Large edema on pregnant mare. Pics not for faint hearted :)

[OzCowgirl]

I posted a picture of my pregnant mare on the Pregnancy thread and a pic of her edema between her front legs. I didn't want to hijack that thread so I thought I would post the pics here so you could see what a large pitting edema looks like. These edemas can appear on heavy mares and larger breed mares - or mares having large foals but not always. My vet has seen them as large as footballs and in different places on the mare's abdomen, and says they are often present in big milkers. They can look really scary and awful but they are not normally a danger to the mare and usually go away pretty quickly after foaling.

They can be confused with a hernia, or an infection/abscess or hematoma. It is called a pitting edema because when you press on the edema, an impression (pit) remains of your hand/finger where you pressed. It feels pretty firm at first, but squishy when you squeeze it - like that "slime" stuff you get in joke shops.

The mare is a large 17hh maiden TB and the pics were taken on day 317. She started to make a bag at 9 months and I love her even though she is cranky.










Will post more if changes happen.

[GingersMum]

While your vet has stated it's not something to worry about with your mare, if I had a mare with unusual or excessive edema I'd be calling my vet. My mare in the past has gotten edema just ahead of her udders due to lack of exercise because unfortunately she had to be stalled the last month of pregnancy. If she had been left to be her normal active self and had gotten the edema or had the edema spread further than it did I would have called my vet. Generally if I were unable to explain excessive edema or edema placed in an odd place such as the chest I would be precautious. I don't know, it's just something I would freak out over just to be safe rather than sorry.

[OzCowgirl]

The vet has seen her already and says she and the foal are not in danger. I have also asked 2 other vets for their opinions and they say the exact same thing. What else can I do? The foal is already viable. I have looked into her condition and can't see what else to do. It is not unusual or excessive considering her size and stage of pregnancy. This mare is like a draft horse. I mean she is big and solid and hot.

Fre aking out won't help me or her. If anyone has experience with large mares/foals and edema I would love some advice, thats why I am posting this.

[GingersMum]

Oh no, I wast criticizing your care of her or the vets diagnosis or how or why she got it! I was merely replying to what you said in the other thread about showing people it's nothing to worry about. What I was trying to say is I'm glad that in her case it's a "normal" thing and nothing to worry about, but if something similar occured in my mare I would still be concerned and seek my own vets advice. Just to ensure it was safe, just because there are different variables to each case

[OzCowgirl]

Sorry for typos and short reply. I can't type much -- im accessing from my iPhone. I am trying not to worry as I lost a mare and foal 2 years ago -
My mare almost to the day (broke my heart) and didn't breed again until now so I am trying to be strong and cool under pressure.

[checota]

Such edema can be normal for some mares, more often or not this pattern will continue with this mare in every pregnancy, How old is the mare? I am betting this foal is a colt she is carring pretty low and she looks big for a maiden, most maidens will have a smaller foal the first time....BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!! My maiden mare....who is the Dam of my Stallion gave birth to a whopper (Howelling Corona) affectionatly known as Jasper. He was huge!

Is your mare stabled or outside? Sometimes it helps to turn them out a bit more (of course watching them while turned out once they get closer to foaling) to help relieve some of the edema. The pressure does cause some discomfort to the mare if it becomes severe enough.

Good luck with her she is a pretty thing.

[Baylily]

Did your vet say anything about massaging it? This may help to reduce the swelling. I'm unfamiliar with a "pitting edema", so i'm not sure if this is still advisable.

[coloredcowhorse]

I've had a couple mares with fairly hefty edema but it was always in a "shield" kind of pattern starting in front of udder and progressing forward and out to the side....about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. In some cases it is not harmless (well, it is, in and of itself) but can be a symptom of fescue problems according to one vet (haven't researched this to see if accurate or not...he was pretty right on about other things so I assumed he knew this as well). I would have any mare showing something similar checked out by a vet....just for safety sake.

[alaskahorse]

I have had a few mares that have had exactly what your horse has when pregnant. It always went away after foaling.
When the edema got large enough that I was uncomfortable about it, I took the mares out on a lead off of another horse and we ponied them for a few hours. It sometime helped temporarily, but it always came back. After foal was born it left..Its not uncommon, or harmful that I know of in any way. Relax..and take your vets advice..I suspect that she will be fine. Pretty mare by the way...definately want to see pictures of the foal.

[magoo320mj]

Subbing - I find this interesting! Pretty mare.