ULTRASOUNDS: Your mare will be ultra sounded for pregnancy on or
about the 16th day following ovulation. Twins are not unusual and must
be dealt with. Most twins can also be pinched off at 16 days if necessary.
Depending upon the clarity and size of the pregnancy, mares are
re-checked again at 30 for heartbeat.
UTERINE CULTURES and CYTOLOGIES: This procedure is usually
done to all open mares to insure that we are not starting out with a
problem in the uterus. Should your mare’s culture/cytology be dirty,
normally they can be infused and bred, within the
same heat cycle, with about an 80% success rate,
depending upon the seriousness of the infection,
or multiple pathogens. Wet mares that do not
conceive with the first coverage are then cultured
at the 30 day heat cycle. Occasionally, resistant
bacteria will not show up until later on in the
breeding season. This is unusual but does occur.
The mare must be in a good heat cycle to get a
fair and accurate culture. Additional problems such
as fluids, pooling and cervical incontinence should
be addressed at this time.
INFUSIONS AND FLUSHES: The type of antibiotic used for your
mares infection depends upon the sensitivity test that is run on the bacteria
during the Culture and Cytology.. Occasionally mares will have a
low grade running infection and poor uterine tone, which is when a post
ovulation infusion is strongly recommended. The cost of this depends
upon the type of antibiotics that are required. Dirty mares require 2 to
4 infusions per cycle. Clean mares that tend to retain fluid due to poor
internal conformation do well with a regimen of flushes and oxytocin,
often combined with banamine.
EQUINE MASSAGE THERAPY
& BIOMECHANICS SPECIALIST
FOR THE EQUINE ATHELETE
Full program and weekly treatments for:
Lameness
Weakness
Strength and Balance
Injury
Behavioural Issues
Bring your horse to it’s full
competition ability
26 years experience in equine rehab
Dressage / Jumper Trainer
Multiple Horse Discount
Margaret Edwards-Jones
352-817-8600 (FL)
56 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com