The 'C' word...

Ellemoo

Ellemoo

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Hi, wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar to this:
my mare (nearly 6) seems to have started having a lot of discomfort when shes in season... i cant brush her sides or rump areas- not even with my hand- without her kicking out and pulling seriously agressive faces at me! The vet has suggested we ultrasound her to check for any 'growths' or abnormalities in that area which im now petrified its going to be bad news! the last 2 days shes been behaving like this again but im pretty certain shes not in season right now so that seems even more odd... any thoughts??
 
Good on your vet.

Scan is way to go - plenty of supplements and meds availability try but safest to rule physical problems out first :)

My pony behaves like this... Because of her skin problems! So it's not always obvious!
 
Before you get carried away with worst case scenarios lets look at the facts. You have said her discomfort seems to be related to her seasons, and it affects her rump and hind quarters. There are lots of things it could be especially in a young mare, and there are lots of things that could be seen by ultrasound. I imagine top of the list would be polycystic ovaries where the ovary releases multiple eggs at the same time, or an ovarian cyst where the ovary produces an egg but it fails to rupture to release the egg. Start simple, get the ultrasound done as the vet advises and see what it reveals. It could just be that she requires some hormones or hormone suppressants to help her. Hope that helps x
 
If it is an ovarian tumour/cyst, then the most common type is a granulosa theca tumour, which can be removed by surgery. It's often accompanied by aggressive behaviour or nymphomania.

Sarah
 
I am so with you at the moment. I took on a mare in the summer that is really bad news when she is in season. She has been on regumate for a while and is in season at the moment(as is my other mare ). I am waiting for the vet to come and scan and then if there is no problem she will have marbles inserted. She is very sensitive round her sides and thrashes her tail around a lot. Dreading the idea that there is something wrong inside. She will need to be sedated for the vets safety. She does seem so miserable at times and unrideable when she is coming into season as she is so uncomfortable . Good luck and let us know what happens
 
Maree t - you have just described my girl to a t!! i feel bad for her as im guessing shes in some serious discomfort when shes in season :-( My vet has suggested the hormone treatment or marble if they dont find any abnormalities on a scan.. hoping it isnt anything sinister and that shes just a super stroppy mare hehe
 
Finally have an update for anyone whos intersted...
Got her blood test results back today (took 4 weeks as they were sent to America) and there are abnormalities in her hormone levels.
The vet says that the abnormal levels could be caused by an abnormality in her ovaries or possibly a tumor/tumors on her ovaries.
Also she has extremely high levels of testosterone which is obviously not normal for her.
Plan of action is: get her to the surgery to have her ovaries scanned just to know for sure if they are normal or not and make sure there are no tumors.
If the scans show nothing then we will go down the route of trying her on regumate or marbles to see if that will help her.

Funny enough, when i got to the yard this eve and took her rug off to groom her, she had the most extreme reaction she has ever had! As i said in my original post she seems pretty tender round her belly/sides/flanks when shes in season and wont even let me brush my hand over her... well tonight when the brush ran down her side, her whole body bananered(?lol) it seemed like every muscle along her side from shoulders to bum spasmed and all four legs buckled. It was like id run a knive along her side the way she reacted!! Poor girl, she seems to be getting more and more uncomfortable with each season.

Sorry for long post! :D Will let you know what happens with the scan...
 
from someone whose mare has had the operation to remove her ovary - its quite straight forward - they scan - mine was a typical Granulosa tumor on the scan - went to liverpool and had the op - worst bit for me is the 48 hrs that they have to be starved for a standing op as the colon has to be empty for the op - because of taking it from the side - they remove it - horse goes home 2 days later - 3 weeks box rest - walking out daily - then 3 weeks small paddock and then ring back into work - by way mine turned out to be a rare - Leuteoma tumor with polycystic properties and a corpus luteum attached???? - it had to come out believe me! - she is now far far nicer - still a bit funny with rugs - but no where near like before where i would be met with teeth.

I worried yes, and was stressful for me - especially the starvaton bit - and she came thru the operation well - but definately worth it.

to all those considering a scan - it was £120 at the vets incl sedation - (mine had to have sedation and put into stocks as she wouldnt let a vet near her 'bits' without it) - but if your vet has portable scanner can just do at home over a stable door.
 
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