Problem Pregnancy Prevention
Mares that fail to produce a foal are a significant financial loss– the costs of maintaining a mare are similar whether she is carrying foal or not. The number of mares that lose their pregnancy or deliver a sick foal is dramatically reduced by using the Problem Pregnancy Prevention Program.
Since 2005 Joan Carrick has monitored and managed mares that repeatedly lose their pregnancies and has helped breeders produce healthy foals from mares with a poor breeding record. Many of these foals have sold very well as yearlings and have gone on to race well.
Joan can provide help with an individual mare or can provide advice to develop a program that effectively reduces pregnancy losses on the whole farm.
The program is tailored to each mare and each farm’s needs. Mares are selected for the program based on past breeding history, value and age.
As mares age the likelihood that they will slip or produce a small weak foal increases. Monitoring these mares improves that chance that a problem can be detected and treated before the foal’s growth and health is affected.
Mares that have repeatedly slipped more likely to lose the pregnancy they are currently carrying than mares that have never slipped.
When Dr Carrick regularly monitors and treats these problem breeders throughout pregnancy, 85 – 90 % of them produce healthy foals.
The loss of one extremely valuable pregnancy can be devastating for a farm. Monitoring these highly valuable mares can reduce the risk, however specialist experience and skill is required to ensure that mares are treated optimally.
Mare Assessment
Regular monitoring of the problem mare’s pregnancy by Dr Carrick using one of the most advanced portable ultrasound machines available is a key component of the program. Normally once the mare has a 45 day positive pregnancy test, Dr Carrick is notified so she can co-ordinate the mare’s care with your regular veterinarian. Most mares have their first detailed placental and foetal examination at approximately 150 days of gestation and a plan to monitor the pregnancy is established. The examinations can be conducted by Dr Carrick or your own veterinarian consulting with Joan throughout the pregnancy. Regular examinations are necessary to monitor the effectiveness of any treatment and to ensure that any problems are detected at a stage they can be effectively treated. Most mares require 7 – 10 examinations during the pregnancy.
Monitoring Program
The treatment regime is tailored by Dr Carrick specifically for each individual mare and is adjusted according to the results of the ultrasound examinations. Most mares lose their pregnancies because of an infection or poor blood flow or a combination of both. Because infection is a major complicating factor, antibiotics have formed the basis of treatment for many years, however increasing resistance of some bacteria to many commonly used antibiotics means that careful monitoring is required so the correct treatment can be found. Recently hormone therapy, targeted anti-inflammatory drugs and treatment to improve placental blood flow have been added to the mare’s regimes. The cost of treatment varies significantly depending on the number and type of drugs that need to be used. There is continual communication about the progress of the pregnancy and the costs associated with treatment so that the most appropriate care for each mare is selected.
Treatment
Program
What it's all about...
