Common Complaints in the Non-Pregnant Mare Flashcards
Contraception and undesirable behavior
• Unwanted horse issue
• Undesirable reproductive behavior in performance
mares
• Undesirable reproductive behavior in performance
mares
Estrus poor performance Cyclicity related tying up Nymphomania Aggressive behavior Male-like behavior
Causes of poor performance during estrus
Pain at ovulation (ovarian hematoma or large follicles)
May be very colicky
• Other differentials
Vaginitis
Cystitis
• Methods for elimination of estrus behavior
Progestogens Glass marbles (poor efficacy) Oxytocin injections (efficacy 70%, 45 to 50 days)
Progestins used to eliminate estrus behavior
–Altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg)
–Progesterone (0.2 mg/kg)
• Most common ovarian
tumor in the mare
Granulosa-theca Cell Tumor (GTCT)
Granulosa-theca Cell Tumor (GTCT) characteristics
• Typically benign, slow growing, non-metastatic • Affected ovary is large (8 to 30 cm in diameter) • Non-affected ovary is very small, inactive
Common complaints associated with GTCT
• Stallion-like, aggressive,
(most common)
• Anestrus
• Nymphomania
Granulosa-theca Cell Tumor (GTCT) Dx
– Transrectal palpation
– Transrectal ultrasonography
• Endocrinology
Endocrinology Dx of GTCT
• Endocrinology –Progesterone –Testosterone • >100 pg/mL – Inhibin • >0.8 ng/mL –Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH • > 8.0 ng/mL, diagnostic • 3.8-8 ng/mL suggestive
• Treatment of GTCT
– Ovariectomy- confirmation by
histopathology
– Normal cyclicity expected in 3 to 12
months after unilateral ovariectomy
4 classes of ovarian neoplasms
- Gonadostromal tumors
- Mesenchymal tumors
- Epithelial tumors
- Germ cell tumors
• Gonadostromal tumors
- Granulosa theca cell tumor
* Interstitial cell tumor
• Mesenchymal tumors
- Hemangioma, leiomyoma
* Germ cell tumors
• Epithelial tumors
• Cystadenoma, adenocarcinoma
• Germ cell tumors
• Dysgerminoma, teratoma
Metastases to the ovary
• Lymphosarcoma, melanoma,
adenocarcinoma
Ovarian Hematoma features
• Does not affect the estrous cycle • Regresses over a few weeks • Occasionally take several months (calcified ovary) • May cause discomfort
Common complaints in
the non-pregnant broodmare
- Anestrus
- Abnormal estrous cycles
- Repeat breeding (infertility)
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Abnormal external genitalia
- Mammary gland disorders
Routine examination of the reproductive organs
• Perineal conformation and examination of the vulva • Mammary gland • Palpation per rectum • Transrectal ultrasonography • Vaginal examination • Endometrial cytology and culture • Endometrial biopsy
Adavanced examination of the reproductive organs
- Endocrinology
- Hysteroscopy
- Cytogenetics
- Laparoscopy
Anestrus- causes
• Physiological: Season, puberty, PREGNANCY
• Acquired vs. Congenital
History
– Mare has shown regular cycle or has foaled before
– Mare never showed any reproductive activity
Anoestrus – Persistent CL
• Diestrus can last 60 to 90 days • Normal ovarian size, CL present (ultrasound or progesterone) • Uterus: tone (no pregnancy)
Treatment of persistent CL
PGF2α (Dinoprost thrometamine) Analogue (cloprostenol, less side effects) **** Spontaneous recovery possible
Anestrus – Persistent endometrial cups - cause
- Embryonic Death (>35 days)
- Endometrial cups already formed
- Normal genital tract on palpation
Dx of persistent endometrial cups
• eCG (commercial kits)
• Biopsy or hysteroscopy
• Check for reasons of embryonic
loss: Fibrosis, metritis, iatrogenic
Anoestrus – Ovarian tumors
Not very common • Ovarian tumors that may cause anestrus Granulosa-Theca cell tumor (GTCT) Luteoma (rare) • Need to differentiate from other causes of ovarian enlargements
Anoestrus - Pyometra
Pyometra is usually not a cause but a consequence of acyclicity CL not always present Cervical or vaginal adhesions Variable cycle history Very old mares Poor prognosis
Anoestrus – other causes
• Cytogenetic abnormalities: Ovarian dysgenesis (63 XO
Turner syndrome)
• Hormonal Treatments: Progesterone, Anabolic
steroids: negative feed back on the hypothalamus
• Nutrition: Weight loss after foaling, poor body condition
• Old mare syndrome
• Ovariectomized mares
• GnRH implants (ovuplant®) (no longer approved in the
USA)
• Immunization against GnRH (Not approved in the USA)
• Abnormal interval between ovulations causes
Aging
Anovulatory hemorrhagic follicles
Unilaterally functional ovary?
abnormal duration of estrus
Short or Split-heat (common in transitional mares)
Long estrus (NO OVARIAN FOLLICULAR CYSTS IN THE
MARE!!!)
• Abnormal duration of the luteal
Abnormal luteal function
- Failure of ovulation
- Short luteal phase
- Lengthened luteal phase
• Failure of ovulation
Anovulatory hemorrhagic follicle
Equine metabolic disease
• Short luteal phase
Early release of PGF2α from the endometrium
(endometritis, intrauterine treatment)
Abnormal corpus luteum function
• Lengthened luteal phase
Persistent CL with spontaneous recovery
Early embryonic death
Luteal insufficiency
• Not well documented • Most often suspected because of Small CL size Poor uterine tone • Treatment Progesterone supplementation – Altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg PO) – Progesterone injections (compounded)
Repeat breeding (infertility) - Hx
- Mare with regular cycles
- Review breeding management practices
- Health and reproductive history
- Previous breeding soundness examinations
- Endometrial biopsy
- Common causes of infertility