Swollen teats in non pregnant mare

meleeka

meleeka

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I have an appointment booked for Monday anyway but not sure whether to bring it forward. This is the mare I only got on Saturday. She’s in quarantine at the moment in a small field. On Sunday i noticed her teats were a bit larger than normal. Although I’ve known this horse for years I’ve never looked so no idea if this was normal. By Monday they looked larger and have remained the same all week. I thought it might be a bite as where she was there were loads of horseflies. Today though the swelling has moved forward of her teats and they feel warmer. Her temperature, heart rate and respiration are all normal and there’s nothing coming from them. She doesn’t appear to mind me prodding but I’m not sure if she would tell me anyway. There’s no chance she’s in foal (last foal was 5 years ago).
 
My mare does this too. It's apparently a reaction to a chemical in clover, which mimmicks an oestrogen type hormone. As long as the teats are not hard and lumpy, which could be a sign of infection, I'd just leave alone and monitor regularly.

If they get hot, hard or weepy, call your vet.
 
HeyMich said:
My mare does this too. It's apparently a reaction to a chemical in clover, which mimmicks an oestrogen type hormone. As long as the teats are not hard and lumpy, which could be a sign of infection, I'd just leave alone and monitor regularly.

If they get hot, hard or weepy, call your vet.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that would be a relief. They are quite firm but not at all lumpy
 
My friend's horse went through a stage of doing this. You could almost milk her!! The vet said it was more than likely a reaction to clover and wasn't concerned. She is now on regumate and it hasn't happened again!
 
One of my 2 minis does this and did so 4 days ago, purely down to the sudden spike of nitrogen which is producing clover, due to the rain a fortnight ago. She hasn't had a foal in 9 years.
Keep an eye in case there is an infection going on tho, worth taking temp twice a day to check x
 
Thanks. A friend who breeds has just had a look and asked if I’m sure she’s not in foal! I’m 99.9% sure but she did throw up an interesting theory that as this mare has been turned out with mares and foals recently it could be a phantom pregnancy? I’m going to take photos in a minute and ask for the vet to let me know if they think it can wait until Monday. I’m pretty sure they won’t want to come out unnecessarily either.
 
I've also had a mare do this - had never had a foal, couldn't have been in foal, but it still does make you wonder... I've kept her off the clover at that time since, mostly for my own peace of mind as it didn't seem to bother her.
 
HeyMich said:
My mare does this too. It's apparently a reaction to a chemical in clover, which mimmicks an oestrogen type hormone. As long as the teats are not hard and lumpy, which could be a sign of infection, I'd just leave alone and monitor regularly.

If they get hot, hard or weepy, call your vet.
Click to expand...

My 29yo has this during the summer, have put it down to the clover in my field. She does drip a bit sometimes but just keep an eye on it. I did get the vet the first time I noticed it, but it was nothing to worry about.
 
Thanks TFF, I may have to do some research. DP often suffers from a slightly swollen sheath and I had assumed it was the grass but we do have clover in the field and when he got his muzzle of two weeks ago his sheath ballooned and he was very uncomfortable. Took about 48 hours to go back down and that was with keeping him in and off the field for the whole time. It might be that nitrogen is the cause.
 
Just to update Just to update. The swelling has gone down a bit over the weekend. Vet says it’s a circulation response, probably because she’s on her own In a small field and not moving much and is an older mare. Could be food, clover or soya can have that effect sometimes. Get her moving a bit more, bute as an anti inflammatory and see if it goes down. If not check hormones, protein and Cushings.
 
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