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DandeLyon Del Chiaro
Neonate
Username: Dandelyon
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, January 16, 2010 - 07:58 pm: | 
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OK, quick synopsis of last years history with this mare. She is in good health, great weight, no issues. Had not been bred for 3 years. 20 years old. Last year was her first year here with us. Manipulated her cycle, shot, ultrasound, bred her. This was in early March. Took her to a vet (not regular repo guy) at 15 days, positive preg. via ultrasound. Put her out in the "pregnant pasture". Kept my eye on her, thought she was acting a little peculiar, but since I didn't have any history on her, just thought perhaps that was her norm. Then, had a nagging suspicion that she wasn't pregnant, and while ultrasounding other mares, pulled her up and U/S her. OPEN. She has a cyst, and according to my regular repo vet, it could easily be diagnosed as a pregnancy. Now, its last May!! She didn't show anything abnormal with the U/S, so I bred her with regular breeding procedure. Ultrasound again, OPEN. Now frantic, and just put her in with one of our stallions, he bred her, pretty much continually. She seemed to never go out of heat. Gave up, left her open. In October, pulled her out of her wedded bliss with stallion (they both protested :-)) and flushed her three days in a row with Gent. (October 22, 23, 24)
Here I am at the beginning of breeding season, wondering what can I do to be proactive, prepare, and be cost effective with this mare? I bred 12 mares last year, and had a success rate with 11. This mare was a little bit frustrating, as she is a great roducing mare and I'd like to get one or two babies out of her. I can send her to a repo facility, but am really trying to be cost effective! You know, the economy....blah blah blah!! Any help or direction would be great. She is in heat today! |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2688
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 04:34 am: |
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Was there a pathogen identified that was sensitive to gentamycin? If not, it's not a good idea to use intra-uterine antibiotics at random. You can end up with a uterine superinfection doing that, not to mention resistant organisms.
You will need to start with a good basic breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) including a culture and cytology. Don't neglect the cytology (read the linked article as to why). Alternatively, you might want to have a biopsy and culture which will offer more information about the uterine condition. Part of the BSE should also include a cervical evaluation.
Where you go from there depends upon the results of the BSE. One thing that we have found to be very beneficial when dealing with older mares and we use in all "problem" mares is use of an oxytocin protocol (follow the link for details). It's cheap and easy and very beneficial.
You comment that you are trying to be cost-effective and are shying away from a reproductive specialist presumably because of the potential for additional expense, but that is often a false economy! You now already have an extra year's worth of care and maintenance in the mare, not to mention the cost of the failed breedings last year. Sometimes it's cheaper in the long run to go with the specialist to start with, so you might want to reconsider your position on that front...  |
Rebecca Cook
Neonate
Username: Rcook
Post Number: 7
Registered: 01-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 09:40 am: |
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I will agree firmly on that point. Until I moved to SoCal we always did it the old fashioned way, Ended up with alot of open mares on the breeding farm I worked at. I ended up contacting a vet out here to collect my stallion that is a repro specialist. Annie was picture perfect but Jeannie needed a bit more coaxing to have her ready, both mares took first shot and due within the time frame necessary. I am so amazed at how much easier it was to go that route, cost ended up being around $600 per mare to go through him but I now have two happy, healthy mares in foal and due shortly. Even my general practice vets agree, if you have the option, go with the specialist, saves a ton of heartache and $$$. BTW, this board is fantastic, thank you for maintaining it. |
DandeLyon
Neonate
Username: Dandelyon
Post Number: 4
Registered: 01-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 10:31 am: |
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Morning, and Thanks Jos for the input. I did take the mare to a vet to get her cultured, and they said they couldn't not culture her unless she was in heat? And that protocol of flushing was discussed.....I sure hope I didn't make a mistake. Can a mare be cultured when not in heat? I'm asking so I can get a vet out here at the "right time" to get all the diagnostics done properly. Thanks again. |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2690
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 11:51 am: |
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Can a mare be cultured when not in heat?
Yup. There are varying arguments as to when is best to swab, but they can be done during diestrus and often are.
Did they mention a cytology smear?
Remember - not every vet is a reproductive vet... and a "DVM" after a name doesn't mean you know everything about everything...!  |
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