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Lakota

Hi everyone

Just would like some help from breeders more experienced than myself. Now I have a tendancy to over worry, so please tell me if I am being silly.

My TB mare was served in Decmeber, and had two postive preg tests (one at 18 days and one at 42 days). In March she began to produce a brown discharge. Understandably I was worried and took her to the vets, who scanned her and told me all was well and not to worry.

All has gone smoothly since then (except for the fact she has continued to produce discharge) until the other day, when the discharge increased noticably. Yesterday she began to bag up, yet she still has 10 weeks to go. Has anyone had a mare bag up this early and still go full term?

Apart from this she is in good spirits, although she is particually large for a maiden mare in foal to a pony.

Here is the mare in question. I dont have any recent pics, sorry.




Thanks for your help

samm

Lakota its quite normal for a mare to start to 'spring' an udder 6-8 weeks prior to foaling.When you say bag ,how much of a bag are we talking about here ??

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Lakota

Hard to explain Samm, but quite pronouced (obviously no-where near full yet though). If I didnt know her due date I would think she is due in 4/5 weeks. I would try and get a pic but the camera's broken.

I was just interested as of all the mares I have had none have started to bag up this early.

Petite Pastures

Lakota I wouldnt worry to much, I have a mare due in mid october who has been bagged up for a few weeks now.
But write down this info so next time you will know more about this mare.

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samm

Just keep a close watch on her for any other foaling signs Lakota.
Maidens tend to spring an udder earlier than more experienced broodies in my experience .
Good luck and keep us updated.

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Lakota

Thanks for your help guys Much appreciated!

Toy

My mare started to bag up around almost three months ago. It has been rather full for the last two months. She is a maiden and I also noticed a discharge which was more a wine colour and would be heavy at times. She now has ten days left so I'm no longer worried. I just watched her closely.

CMSporthorses

We have a mare here who has had a full udder from the second she got in foal............... shes still got til November to go as well - though she goes a month overdue every time, so really she wont drop til christmas! lol........

Just keep en eye on her, if the discharge is just a light brown and clear then I wouldnt be too concerned, if it was 'muddy' then I would worry about an infection.... a bit of discharge is not unusual.

All mares will bag up at different times, some will do it super early (like our girl - as soon as she was served - actually I had another mare who had a FULL bag 4 days after she was served - we KNEW she was in foal right away! lol.........) and some will wait til they are actually on the ground spitting the kid out before they will get an udder........ others you have to give them a shot of oxytocin to make them release their milk......

Just keep an eye on her girly bits and watch for them getting 'loose' and puffy, and around her tail head - when that starts to look a bit more prominent and the bit of her bum up either side of her tail head goes all jelly like - then I would be more concerned if she had that happening this early.....

We have a mare who foals a month early EVERY time........ her foals are born little, but catch up later....... so dont be too alarmed if you get a slightly early one.......

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Lakota

That sounds like Millie Toy. Congrats on your foal, she is beautiufl!

Thanks CMSporthorses, very useful information

breakawaystud

Hi Lakota
I really hope this information below is useful.Having been involved with breeding for (a scary amount of time) I feel the info below is worth consideration.I have achieved pregnancies in mares that every repro vet in WA has written off and live foals from mares that have exuded pus from day one post breeding.In each case, early udder development has proven to be a (either low grade or massive/hostile uterine infection).Both can cost you your pregnancy, only dirrence is early or late gestation.
Simple progesterone's or progestin's ( similar to pregnancy hormones ) DO NOT cause udder development. Other wise, why dont performance mares on regumate/CIDR/PRID/Equity have udders?
Treatment is usually simple but effective. A course of Trim-Sulfa (Only antibiotic known to cross the uterine-placental barrier and reverse uterine compromise) 1 week out of every four and P4. Please consult your EQUINE REPRO vet about this.It can make the difference.
Hope all goes well for you.

From BEFU
Mares with ascending placentitis often present in late term pregnancy with signs of premature udder development and premature
lactation. There may be a vulvar discharge. Early detection of placental problems is possible using trans-abdominal or trans-rectal
ultrasonography. Hormones such as progesterone and relaxin may be measured as indicators of foetal stress and placental failure.
Postpartum foetal membranes may be thickened and contain a fibronecrotic exudate. The region most affected is the cervical star.
Definitive diagnosis of ascending placentitis is by histopathological examination of the chorioallantoic membrane.
Ideal treatment strategies are aimed at curing the infection and prolonging the pregnancy to as close to term as possible and consist of
anti-microbials, anti-inflammatories and hormonal support.
Swabs are taken from affected mares to determine antibiotic sensitivity and to aid in treatment of foals born from these mares which
are at risk of becoming septic. If detected early enough, the chances of producing a viable foal are greatly increased.