What causes placentitis in mares?
A major cause of placentitis is due to bacterial or fungal infection that enters via the vagina and breaches the cervical barrier, a process known as ascending placentitis. Aspiration of air and faeces into the vagina can occur in mares with poor conformation or injury to the cervix or vulvar opening .
What causes abortions in horses?
In the literature, bacterial infections are the most frequently described cause of abortion. Other important causes are infections with equine herpesvirus (EHV)-1 or -4, twin pregnancy and umbilical cord anomalies.
How do I know if my mare is aborted?
Symptoms of Abortion in Horses
- Premature lactation.
- Colic.
- Fever.
- Purulent vulvar discharge.
- Prolonged pregnancy.
- Premature separation of the placenta.
- Thickened placenta.
- Fetal lesions.
Can a horse get an abortion?
About 10% of equine pregnancies (after a positive 6-week pregnancy test) end in abortion. Most are due to non-infectious causes but a significant number are caused by viral or bacterial infections, some of which may be contagious.
How do I know if my mare has placentitis?
Clinical signs of placentitis include vaginal discharge and premature lactation. Mares with ascending infections might show one or both of these signs, whereas mares with hematogenous and mucoid infections usually only show premature lactation.
How do you treat mares for placentitis?
Treatment of placentitis is aimed at reducing the infections and inflammatory responses, while supporting the mare with care. Combining both antibiotics and medications to reduce inflammation, and administering progesterone until the birth of the foal can help overcome this condition.
What is the most common cause of abortion in mares?
Bacterial placentitis is by far the most commonly diagnosed cause of abortion in many horse breeding areas. Placentitis is a significant cause of equine late-term abortion, premature delivery, and neonatal death. Except for Leptospira spp and nocardioform infections, most cases of bacterial placentitis are ascending.
How often do horses miscarry?
Up to 30% of mares that conceive will lose the fetus before foaling. Most of these losses occur in the first 35 days of pregnancy and the embryo is resorbed, after which the mare may come back into heat at a longer interval after the last estrus.
What does slipped foal mean?
Older mares are over-represented as are those mares with a history of reproductive loss. While many mares will simply ‘slip’ their foal early in gestation, leaving the owner to find the foetus in the paddock, mares aborting later in their pregnancy may need assistance.
What is equine abortion?
Most abortions occur at 40–80 days of gestation, with some losses occurring as late as 140 days. A few affected mares present colic, fever, and/or purulent vulvar discharge, but most remain clinically normal. Typically, the first sign is abortion or finding a fetus dead in utero by ultrasound.
How is placentitis treated in horses?
Is placentitis a disease?
Abstract. Ascending placentitis is a condition that occurs late in pregnancy when bacteria enter the sterile uterus from the lower reproductive tract. It leads to abortion or the birth of premature and weakened foals. Early detection and treatment of this condition is vital for ensuring the production of a viable foal.