what on earth is this?!?!?!

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Rocky715

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saw the strangest thing this morning - two equally sized lumps (a good handful size) about 10 cm behind where the girth would sit.... whats odd is they are firm, but if you push them your finger indentation stays there??? they arent itchy, hot or sore.

what on earth is that???? anyone know?

xxx
 
Underneath sorry i should have said - it's on the belly! He does react to insect bites but if he reacts he is always itchy - these aren't itchy at all. I poked it and literally my finger indent stayed there?? xx
 
My old boy had the same once - the vet didn't know why but could have been kidney or heart but he was 35 at the time. If the indent of your finger stays it called pitted edema or pitting. This is a build up of fluid normally from too much sodium. My horse was under his belly and went as quickly as it came?? I would ask vet.
 
My mare used to have something that sounded similar to this. The farrier shod her longer at the heel and the swellings occured overnight. It was from the back of the shoe when she lay down. She is now barefoot anyway and they have gone. Could be the same if you have had the farrier recently?
 
I've been looking all over the internet and can't find much information about pitting oedema in this area?! I don't know whether to monitor for a few days or call vet asap monday morning? It is not bothering him at all ... :/
 
Oedema just means build up of fluid, and the pitting bit refers to the fact the fluid is dispersed by the pressure from your finger and doesn't flood back in, leaving a pit. I don't believe they're overly region specific, but may be wrong. As sam100 said its caused by another issue, in her case the horse was 35 and maybe its pump or kidneys weren't working properly, and caused a build up of sodium.

If your horse is fit and well i doubt it would be this, but if its a chronic issue not an emergency.

I'd suggest its a histamine reaction, I wouldn't panic. The grass is full of new weeds & insects and he may have come in contact with something when lying down. I'd get the vet next week if its still there.
 
It sounds like the girth line to me (sometimes known as the poverty line). All horses have it. It's a line of fat that surrounds the entire barrel of the horse and finishes off where the girth lies. Perfectly normal horse anatomy if this is what it is.
 
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