Abortion in mares

[wcr]

We have had a few people recently experience abortions and several who have had this experience and would like to know if they had long twisted cords.

Michelle Sharrock(Wesco Farms) and I have had ongoing conversations about many concerns with the minis. She has been a wealth of information and we bounce stuff off each other all the time (sometimes 6 hour phone conversations). Her experience has been that when they have a late term abortion, frequently the mare has had a very long cord which has gotten twisted. For a few years now we have been taking note of the cord length in our mares and not all cords are created equal.

I would like to know what your experiences have been. Thanks

 

[palsminihorses]

We had a mare abort her filly at 246 days gestation on Dec. 29, 2008. The umbilical cord was not too long, nor twisted. A necropsy was done. Lab results could only comfirm that it was not Rhino. So we still don't know why she aborted.

Pam C.

 

[Mona]

Yes, have had one or two late term abortions (in the 6 week early range) that had severely twisted cords, but truthfully, never noticed the length at all.

 

[wcr]

Thanks Mona. That's why I put this out there as we have noticed it is in the 6-8 week period before the due date. We have talked with other breeders and compared notes but this reaches a wider range of people.

 

[h2t99]

I had a jenny abort a few years ago and I remember the cord being very twisted and it seemed very long to me!! I have been fortunate and that is the only one I have had, knock on wood

!!

 

[Miniv]

Yes. Over the years we've had a few late term abortions where the cords have been twisted. However, the length of the cord wasn't noticed.

We've often wondered which came first - "the chicken or the egg", so to speak. Did the foal become too active and twist its own cord? Or did the foal become too active and react with stress because of a problem within the womb? (Our vet has suggested that it was the latter situation.)

Because we've not been sure, we Flushed the mare and didn't have a repeat problem.

 

[mizbeth]

Hi

I was told by a good equine vet that the twisting of the cord is caused by the contractions of the mare.

Not sure what that means exactly, would it mean the more she contracted the more it twisted? I would assume so.

B

 

[Mona]

I was told by a good equine vet that the twisting of the cord is caused by the contractions of the mare.

Hmmm, interesting! My vet, although not an equine vet, said he felt it was the severe twisting of the cord, thus cutting the oxygen supply to the foal, that actually killed the foal.

 

[faithfarm]

I had a mare go into labor on Tuesday that was about 2 months early. I could tell the mare was in labor and when I checked, could feel the red sack about 6" deep. I nicked the red sack with a razor knife and delivered a live foal. She had very little hair and lived about 30 min. The cord was twisted but no more than most. My mares were running around earlier that day and I think this caused labor with this mare.

Rick

 

[lilnickers]

We only breed a few mares a year, and had our first abortion last Spring. Two months early , she went into labor,breech foal,needed the vet to get the foal out. Severely twisted cord.Not sure of the length, sorry. The foal was very developed and the vet said she would have had her about a month later. The mare was a little anxious 2 days before as i moved her already weaned colt from the previous year to a different paddock and she seemed overly concerned about it for a time, then joined the others and grazed. Always wondered if this stress triggered the abortion. The vet says sometimes these things just happen. I am interested to hear what others have experienced.

 

[wildoak]

I haven't measured cords, but we have had three late term abortions if memory serves, over the years with severely twisted cords.

Coincidentally, all three were colts and two were from the same mare/stallion. (she also had two fillies by him with no problems)

Jan