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This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Treatments and Medications for Horses » Reproductive Drugs » Regumate® & Progesterone »
  Discussion on Questions on use of Regumate
Author Message
Member:
Meggles

Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 5:50 pm:

DrO. My mare has been on regumate now for almost a year to prevent her from having siezures and it has done so effectively. I have a few problems with the use of the regumate that I'm wondering if you can advise on...

1/ At this time of year I am having to increase the dose as intermittently her teats start to swell until quite large and leak a yellowy, waxy substance. Her behaviour also becomes quite hormonal i.e sensitive to touch etc. If I increase the dose for a few days this subsides and things get back to normal. Could you advise me what dose I should be feeding per kg of weight? At the moment she is on 10mls per day and weighs around 630kg. Sometimes this is clearly not enough for her, indicated by the side effects above, but I'm concerned about feeding too much.

2/ Is it possible to become tolerant to a certain dose? I seem to have had to increase the dose from the original 6mls to 10mls for the last few months, and now 15 mls due to the severely swollen teats and blatantly hormonal behaviour. I will aim to reduce this day by day, but my question is, will I keep having to increase the dose as time goes on?

3/ All references to regumate refer to 'long periods' as being perhaps a whole summer, for example. Meg is on it permanently. Are any side effects known yet? I would hate to be doing more harm than good.

4/ Could weight gain or a change in diet impact on the effectiveness of the drug?

Thank you.
Sarah
Member:
Bobs

Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 8:05 pm:

DEAR SARAH: WITH ALL THESE RESPONSES YOU NEED TO CHECK WITH THE VETERINAIAN BUT FROM A HUMAN STANDPOINT
1/ THE DOSE IS LOW, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE INCREASED AND GIVEN CONSISTENTLY AND NOT CHANGED. THE SYMPTOMS YOU DESCRIBED IN HUMANS WOULD BE DUE TO ESTROGEN DOMINANCE. THE REGUMATE DOES FIGHT THE ESTROGEN DOMINACE.
2/ NO TOLERANCE SHOULD DEVELOP. THE DOSE MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED DUE TO HORMONAL CHANGES(MORE IN THE SPRING?)BUT, BASICALLY IT SHOULD STAY THE SAME FOREVER
3/THE SIDE EFFECTS, WEIGHT GAIN OR OVULATION CHANGES, SHOULD NOT BE SEEN WITH THIS DOSE. THE DOSE IS LOW SO I DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU WILL HARM YOUR HORSE. YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THE POSSIBLITY OF SIDE EFFECTS WITH THE SIDE EFFECTS OF SEIZURES. IF THE SIEZURES PUT THE HORSE IN DANGER PLEASE WEIGH THAT AGAINST A LOW DOSE OF A FAIRLY SAFE DRUG.
3/THE LONG PERIODS THAT THE REFERENCES ARE REFERING TO ARE PROBABLY FOR PREVENTION OF OVULATION AND NOT WHAT YOU ARE GIVING IT FOR.IT IS NOT APPLICABLE IN YOUR CASE.
4/ NO , WEIGHT GAIN OR DIET SHOULD NOT CHAHGE ANYTHING.
BOB STACK R.Ph.
Member:
Cara2

Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 5:52 am:

Hi Sarah,

Glad to hear that Meg is doing so well on regumate. Given your concerns, had you considered having her spayed? It is done as a standing operation so less risky and less expensive than a knock-down operation. It would probably save you alot of money over time too, especially if you can get your insurance to pay. Plus there is the fact that handling regumate is a risky thing for us girls. Would Leahurst be the nearest hospital to you? My vet suggested it when I twigged that Cara's seizures were linked with her seasons but as she is an appalling traveller I put it on the back-burner, plus of course I have no proof of my theory whereas you do.

Hugs to you both

Helen & Cara xx
Member:
Meggles

Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 8:12 am:

Hi Helen
Good to hear from you! Pool House (Lichfield) would be my nearest veterinary hospital which is only 30 mins down the road but there seems to be a reluctance in the UK to carry out these operations. I guess now we know that the regumate works, our vet (who is excellent incidentally) may be prepared to consider this option. I'll discuss this with him and let you know the response. All the best.
Sarah.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 7:45 am:

Bob's responses seem right on Sarah.
DrO
New Member:
susane1

Posted on Thursday, Aug 8, 2013 - 6:53 pm:

What are the pros and cons of using Regumate versus injectable progesterone?
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Thursday, Aug 8, 2013 - 9:42 pm:

