Culturing a mare

[LittleRibbie]

Has anyone ever mentioned that a miniature mare must be in full heat in order to get a reliable culture?

I own the mares and the stallion but just wanted to culture prior to breeding this year as I did have 1 mare abort last year and just want a clean bill of health prior to breeding this year. Is it harder to do this on a miniature than on a full size horse. Just wondering why my vet would say this

Thanks

I will ad that he mentioned that in order to do this the cervix is forced and the same crap that may reside in vaginal area are not the same as what would be in the uterus anyway thus an inaccurate test if you cant get in as far as needed.

I love this vet but Im now just very very confused....I just thought I could drive to the clinic and he would swab away...what am i missing...Help

again thank you

 

[jleonard]

The cervix has to be relaxed and open to allow the swab to get into the uterus. If she is not in heat then the cervix is clamped down and the swab cannot be passed. It's been several years since I've worked with an equine vet, but I believe this would be correct. This does not apply just to miniatures.

 

[Becky]

Agree with Jessica. A mare needs to be in heat to be cultured. The cervix needs to be open which it is when a mare is in heat.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ditto. Not necessarily full blown heat, but they have to be in. When they are out of heat their immune system is suppressed and can't handle any infection you introduce. You CAN culture out of heat, but for different reasons and its not the best thing to do.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

The above opinions aren't incorrect, I simply have a different opinion.

I don't care if they are in heat or not. I do want them to be out of transition and cycling.

I think cleaning up a mare in the fall has some value, but culturing and treating during winter anestrus tends to not be helpful.

If I wait until they are in heat to culture and the culture takes 3-5 days to run, then I will miss this heat cycle before I can get her treated. I can short cycle her with prostaglandin, but even that will take 10-14 days until I can breed her again. I hate to lose days, if I push back her pregnancy then eventually she will foal so late that I will miss a whole year.

Sometimes the problem is not only infection, but inflammation also. In those cases then waiting and giving the uterus time to heal is needed.

I also think a cytology should be run every time we culture. It is easy and cheap and the sample can be taken right off the swab. It provides more information than just infected or not.

Unfortunately, biopsies have gotten a bad wrap because pathologists simply return a score which is usually somewhere in the middle of the road. Biopsies can give vital information that help with treatment decisions, but the pathologist has to be taking an active role.

Dr Taylor

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I do NOT agree that a mare has to be in active heat. Cycling, yes. Heat, not necessary. I've had it done many times when they are not in active heat.

I also agree with the cytology. I learned long ago, from my vet (a repro specialist) the benefit of the added cytology. Actuall, she won't even do the culture without it. Also, I've had a biopsy done once, and yes, although it's a score you get back, the pathologist included a report that my vet and I found very useful. Although we suspected going into it that my mare was no longer "breeding sound" the biopsy helped to confirm our suspicions with finality.

An vet experienced with reproductive matters is worth their weight in gold!

 

[LittleRibbie]

Thank you all very much for the feed back. And Dr.Taylor my vet did say that if/when a culture is done a cytology would be in order and would be done at the same time. He said that he would explain more about cytology when/if I get culture....I called him at home rather late and he returned my call even later LOL. He has been practicing for many years and I trust his thoughts/opinions but I think I may call around and see what other vets say. It really wouldnt be a problem to wait but I just dont want to miss their next cycle and not be able to breed.also driving several horses back and forth to the vets at different times would be a pain. Thank you again for your advice and will let you all know what perhaps another vet will say.

Dr.Taylor, is it indeed more difficult to do this on a miniature ...could that be why he is saying absolutly no...maybe he is nervous...I just dont understand. I have had this vet 15 yrs. and totally trust his thinking.

Heidi

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Many Vets won't culture out of heat. Just a difference of opinion, but not incorrect.

I don't think minis are too difficult to culture. Vaginas tend to be less tight than rectums.

Dr. Taylor