# Swelling above eyes - any ideas?



## measles (5 February 2007)

Our pony mare is in foal and due beg May.   I've noticed recently that some days she has quite pronounced swellings above her eyes where there should be a slight depression, and other days it's gone.   Very odd.   I've been mugging up and read that this can sometimes happen with Cushings but anyone got any other ideas, beside calling out the vet?

Thanks


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## Tia (5 February 2007)

Yes it is a typical symptom of cushings and laminitis.....however not always.  The supra-orbital can fill up just because the horse has his head down for so long - and it is often perfectly normal to do so.


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## measles (5 February 2007)

thanks.   We did wonder if she was laminitic for a week or so last year as she went horribly lame after being shod and we couldn't give her any pain killers as she was in foal.   All under vet supervision and by the time she went to the vet school a week later she was sound with no sign of problem on xrays.   Didn't see how it could be laminitus as was on box rest due to a leg injury earlier in the year... so no concussion, too much grass etc   

She's had her shoes off since then but last week when she had her feet trimmed she was lame again.   Much better now, but something is going on..   Vet unsure what it is so really don't know what we can do..


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## Tia (5 February 2007)

If you are concerned about it being laminitis then almost always there will be a Digital Pulse with this condition - so if you just check to see if there is one and if not then I very much doubt she has lami.


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## measles (5 February 2007)

Thanks again.   For how long would you expect the digital pulse to be evident?   She was hopping lame for 3 days, mildly for 2 then sound as a pound and on day 5 vet school couldn't find a digital pulse.   Would it go so quickly or still be there for a while after what could have been interpreted as a severe bout?


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## Tia (5 February 2007)

Oh DP can be an almost immediate reaction, you can tell the severity of the injury/lami etc by the strength of the DP.  Once the DP weakens and disappears it generally means that whatever is the problem is going away or has healed.


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## Mahali (5 February 2007)

It is a kind ogf pregnant-diabetic. Dont feed any grains or suggar, if you need more energy use Speedi beet, try to supply  her with Net-Tex Hoof Health, Manganese is needed.


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## measles (5 February 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
It is a kind ogf pregnant-diabetic. Dont feed any grains or suggar, if you need more energy use Speedi beet, try to supply  her with Net-Tex Hoof Health, Manganese is needed. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks.   I've not come across pregnancy-related diabetes in horses.   Can you let me know anything else - and what else I could check for?   I guess I mean what other symptoms?   Would the unexplained lameness tie in?

Much appreciated


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## Mahali (6 February 2007)

I am working here in Germany with a laminitis-forum, we have many different cases of lameness/ laminitis and we also have many studs with this problems in pregnancy.
It is a little bit similar to the Equine Metabolic Syndrom and you should have an eye on the weight of your horse ans her feeding-also after foaling.
Avoid grain and súgar, feed much fiber, if the horse is suffered of laminitis, please "wash" the hay, keep it under water for 1 hourr, it will remove carbohydrates, feed the washed hay, but don`t use the carbo-water for the horse.
Don`t have any sorrowsabout the vitamins and minerals, perhaps you can feed a low-carbohydrate supplement like Baileys Stud Balancer, but start with small quantities.
Avoid oil or a fast change in proteins.
Other symptoms are:
Cresty neck, fat patches, swelling near the udder, swelling in the supraorbital area, lameness, lethargy,...
Your Vet can check the Insulin-Level, it will be higher than normal and I will bet on it: She`s to low in Manganese.


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## measles (6 February 2007)

Thanks, Jumanji

Is this condition related to Cushings?   I'll go and have a chat with my vet.


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## Amymay (6 February 2007)

Is she very overweight??


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## measles (6 February 2007)

She is overweight and it's showing as her being "cresty".   She was on box rest with walking in hand for 5 months last summer due to a leg injury that meant she couldn't jump for 9 months (hence putting her in foal) and was fed only hay and a pinch of fibre to put in a vit supplement.   Since she's been turned out for a few hours a day she's been on a very small virtually bare paddock which is really only for her mental health and to keep her moving.

She has put on more weight than expected on very little food, though I am aware of the nutritional value of hay.   That was a hard one - we gave her a slice at regular intervals rather than ad lib as she'd have hoovered the lot - but we also had to keep her content on box rest.

One positive note - she's much more sound this morning but I'm still convinced there's something going on that doesn't show itself like "usual" laminitus.


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## juliebrewer (6 February 2007)

My mare had the same symtoms when she was due to foal and i didnt know what to do. It dissapeared, she had a healthy foal and has had no problems since.


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## Mahali (6 February 2007)

You should wash the hay and give her enough, al least 1% of Bodyweight.Often a little bit more Magnesium than usual will helb to push the carbohydrate metabolism. Keep her moving-it is a possibility for the body to lower the blood glucose-it will help.
It is not the same as cushing. A cushingoid will  produce too much ACTH, sp please don`t treat her with Pergolide or something else.Pergolide will lower the Insulin which she`ll need to lower the glucose. Give her only a low carbohydrate diet and "work" her..
Possibly she will prone to the Equine Metabolic Syndrome - so have an eye on her weight and feeding. Probably the EMS will prone the Cushing Desease- not sure in the moment,  but...
You should bring her back to a normal weight after foaling and avoid overweight in future.
If you keep her in that way. I think she`ll be o.k. shortly.


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