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  Discussion on Possible Uterine Infection - Or Just Heat Cycle?
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Posted on Monday, Jul 2, 2001 - 10:04 pm:

My 8-year old Thoroughbred mare had her first foal last year, and as we had purchased her pregnant, we did not go through this initial breeding with her. The birth was normal, but we waited till this spring to breed her back.

In May, my vet sent out a uterine culture, which he proclaimed came back "clean", and he proceeded to AI the mare with semen that was collected the same day and that I was able to pick up - very appropriately packed - from the the stud farm myself, so there was no "shipping" involved. That first time, the vet felt the mare was at an ultimate period for insemination, and in fact, he did not even bother to return and redo her with the second straw - said it would be a waste (?). In 17 days, he returned to sonogram her, but found her in riproaring heat (which can be difficult to tell with her, as she is a bit on the "silent" side) with two follicles developing, so once again I made my pickup, and he redid her. He returned the following day and used the second straw, and returned again the next day to palpate her, informing us that she was "closed up tight" and he therefore felt she had "caught" this time. This was 16 days ago.

This morning, and later on in the day, I have occasionally noticed an opaque, white discharge ("goop" would be most descriptive) dripping from the mare's vulva (about 1/4 cup at a time), along with some tail movement and slight restlessness. I have two calls in to my vet, but he has yet to return them. As this is my first experience with AI (or any other!) breeding, is this normal? Could she be pregnant? Could she be in heat? Could I be seeing an infection? I will definitely have my vet out asap, but was wondering if anyone else has seen the above, as I will have a rather sleepless night thinking about this.

(Dr. O - I have gone through and read everything on this site re: Repro & uterine diseases, but couldn't find anything specific re: symptoms. Forgive me if I've missed something!)

Thanks all!
Bonnie

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 3, 2001 - 6:54 am:

No a problem Bonnie, it sounds like she has a very purulent uterine infection so she does need to seen. If this does turn out to be puss see the article associated with this forum for diagnosis and treatment.
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 3, 2001 - 9:58 pm:

Thanks Dr. O - Vet was here today (and will be here tomorrow & Friday as well). Luckily (I guess), there doesn't seem to be any real signs of infection, but he did see what I was talking about. Said her cervix was wide open, and it appears that, for whatever reason, she passed the embryo which he was sure was forming from our last insemination 17 days ago.

He flushed her out, and will do this again tomorrow and Friday. Then he plans to keep an eye on her, and if all seems well, will advise us as to whether or not he deems it okay for us to make one last try for a foal for next year. If not, she'll get another little vacation till next spring, but that's okay - we love her anyway!

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 4, 2001 - 8:50 am:

What did he say the thick white discharge was that dripped 1/4 cup at a time?
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 4, 2001 - 10:07 pm:

Well, by the time he saw her Tuesday afternoon, apparently there was very little left to see. He did a detailed exam - speculum, lights, etc., etc. - and said that while he could see some remnants of what I had been seeing, he felt that it was her passing - "slipping", as he put it - the pregnancy from the insemination 17 days previous. Said there was no sign of any infection.
So, Tuesday and today (and again this Friday), he is flushing her out with a saline/ampecillin solution to be on the safe side; and then feels that she will be fine to try one more time when she next comes into heat. I don't want a foal any later than June, if I can get one.
Bonnie

Posted on Thursday, Jul 5, 2001 - 6:06 am:

That's odd Bonnie, generally there are no signs when a embryo, which is just about microscopic at this stage, and its vesicle, which is a very thin membrane filled with clear fluid less than a teaspoon at this stage, are lost. But as long as there is no infection, that's good.
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jul 5, 2001 - 8:34 am:

I agree with you Dr. O. I thought it was odd as well considering what I was seeing + what I have read. Also, he didn't do another culture, just based his diagnosis on what he was seeing. I plan to ask him about this when he returns tomorrow for the last flushing.
This vet does a lot of reproductive work in addition to his regular practice, but if this happens again, or I have any additional suspicions about my mare's reproductive health, I do have the option (though it would definitely cause some serious feather ruffling!) of consulting not only a small well-respected equine reproduction center only 15 minutes from me, but also someone at Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, also fairly close and where I have some connections.
Bonnie

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2001 - 7:07 pm:

Hi Dr. O! Puzzling update.

Well, vet returned & palpated mare 2 weeks ago. Said her uterus appeared "enlarged". Reinjected mare to bring her into heat in order to culture, but after 3 carefully spaced injections - nothing - not even the usual "sweats" - which vet found highly unusual. So on 08/09, vet drew blood to see what that would show. Tests back this week. Progesterone 2.8. Ultrasound yesterday (just done for the heck of it) showed nothing. Vet thinks ultrasound would've shown tumor, so suspects "pus pocket"(?). Gave another injection; mare had normal "sweats"; vet told us to call immediately if/when she shows signs of heat so he can get in there & culture, but in any event, will be back Monday/Tuesday if he doesn't hear from us.

While I have given up breeding for this year, would like to have this mare's problem(s) cleared up before April/May 2002. Any ideas! Must say that my vet appears stymied - particularly if he is unable to get here in time to take a culture if she should open up. Says in that case he will simply put her on a broad-spectrum antibiotic & wait till spring. I am not sure this is the best idea. Don't want to find out next spring - after another 2-3 expensive semen collections that the problem isn't solved. What do you think?

Bonnie

Posted on Thursday, Aug 23, 2001 - 10:36 am:

It is normal for mares not to be reactive to the prostaglandin injection immediately following ovulation. Perhaps you had several silent ovulations. For more on this see Equine Medications and Nutriceuticals: Reproductive Drugs: Dinoprost, Lutalyse, Synchrocept. We have recently updated and added material to this article.

I agree, if the horse had a purulent discharge recently, cytology, culture, and if found positive specific treatment are important. It is not neccassary for the horse to be in heat to get this information: the swab can be introduced into a closed cervix it just is a little harder. In mild cases on inflammation the cytology is more revealing during estrus but with a full blown infection it would not matter when the culture is take.
DrO
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