Swellings on neck?

[HerMajestiesSecretCervix]

Why would my mare have swellings on her neck? They are at the very top, just before neck meets jaw at the bottom. They are on both sides. They are not causing her distress, not painful to touch and she seems bright as a button. If I poke them they move but come back. I'm looking through my copy of Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners but not really finding anything that matches what she has. She is out of work at moment so I don't know if this is affecting her breathing.

Any ideas?

Definitely not (sorry to think it) strangles?

It had crossed my mind but she just seems so happy and bright that I don't think it can be. Mind you I've never seen it.

Very odd.

My mum's old horse used to get exactly the same thing every year but it never affected him in any way and he was never sick a day in his life so we never worried about it. We thought it might be linked to spring grass in some way as it was always at the same time of year and lasted a few weeks.

Now it is only on one side. Do the swollen glands of strangles move around a lot or are they pretty fixed?

could be fluid in glands from grazing in normal head down grazing position?

Ummm. Will keep a close eye tomorrow and will chat to vet on Monday if it's still there.

Thanks guys.

Check in the angle of the jaw, inside the hind legs (and possibly behind the elbows?) for further swellings. Swollen glands can be a sign of the immune system fighting and trying to disperse an infection of some kind. You could check for fever, swellings, hotness and wounds. They could also be from an allergy of some kind. Anything changed recently?
I'd be tempted to give a good dose of Epsom salts and/or restore from global herbs to flush the system out before calling a vet. If there is an allergy of some kind you could also give piriton.

Thanks everyone.

I have given her a good look over this morning and can't find anything obvious that would account for it. She is, however, very wary of standing on her back left and is skipping away when I pick out her back right. She is a bit twitchy with her hind legs anyway but maybe she has something there? Gawd knows. She's not so chirpy today but that may be because it has been snowing and is damp and bloody horrible here. Lump seems to be slightly smaller but not sure.

I'll be there again this evening to check her over and see how she is.

I do not want vet call out fees!!!! I CANNOT AFFORD IT!!

Horses - an easy way to part you from your money.

I shall google Global Herbs - if it's cheaper than the vet I will try it!

Global herbs have a fantastic veterinary helpline. Have a chat with them. If you think maybe she has foot problems, maybe you could try the farrier instead. He'd be a little cheaper.

Does she have a swollen gland in her groin making standing on one leg painful? Try tapping the hoof with a hoof pick to check for tenderness due to pus.
If horse is stabled, do the glands go down when you bring her in overnight? As Mitchy says, this does often happen to grazing horses. Due to rich grass or excessive soil intake when grazing.

All I can see is that she has slightly swollen udders but not massively so. Nothing else out of the ordinary. Hope she's better tomorrow. Poor old girl.

Hmmm! That could be hormonal?... It's all very curious!

She is an extremely hormonal mare!

My mare gets these too. Once or twice a year - no obvious cause although in the past I have also assumed it was something to do with grazing.

They go away by themselves and they never seem to have any adverse affect on her.

That's reassuring to hear!

She seems fine today - much better with her feet too. Blacksmith is coming out to give her trim later this week anyway.

Thanks everyone.

All gone now. :)

It's back. Vet on Monday. :(