False Pregnancy??

I have had my uncle's mare out at my place for about 7 months now and she is starting to show signs of being pregnant. She has milk and has bagged up, but not waxy. I noticed this a couple of days ago when I was grooming her. Since, she has become more sensitive about having her belly brushed. She does not have the big belly you see in pregnant mares, but according to my vet not all horses get the big belly until they are just about to foal. I having him come out this next week to do the annual vax and coggins, so I am going to have her checked then. I talked to him today and of course he can not say anything without looking at her. He said it sounds like a pregnant mare to him.

She is 14 and has foaled in the past. I have read that most of the cases of false preg. Are in maiden mares. I have called to see if my uncle knows if she has been around any stallions before she come up to stay with me. I know that he bought her with the intention of breeding her. Due to his disability communication with him over the phone is difficult. I am having my aunt ask him about it.

I am hoping it is a false pregnancy. I am not really set up to have a foal and she has been on fescue grass.

Ok, after re-reading my post, I realize I did not ask my questions. Have you heard of a mare like her (not maiden) having a false pregnancy? Do you think she is pregnant?

I've never really heard of it, but I have heard of mares having those kinds of symptoms when in season. I had a mare who's udder would really swell up when she was in season and she wouldn't let anyone touch her at all.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you, let us know what happens.

The foal wont be alive wit her on fescue.

Her being on fescue does not mean that the foal will be dead. It just means if the fescue is infested with the endophyte fungus that there could be complications with the pregnancy. The complications could be prolonged gestation, abortion, thickened placenta, retained placenta, or suppression of lactation. Only one of these possible problems will kill the foal out right and I know that she has milk. So, we can already rule out one of them.

If she is pregnant then there are some drugs available to counter the effects of the fungus, so I would put her on one. I would also move her to a dry lot and buy guaranteed non-fescue hay. Most grass hay in this area has some amount of fescue in it. So, I may end up buying chopped timothy from the feed store until I find a better source.

Anyway, I moved my appointment with the vet up to tomorrow afternoon. I will know for sure then.

^^This is an incorrect statement.

Diddo what back in the crosby again said. I actually have heard of people grazing their pregnant mares on nothing but fescue and there were no issues and all foals came just fine. But there are risks involved in doing so.

The mare does sound pregnant and I don't think their would be a false pregnancy if there was no stallion around her when she was in season last year. If there was a stallion around or with her she is most likely bred.

Good luck!

Many animals have "false pregnancy". My dog being one of them, she actually produces milk and starts to nest.. it's very strange. The first time it happened I brought her to the vet freaking out, I spent about $300 on tests and everything under the sun to only find out she wasn't. Now I'm used to her doing this, it happens about once every year or so.

I'm sorry about the incorrect statement. I got mixed up with another thing, I think, and also, the cases I've heard of, the mare/foal had complications, but I know now that it's not exactly the case. Thanks for posting this! Learn something new every day on this forum! Lol :)

The vet just left and she is not pregnant. He said that it is either a false pregnancy or some horses will lactate when they are about to go into heat. Either way it is not a problem as I am not trying to breed her. If I was the false pregnancy could be a problem, and I could try putting her on hormones to stop it.

That makes me breathe easier anyway. I also got both of my girls all up to date on vaccines, yearly exams, and had their Coggins drawn. That always makes me feel better, too. Also, they both behaved themselves like little angels, even when doc was doing something very rude to Ms. Jewels for her preg. Check. :)