# Clear fluid from mare's udder



## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

I have a 6 year old thoroughbred mare who has never been bred. I was cleaning her udder today and noticed that her right teat was a little bigger than her left teat. Also, with just a little pressure, clear fluid came out of it. This has never happened before. It didn't happen on the left side. Is this normal? What could it be?

I also have noticed that there is a very hard, circular lump or maybe bone that her teats are attached to. I don't know if this is normal (my first mare). She wouldn't let me clean her udder until about 6 months ago so I'm not sure if it's always been there, but it hasn't changed at all since she first let me clean her udder.

Thanks


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## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

I have this exact same issue with my mare. It is not uncommon. This time of year the grass is green and growing and rich, which can stimulate hormonal fluctuations in mares. Don' t strip the fluid, it can trigger greater production which does no one any good.

Instead, monitor the mass you feel, check it only once a week. This makes it easier to gauge whether it is changing in size or shape.

If jer teat gets hot, red or swollen, or if she starts running a fever, call the vet. If the mass gets larger call the vet.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

The lump doesn't really feel like a mass. Its perfectly circular and is about the size of a baseball. It is attached to her body and her teats are attached to the lump. So the teats are directly under the lump. I thought it might be a bone that was located there, but I wasn't sure.

Also, we don't have any grass anymore. Could the time of year still be causing the fluid?

Thanks


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## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

There is no bone in that area at all. Might be a good idea to have the vet check for mastitis.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok thanks. I'll text him tomorrow and see what he thinks.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Good plan. Picture?


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

Just by looking, I couldn't see the lump I was feeling (at least not with the lighting in the washstall). If her teats are still different sizes tomorrow, I will take a picture.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

Here you can see the limp between the teats


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## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

Nope. Not normal.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

The vet will be out at noon tomorrow to look at it. Also because she is dead lame on her left front. Ã°ÂŸÂ˜Â”


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## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

Good call on the vet. Please let us know how it goes.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Aww sorry she's lame.

They do get smegma like buildup between the teats. It almost looks like that but doesn't sound like it. If the vet is out anyways I'm glad they are checking.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

The lump is about the size of a golf ball, but doesn't feel like it's attached to anything. It's very hard and perfectly circular. 

I haven't had much time to ride her this week, but when I sat on her on Monday she seemed pretty stiff in her back. I thought it was because it was getting cold and she had started to shiver, or because she hadn't worked in 2 days. Last night, she was standing with her abdominal muscles as tight as they would go. It looked like she was trying to hunch her back up, so maybe that lump is what's bothering her. We thought she was starting to colic last Tuesday, but it never went past pawing and rolling once. My trainer suggested that maybe she was tightening these muscles and that was making her stomach hurt. Who knows.... I'll let you know what the vet thinks. Here is a pic where you can see how tight those muscles are.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

Poor girl, subbing so I can see what your vet says!

Hope it's nothing serious


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

It does sound like a colic and I doubt is related but do mention it to the vet.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

It was a large cyst. It was so hard because of all the pressure built up. He tried to aspirate it at first because he thought it was a tumor. He didn't get anything, so then he tried to biopsy it. When he stuck the biopsy tool in, a ton of pus came out. Once it was all flushed out, he gave her some bute and that was it. No stitches and I'm not supposed to put anything on it. She's just on SMZs for a few days.

The muscle clenching was probably due to the fact that she has not only stomach ulcers, but also hind gut ulcers. Surprise! I treated her with UlcerGuard about a month ago, but I guess it didn't work well enough.


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## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

Bet that was a relief. Treating ulcers is not a one-time deal. Treatment should be daily for at LEAST a month, 2 is better.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Glad it didn't turn out to be anything major (relatively speaking)

I'm sure she's feeling better.

Do keep ulcers in the back of your mind even after they are "cured". They tend to pop back up and as squirrelfood said treatment is tricky.

Here is a thread of mine-http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/chronic-low-grade-colic-449154/

Situations isn't relevant but I had several posters give me very interesting information about ulcers.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

When I gave her the UlcerGuard, I gave one tube a day for 2 weeks. I was just doing it as a preventative sort of thing since I know she's prone to them. I treated her for ulcers last spring and since then I just give her UlcerGuard every 4ish months just to make sure she doesn't get them again.

Her diet is going to be totally changed over the next few weeks and she's going to be on a Psyllium supplement indefinitely. She's already eating a lot of alfalfa and as much hay as she wants.

Thanks for the link Yogiwick


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## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

Recommended treatment is ulcerguard full tube daily for at least 4 weeks. 6 weeks is better. Maintenence dose is 1/2 tube daily. So basically you sort of wasted some very expensive meds by under treating. 

Free choice 24/7 hay is the best thing you can do. So is as little grain as possible. Beet pulp is a better choice if you need something. I got a great deal of ulcer experience rehabbing Arabian show horses.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

In addition I would get her on a regular ulcer supplement if she isn't on one already. Do this in addition to all the other stuff. Keep her on this long term/pretty much always.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm actually looking for a nutritionist in my area so I can just get her feed figured out and I don't have to mess around with stuff she doesn't need. The plan is to just feed her what she needs to stay fat and healthy and nothing extra.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If you can do that great. If you feed optimally you shouldn't have ulcers to worry about.

I'd still be doing something for them short term.


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