Hmmm is it a little early?

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I've noticed both of my girls (who are only 2 days apart in due dates) have a little swelling in front of their udders like they do when they start bagging up, and you can feel a change to the udder skin, is becoming looser and not pulled up like normal when dry (both are experienced broodmares so it's flappy to begin with, but you can tell their starting to loosen in the udder) However, the first gal due has a little more "feel" to her's than I feel is "normal" for this stage in gestation, there's not much there, but what is there I just have this feeling it's "too early", but then I've also got that feeling I'm over-reacting due to losing a colt last year too early, because if I were to post pictures most of you would probably think I was crazy and say "what udder?" lol But for me at this point of gestation and checking/feeling udders there is change.. So I guess my question is, the mare in question is 243 days today, other mare is 240, is it too early for them to start thinking about/building udders at this point? Part of me says yes, but then part of me is saying nope since we are 7-8 weeks from their 300 due dates, and there's not much (not like they may drop a foal in a few weeks type development) there.. Only have the two babies coming this year, both by my new herdsire, so want to make sure I do all I can to get them here safe and healthy!

 

[Dona]

Gosh....it's hard to say, not knowing your mares. They all follow their own routine.

I have two mares who are both at 304 days right now, who are just beginning to "loosen" up around their bag area.

And one of these mares has had most of her foals from 299 to 310 days! (altho, she went 334 days last year) Judging by their udders, I expect them both to go another month, unless something starts happening soon!

They are all different & keeps us guessing contantly!!!! HELLO MARE STARE!

 

[sedeh]

First of all I'm hoping that everything is fine with your mare's pregnancies! My mares sometimes get what I call a little "sag in the bag" early.....often a couple of months before they're due. But then it doesn't progress. I've also had mares that start bagging up 6 weeks before they actually foal. I was a little concerned when I felt a little udder developement in one of my maiden mares already a month ago...and she's not due till mid-April. Had me checking my dates and wondering if she had actually "caught" the breeding cycle before the last time I saw her bred. But she hasn't changed at all since then so I think we're okay. These mares just keep you guessing sometimes! I really don't know what major signs you'd want to have before starting Regumate and SMZ's. I've never had to go that route. Good luck!!

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Yeah I'm torn, because like I said, there isn't much there, but there is something that's got me questioning.. The bay girl doesn't have me that worried, she just has a little swell bump in front of her udder and a little udder sag, it's the pinto girl that's got me questioning.. I know my breeding dates/calculated dates are right as both girls were bred and settled on only one heat cycle, and both confirmed in foal in December.. Guess for now just keep a close eye on her, and if it develops too much more than in quire about regumate/SMZs? Just don't want to catch it too late if there is a problem, but also don't want to interfere with the pregnancy if it is going normal.. The mare is fine, she's eating, pooping/peeing, perky etc.. Soooo.. Hopefully I'm just "over-reacting" and all is fine lol

I just found some notes from last year, have down that she started bagging around 3-29, foaled on 5-18, sooo guess she is not too far off of her "normal" at least for last year? Plus that stud she was bred to last year's foals seem to carry longer than "average" (330), so perhaps with Doc she'll have a shorter gestation?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Since it is only loosening as opposed to bagging up I would say it is quite normal.

I know everyone is on edge now, but, honestly, my mares are due from May on and they are all in various stages of actual bagging up and I have no worries about them at all.

What you are describing is caused by a hormone release in response to the lengthening days (nothing to do with temperature) and can happen if a mare is on foal, or if her season cycles are about to recommence.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Thanks Jane, think at this point I'll just keep a close eye on her and if anything does a drastic change then I'll take more action.. Just scares me after losing the colt out of another mare last March... She started bagging up and while I thought it was early, she was bred on two different cycles and thought perhaps she had caught on the first as everything seemed normal, foal was active and she was alert/eating etc.. Spent a good while one night sitting in her stall rubbing her belly, talking to the baby, while it rolled around and kicked back.. That next morning she went into labor and we lost the foal (approx 275 gestation).. Still breaks my heart to this day since everything seemed so fine and normal, and he was so active that night before.. Vet said after delivery he had been dead approximately 8 hours, so had to have died no more than 3-4 hours after I spent that time in her stall

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I know how you feel - I only have one mare due this year and she's somewhere between 240 and 278 days along and in her bag I can feel some "squishy hardness"? This is actually INSIDE the udder - not before it. . . . .not sure what it is?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Anything that you do not understand, on a broodmare, is scary and should always be questioned, it is one of the things that Forum is so good at, as we can all share our experience!

I would be more worried, though, if my mares were not bagging up, by now.

The thing is. as soon as you say "bagging up" people think of a formed bag. This is not what I mean, I mean that the bag has started it's journey, that the mare is obviously in foal, and on course to being ready to foal. With my mares, this starts around 12 weeks before the mare foals.