# Mare lactating but not pregnant



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I have a mare that did it once and the vet said it was hormonal and they didn't really know what caused it. One and done, she's never had it happen since. Since you had her hormone levels checked that's not it.

Guesses would include...well crap CRS is kicking in and I can't think of what they call it when milk glands get plugged. Or maybe a cyst or tumor in some part of her reproductive tract.


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

There are some grasses/plants that can elevate estrogens. Flax and soy are usually the main culprits.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

MASTITIS! Finally remembered the word I was searching my empty brain for in my earlier post. LOL


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Are there any foals anywhere nearby? I have had 2 mares who would come in milk for foals and would steal them if they could. Never harmed them at all and it passed.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

No mastistis - DH is an ex dairy farmer so would spot that, though you could milk her like a cow at present!!
No evidence of a cyst or tumor as far as it causing behavioral changes - she's very sweet and quite laid back to handle. I suppose we could get an ultra sound done though to completely rule it out?
No soy in her diet, I actually changed supplement to remove soy but there is flax in this new supplement.........
No foals nearby.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Flax is estrogenic as well as alfalfa and clovers.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

No alfalfa and very little clover in the grazing or hay but now I'm thinking that it maybe coincides with me changing the supplement to the flax one.
I guess I can easily stop using it and see what happens


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Jaydee, if she was mine I'd cut the supplement and see if she dries up. If not, then I'd be having her gone over again by the vet. Something 'hain't quite raht'.


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

Safe starch forage has soybean oil and soybean meal in it according to the ingredient list...

https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/products/safe-starch-forage/


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

i was going to ask if the mare might have Cushings, but you already ruled out abnormal hormone levels.

I found this:

an a mare produce milk even if not pregnant?
Some mares lactate despite not being pregnant and not nursing a foal. There may be hormonal reasons for this, but the scientific explanation remains unclear. There is some speculation about whether mares that have Cushing's disease (PPID) might produce hormones that cause milk production.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Phytoestrogens can cause lactation in non-pregnant mares

White clover,for instance

Here is an article on inappropriate lactation in mares, and the following is key, so I would test her for Cushings

'The most commonly identified cause of inappropriate
lactation in mares is an elevation in prolactin levels,
secondary to Cushing disease [

http://www.producao.usp.br/bitstream/handle/BDPI/42528/wos2012-5805.pdf?sequence=1


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Dehda01 - She's been getting the Safe Starch forage ever since we bought her so I think she would maybe have had this lactating thing before if it was that but I can easy change to a straight grass chopped forage so will try that
Smilie - We had her tested for Cushing's and IR, both were negative but thanks for the suggestion.
Dreamcatcher - I think removing the supplement is a good place to start as its the only new thing this year. I didn't add any to her feed last night and I'll see if it makes any difference - not sure how long it would take.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

jaydee said:


> Dreamcatcher - I think removing the supplement is a good place to start as its the only new thing this year. I didn't add any to her feed last night and I'll see if it makes any difference - not sure how long it would take.


Well, when I'm weaning, I give the mare at least 2 weeks before I expect her to not have any kind of bag in the mornings after I pull the foal. I give her a full 30 days to dry up completely before I bring her back to the herd (that contains the foal).


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Well, when I'm weaning, I give the mare at least 2 weeks before I expect her to not have any kind of bag in the mornings after I pull the foal. I give her a full 30 days to dry up completely before I bring her back to the herd (that contains the foal).



Thought this mare was never pregnant, so did not have a foal.
Did I miss something?
As I understand it, mare that lactate, never having had a foal to explain that lactation , can have several causes

Stimulation, exposed to some other mare's foal
Abnormal hormone production, as in Cushings-already ruled out
Eating estrogenic food of some kind
Completely< idiopathic, LOL- a favorite tern , medically, when cause is unknown!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Smilie said:


> Thought this mare was never pregnant, so did not have a foal.
> Did I miss something?
> As I understand it, mare that lactate, never having had a foal to explain that lactation , can have several causes
> 
> ...


No Smilie, you didn't miss it. I'm talking when I'm weaning, not this particular mare. I just have my weaning experiences to go on.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I'll see how she goes now she's off the supplement and the TC SS forage
With mares that are taken away from foals there's also the supply and demand (or should that be demand and supply) factor which has never been a part of this problem
Our mare that does have Cushing's has been on the same diet/supplement but no problems with her - of course all horses are different which only makes things that bit harder


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