In my opinion, much easier to use, no guesswork once the dose is determined for your horse and no shots. I've used both and found much more consistent results with the Regumate. The downside is that it is expensive and is a long term solution depending on the reason you are giving it.
Member:
natalya

Posted on Monday, Aug 12, 2013 - 5:17 pm:

I use injectable progesterone on my mare, she is 18 QH x paint for her hormonal behavior control. One shot last her almost 1 year. Cost $100.00 with sedation, no sights effect. It’s slow release progesterone, she had implanted 5 pills. No worry to remember to give a paste .Hope its help.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 16, 2013 - 4:05 pm:

Hello Susan,
Many horses become quite sore with the use of repositol Progesterone injections. Natalya experiences are unusual. Natalya could you give us the name of the preparation you are using on at least the concentration of the progesterone and what is used as a carrier (solution the progesterone is dissolved in)?
DrO
Member:
natalya

Posted on Friday, Aug 16, 2013 - 5:43 pm:

Its called Synovex S Implant. Each dose contains 200mg progesterone and 20mg estradiol benzoate.I reed about a study on this implant its used on cattle. Study say - its not efficient, my vet say they have a good respond with it. Its worked wanders on my mare, we going for a seconds
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Aug 17, 2013 - 2:18 pm:

Hello Natalya,
I tried Synovex a couple of decades ago and did not have luck at suppressing estrus. One study that gave 10 times the 200 mg / 20 mg dose also did not find it suppressed estrus or change mare behavior:

SYNOVEX IMPLANTS – Can Progesterone Implants Made for Cattle Block Estrus in
Mares?

Patrick M. McCue
DVM, PhD, Diplomate American College of Theriogenologists

Synovex implants are designed and
approved to promote weight gain and feed
efficiency in cattle. A dose of 8 Synovex ‘S’
pellets contains a total of 200 mg of
progesterone and 20 mg of estradiol benzoate.
The pellets are designed to release their
hormone product over a period of 100 to 150
days in cattle. Assuming a constant rate of
pellet degeneration (which is unlikely), these
implants would release approximately 1.3 to
2.0 mg of progesterone daily. We know from
studies performed in the late 1970’s and early
1980’s that suppression of estrus requires
administration of 100 to 150 mg of
progesterone per day. However, mare
owners and trainers continue to implant mares
with Synovex pellets in hopes of blocking
estrus behavior for several months despite the
lack of research data.

Consequently, a clinical trial was performed
to evaluate the ability of Synovex implants
to suppress estrus in mares. Twenty-four
mares were randomly assigned to one of four
treatment groups of six mares each. Mares in
one group received a subcutaneous placebo
treatment, while mares in the other groups
received subcutaneous implants of 8, 32 or 80
progesterone/estradiol pellets. Mares were
teased with a stallion and the reproductive
trace monitored by ultrasonography daily for
45 days. In addition, blood samples were
collected for hormone analysis.
The results of the trial confirmed that
Synovex implants did not suppress estrus,
inhibit follicular development or block
ovulation in mares at any of the doses tested.
In fact, there was no difference in behavior in
mares receiving Synovex® implants and
mares treated with a placebo. All mares
exhibited normal heat behavior when teased
to a stallion.

A small follow-up study was performed in
which 8 Synovex implants were
administered to each of six geldings. Blood
samples were collected from the geldings
every 5 days for 45 days to evaluate
progesterone levels. It was not surprising that
progesterone levels remained undetectable in
blood throughout the 45-day evaluation
period.

In summary, the low amount of progesterone
in the implants and the slow release rate are
responsible for the lack of efficacy in
suppressing estrus. The implants are
designed for use in cattle and were not ever
intended for use in mares.
Member:
natalya

Posted on Monday, Aug 19, 2013 - 9:26 am:

I guess I'm just lucky oneIts sure working on my mare. She is behaving like a stallion without it. After the shot next day she is a good girl. All the medications and studies it’s all scientific, what’s work for one don’t do good for another, but worse to try. In a different scenario you would find out that’s it’s not for you, or you may be another lucky one. Won't do harm. Maybe save you money on regumate.
Member:
natalya

Posted on Monday, Aug 19, 2013 - 9:33 am:

And I don't tease my mares with a stallion; I’m expecting a normal behavior when I’m riding around other horses- mare and geldings. She is not expecting that every horse she sees is a stallion. I’m assuming that if you get teased none of the suppression will work IMO.I don’t know, it’s so many products, so many different opinions. Just need to find what work the best and not so expensive.
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