concered..... mare in foal??

Question
hi Lisa,
 I have a question about mares bagging up but not (supposedly) in foal.
 I own a 21 year old paint mare that has recently (1 1/2 weeks ago) started to bag up.
  
     she was hotshoted to get her to cycle normally (split cycles) she was bred AI in may of last year. at 19 day ultrasounded not in foal. we hotshoted her again and rebred her AI June 10th of last year. She came in to heat on day 21 so we figured her not in foal. at that time we decided to wait till this year to try again due to the stallion being unavailable
  At about 4 months I had her rectaled because i began to suspect she may be in foal. The vet said she was not.

Since then she has taken on the shape of a pregnant mare.  front to back view she looks pregnant, but side to side looks normal.  her feed has not changed with the exception of  a extra flake added at night feed and cutting back her grain ration.

She has begun to lose some muscle tone in her backend and produce fluid in her bag. it started of yellowish and is now Transparent white. Her gait has not changed any. Her vulva is slightly open when i check her at night and she has started to display Strong heat signs.

I have not felt strong movement of a foal but have felt "fluttering" up high near her teats for the last 3 weeks.(this could just be me hoping)

The vet has been out for a breeding exam. she was rectaled about 3 weeks ago and he belive she had ovulated off her right ovary. Her cervix was closed tightly!

when i called him last week to tell him about her bagging up he said it was a false preg and we should hotshot her, something i don't want to put her through again if i can help it.

I have previously had two fillies from her in 03 and 04. The one in 03 the vet did not detect till 6 months along.she was checked monthly from day 21 till detected in DEC 02.

I know the chances of him missing another are slim but not impossible.. or is it???

my questions to you are
Can a non pregnant mare produce milk?
Does hand milking a mare make her produce more fluid?
could he have possibly missed a foal at 9 months gestation?
What else should i look for??

The mare normally doesn't get moody when in foal and has had clear fluid in her bag in the past when not pregnant. I use her to teach lessons about 3 hrs a week and lunge her daily.

I'm stumped!
your opinion would be greatly appreciated..

Answer
Hi Peggy,
            Yes, a non pregnant mare can produce milk. Hand milking can make her produce a little bit more fluid but not much. Yes, a vet can miss a foal at 9 months gestation. I have had two mares, one that was palpated by two different vets as late as the 10th month and they told me she was open. She went on to have a very nice looking colt about 2 months later and I had another mare who was also palpated several times and found open when she was not. I would treat her as if she was pregnant for the next few months. Increase her grain, if she was on fescue get some Domperadone from the vet and give it to her. Stop using her for lessons and in about one month get her palpated again.

Lisa