cane in her cheek was swollen again on the other side same area?. I looked at it again tonight and there are swellings on both cheeks now ( right side worse than the left and is over a wider area ).

She is eating normally and in no obvious discomfort and seems her usual self. There is no obvious heat and no eye or nasal discharge and she seems fine in herself.

It was suggested by a friend when it came up before that it was likey to be a blocked sylava ( sp? ) glad and could be that there is little grass left in the field and its quite short.

Im going to hay the field tomo to make sure that she is eating during the day.

Im not overly concerend as this went down of its own accord before after about 3 days and isnt bothering her- im just a worrying mummy!.

If there is no imporvement towards the end of the week ill load up and run her to the vets. I might give them a call and ask for advice tomo.

Any one ever ssen this before on their horses????

 

[sunny123]

Sunny's were up the other day for 2 days, but they are down now. She was eating fine and showing no signs of discomfort. I think that it is something to do with the grass, but i dont really know much about it if im honest so i would be interested aswell!

 

[air78]

It is the grass! I read somthing about this, it's a real condition where some horses react to the grass. It could even have been in H&H, when they do the medical bits.
I've noticed that big lad gets it most days scince we moved to a new yard; sometimes more on one side than the other, but usually fairly equal. It doesn't bother him, and goes down quickly enough- I think usually with in a few hours of coming in.

 

[mickey]

I think that is due to swollen saliva glands. My horse has had swollen glands for the last couple of days I think because the grass is starting to get a bit jucier (but there is not much of it) so he is producing more saliva than he needs in anticipation of the grass.

 

[krnb06]

Barneys glands were up last week then after a few days he was fine. So most probly the same thing.

 

[clairencappelli]

Thanks guy peoples views are so helpful with things like this. I was a worried when i saw the size of the right side, but ill give it a few days and see how it goes.

I think ill put some hay out ( im sharing a field with 1 other through choice ) so will put a few sections out tomo to make sure she is eating.

Ill get a picture tomo to post so you can see what i mean.

The swelling doesnt extend past the boney park of the back of the cheek so its in the right area for sylava glands.

I cant remeber what paddock she was in when it flared up before ( i rotate weekly between 4 so they are rested ).

I hope her hamster chops have gone down by the weekend, im hoping i feel recovered enought to take her out, or she will be looking with the fatty who ate all the pies

If anyone can find any more info / articles on this id be very interested.

 

[Peanot]

Hi Claire, did you get pics?
Regarding above, Rox gets this around this time of year too. Not had it yet though, but there was also a big post on this last year and everyone put it down to the grass! Although over here at the mo, it is puddles with bits of grass here and there.
When Rox has it, it is up when she comes in but gone in the morning. It is sometimes just in her jowl but sometimes it is over her cheeks too. x x x

 

[clairencappelli]

Ill get some pics in the morning lesley to show you.

Its just really bugging me she has never had it till a few weeks back but i moved yards the end of the summer and the grass is much better there so its the first time shes been on the new grass coming through.

When she had it before i was up solid for a good 3 days she went out like it in the morning and came in fine the 3rd eve.

Its all very odd

 

[Peanot]

you fart, I meant the pics that I sent to you.

You could send me a pic and I can tell you if its the same as Rox had. x

 

[clairencappelli]

ops hehehehe!!!

I did and i was very impressed lesley, i did love the pic of you doing dressage!

Aw roxy is such a babe i need more piccies tho!

Do i spy a xc pic in your avatar? Dont withhold nice xc piccies from me they are my fav type. send send!

 

[star]

did it look like this?

http://groups.msn.com/UpSaddle/welshcobsrulespiccies.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1525

you can see he is swollen behind his jaw bone. his always come up when the grass starts coming through. noticed them 1st time this year the other day, so know the grass is growing now. they come up and down as they please - dont bother him at all so i just ignore them.

 

[clairencappelli]

No its not like that, they are more circcular shaped and further forward actually on the large part of the cheek.

Im going down at 9 so will get some pics and post them.

My camel looks like a hamster!

 

[evsj]

Mine has the same symptons - I posted on this a while ago. It is to do with 'fructons' in the grass which become more concentrated at certain times of the year. It may also be to do with pollen (someone told me). Mine comes in from the filed with it three or four times per week but by the following morning it has always gone back to normal (munching on hay overnight makes it go down). Don't worry about them unless there are other symptons like snotty nose etc.

 

[clairencappelli]

They had completely gone this morning! I went armed with the camera and she was stood there looking normal again ( apart from annoyed that she wasnt out in the field.

Its so weird, i think i will have to moniter this over the spring as we moved to this yard late summer last year so have never delt with spring grass here as the grass is very good when it comes through.

She can go out 24-7 the 1st may but will see how these glads react.

Ive never experinced this before as grass at the other yard wasnt good but will keep an eye on it.

If anyone can find an article on it id be very interested to read it.

 

[Willow1]

Hi
I recently moved yards and for the first time ever my mare is also coming in from the field with swollen cheeks. THese disappear overnight, and on the days she stays in they obviously don't swell up, so its definately something in the grass!

 

[Loopy_laura]

my yonugster freeway used to hasve funny swellings when he was cutting teeth... have you had her teeth checked? there is a dentist that comes on here maybe she could help. i'll pm you her name!

 

[clairencappelli]

She had her teeth looked at 6-8 weeks ago when she had her jabs and they said they dont need doing yet and will do them in 6 months. She is 13 so def no cutting anymore teeth.

Im sure its the grass.

 

[star]

if it's the grass then it'll be in the position in my pic. if it's somewhere else then it cant be the grass coz the salivary glands are only in the position behind the jaw bone like in the pic.

 

[spanishhorseygal]

One of our boys suffers from 'Grass Glands' - it seems to get worse when grass is grazed very short in early spring and autumn. He basically looks like he has mumps most evenings and sometimes when very bad he also swells up down under the jaw and along cheeks. This always disappears completely by the morning. If you are worried, Karen Coumbe has written an article on the H&H archive (search for 'Grass Glands') and she is also one of the only vets that I have spoken to who understands the problem as she has a horse that suffers with this herself. Her best advice is to change their field if you can when they get very bad, otherwise not to worry.