Bagging up - urgent question

[angie]

Our shetland mare has been bagging up for 4 weeks now and still no foal. She has now developed 2 hard lumps infront of her nipples. Should I call the vet? Should I be worried? Is it mastightus (sp??). She was infoal when we bought her and the stud could not give us a definate due date, just sometime in May. It is now June so should I be worried about her going overdue? Thanks alot for your help - I'am a nervous wreck! Bonnie looks hugh, I wish she would just get on with it!

[anna85]

I wouldn't worry about being overdue and the bagging up business, some mares bag up a LOT before they actually have the foalie and she could actually be only one day overdue if that makes sense (today being the 1st June).

BUT it never does any harm to ring the vet and run it past them - the lumps etc, they after all will know the mare presumably if they checked it out before and you can describe it to them better, plus they can ask you appropriate questions etc. Never costs to ring them and they can come out and do a check up if they feel it is cause for concern.

[angie]

Thanks very much for your advice. I have just rung the vet. He said it is a build up of fluid possibly caused by her being slightly overdue. He said not to worry and let nature take its course.

Bonnie is hugh though - her stomach is nearly on the floor - she is only 29inches high and short coupled which makes her look bigger. She seems happy in her self though and is still eating well!

[grace]

Splendour was HUGE!!! We thought it could be twins because she was so big. She also bagged up really early. Our vet just said it could be fluid around the foal, which it was.

[anna85]

awesome, pleased you got it sorted. We always just ring the vet if theres anything concerning us and he never minds us doing it.

Penny was mahoosive too, never seen one quite like it. She packs on the pounds even when she's not in foal (she's big boned ) but when she's in foal there is a serious risk of becoming a beached whale LOL!

[kirkcarrion]

Bit late on this but Rowena almost always has a small fluid lump in the milk vein in front of her udder before she foals and sometimes after, just a very milky mare and a foal in no hurry so don't worry. I'd wait til you see crystalline drops on the teats, which fall off and then milk starts to come which forms wax first then runs milk and even then they can run for 2 days before foaling. I start checking when the wax comes, but don't until then, it's quite long enough!

[dalesponyrider]

I'm so glad you've had your mind put at rest. Good luck and get the camera ready!

[angie]

I had a false alarm - again!LOL Bonnie was laid down puffing and waving her tail around. I thought 'this is it'! But no, after a while she realised I was there and got up as if to say
' what do you want? Is there any food going??' Then she sighed at me and wandered off eating grass. I'am beginning to think she is just VERY fat!! Hope she has it soon!

Thanks for all your replys!! and yes there will be lots of piccys.

[suem]

yes the the lumps would be fluid so no worries. 1 of my mares foaled 10 days late this year a very well cooked colt foal arrived in his own time.Well worth waiting for
So you don't have to many sleepless nights the best way to tell if the foal is on the way is to sit quietly for 10 mins or so and watch the mare if you can see the foal moving then you know she wont foal for 48 hrs.(It takes 48 hrs to go through the birth canal and doesn't move once in there)
Happy foaling

[SuzieP]

Ohh! I didn't know that snippet, Sue! Very interesting.......this board really is a mine of useful information!!!

[Deleted]

It is my experience that they are better having milk early rather than none at foaling time, that is unless they are loosing milk.

[angie]

Please see my post in horsey chat - foal has now arrived heathly and very lively! and mum is doing well too!

[acorn]

Congrats! The photos are lovely