equine fetal screening

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:17 am

Aside from ultrasound to detect twins, do mares in foal undergo any ultrasound screening or blood tests to determine genetic/heart/spine abnormailities as people do?

That is; routinely, or is it rarely done if the owner wants it?

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:44 am

sorry, I just noticed I stuck this under the color corner by mistake. I do NOT mean screening for color!

Fair Play · Postby **Fair Play** » Thu May 21, 2009 5:31 pm

I have never heard of that, but one of our local repro specialists offers sexing at a certain fetal age. I have never done it, but if you wanted to sell some in foal mares, you might make your decision based on what sex they were carrying. I have never heard of a foal born with the things we are being ultrasounded for such as spina bifida. I am guessing that chromosomal abnormalities are not compatible with live birth in an equine.

Maybe horses just get enough folic acid and don't drink or smoke....

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Fri May 22, 2009 5:14 am

yes there's probably a shi*load of folic acid in grass. :lol:

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri May 22, 2009 6:18 am

Mares don't get a Lot of Stuff that human prospective mothers get - and so I think the fetal abnormalities end up resorbed or aborted or die quickly after birth. It's just not the same. Mares don't sue the reproductive vet at the drop of a hat the way human parents go after their OB/GYN if the baby is less than perfect.

Fair Play · Postby **Fair Play** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:13 am

madelyn wrote: Mares don't sue the reproductive vet at the drop of a hat the way human parents go after their OB/GYN if the baby is less than perfect.

Hmm that gives me an idea. I always tell the vet to pinch the "slow" twin. I think he screwed up a few times.

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:44 am

Fair Play wrote:
madelyn wrote: Mares don't sue the reproductive vet at the drop of a hat the way human parents go after their OB/GYN if the baby is less than perfect.

Hmm that gives me an idea. I always tell the vet to pinch the "slow" twin. I think he screwed up a few times.

ugh. I guess vets "have to" do it, survival rates and all, but it always struck me as sad to kill a twin. I have problems pulling up plants that are dying . . .

RE suing, yes it's crazy. I lost my OB/GYN because he couldn't afford the malpractice insurance anymore--even though he'd never been sued. Apparently if your child (at least in NY) is diagnosed with a condition that *could* be blamed on a traumatic birth, you can sue the doc up until the kid is 21. :shock:

Fair Play · Postby **Fair Play** » Sat May 23, 2009 7:30 am

Toccet02 wrote:ugh. I guess vets "have to" do it, survival rates and all, but it always struck me as sad to kill a twin. I have problems pulling up plants that are dying . . .

My vet refused to look after a large breeding farm as the owner "lets them take care of themselves" with twins. Most will reabsorb or abort both, but until you have heard an old vet's horror stories about twins carried to term....

I have seen two sets that were quite decent. None of them could run, but at least they were decent pets. It is an expensive way to raise a riding horse, or broodmare and you may lose the mare on top of it. I don't blame people for pinching. I hate to be there though.