When to get a pregnancy ultrasound?

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HGStables

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I was wondering what breeders here felt was the best time to have an external ultrasound done to see if a mare is pregnant? I've only ever had internals done when I was trying to breed a Morgan mare I use to own. This mare is not the happiest about people touching her lady parts so I felt it was best not to stress her with an internal and wait. I know the time period is very different. I am pretty sure my mini mare is pregnant as she never misses heat cycles. I have the vet coming out this Tuesday (December 6th) to do the ultrasound but want to make sure it isn't too early. On the day the vet comes she would be 80 Days pregnant.
 
I don't do external ultrasounds, only do internals around 15-21 days and if I need to confirm later I will use one of the Wee Foal urine tests, the 35 or the 120. The best source of information on this would be your vet.
 
I prefer internal ultrasounds at 16-18 days, then at 30-35days, then at 60-75 days, and finally in October (because if they are not in foal then lights get turned on 11/1 to get them to cycle early the next year).

Dr Taylor
 
From my own experience I'm not impressed with external ultrasounds. I've had less than 50% accuracy - both in foal and open.
 
With this mare there is no way to do an internal she would hurt either myself the vet or herself she just dose not tolerate being touched there for any reason.
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There is just no way the mare would stand for it and she can not be sedated without risking the foal if she is pregnant.
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And I need to know because I like to put my mares on the shot to help prevent abortion/rhino. I will butcher the name if I try to spell it.
 
I may be wrong on this, so please consult your vet or maybe Dr Taylor will chime in, but I believe there are sedatives that are safe for pregnant mares. Personally, I have had numerous mares US over the years to confirm pregnancy and used a sedative to both reduce their stress and also to reduce the possibility of injury when I've had a skittish mare. I've also had numerous occassions where pregnant mares have injured themselves, I can think of a torn nostril and two cases of back/nerve damage, where sedation was used during their treatment. In all cases, not one foal was lost, aborted, born abnormal, etc.

ETA: I've never known anyone that liked the results of an external US...just never realiable enough.

If you really don't want to do an internal, why not use a blood test?
 
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My vet said the blood tests are not accurate and are a waste of money....
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She said the tests many times won't show if the mare is in foal or not..
 
With this mare there is no way to do an internal she would hurt either myself the vet or herself she just dose not tolerate being touched there for any reason.
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There is just no way the mare would stand for it and she can not be sedated without risking the foal if she is pregnant.
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And I need to know because I like to put my mares on the shot to help prevent abortion/rhino. I will butcher the name if I try to spell it.
I appreciate your quandary. I may not have the answer, but here are some thoughts.

Positive external ultrasounds are rarely wrong, but negatives can be wrong. So if your Vet doesn't find a fetus, just repeat it in a few weeks.

There are oral sedatives as well as injectables that can be given orally.

Sedatives are not dangerous to the foal, I sedate quite frequently.

Rhino vaccines can be given to open mares, so you could just vaccinate and skip the pregnancy tests completely. Not my favorite choice, but reasonable.

Dr Taylor
 
Well I tried rubbing around my mares belly. She tried to take my head off when I got near where they will do the ultrasound.
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She is just not the most cooperative thought she makes that up with her looks, bloodlines, and how well she shows.
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All of my hores have free turn out. They each have their own stalls that they can come and go from. I can lock them in. How would you recomend the WeeFoal test be gone? I'm not sure when she pees or if the fresh shavings trick will work with her.
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I just ordered the Wee Foal 38 I will cancle my vet appointment. If it comes up positive I will get her on a sch. for her Pneumabort shots. I am really paranoid my older mare lost her foal at 3 months this summer I sent the fetus to Cornell for testing and they found nothing. My vet told me to re breed her this spring but it really was a downer she was going to have the first foal I ever bred myself.

It was a bit of a bonus though when she got Grand Champion In Hand Trail (agianst minis and big horses) and Reserve Grand Champion Mini Halter High Point awards for 2011 through the association I showed with this year.

I really want to make sure EVERYTHING is done perfectly though I cant figure out what went wrong with the first mare. I feed all my minis Purinas Mini and Pony food my vets thinks highly of it. A member recomended I use a Mare In Foal suppliement too. Would that be a good idea?
 
I have heard that people tape a sanitary towel to mares butts to get pee, I have never personally tried that.

My girls will ALWAYS pee on straw.
 
According to the tracking number I will get the WeeFoal Test either Tue or Wen. So I have been watching her "Bathroom" habits even more closely. She seems to like peeing right before I come in to feed her in the morning. So I'm hoping if I got out a little earlier to feed her and wait maybe I can catch her peeing.
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Boy I am getting laughed at over this though!
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