Pregnancy Tests for Mares

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Hey. . .

I posted in another thread that I was getting my mare Missy ultrasounded to confirm or deny pregnancy - well his equipment was too large for her so therefore couldn't do it and my Vet doesn't prefer trusting blood tests (his personal opinion). . .so now I am going to try to do a home test. 

I know there are ones that you can use urine with but I would like to get one that you prick their nose with to draw out a bit of blood?

If anyone can help me out, please do. Im about to lose my mind. Previous owner has no idea about if she is bred (says Missy had no access to stallions) or even when. . .Vet says she looks to be 7-9 months

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

***************************EDIT TO SAY:: We are positive she is not obese/overweight because she is nice and trim everywhere except she has a huge belly (could not be from worms, we are deligent about that)

 

[kaykay]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but I believe they stopped producing the blood tests and switched over to the urine tests. There are some listed on the LB Last Chance Auction right now

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

PS: YOU CAN SEE HOW TRIM HER NECKLINE IS - SHE IS MY AVATAR

Hmmm. . .could have sworn they still make those 

Oh well. . .

Would it really be worth me spending the money on the WeeFoal preg test? Here are all the facts I am facing right now:

1. She could have possibly had access to a stallion at previous farm (previous owner doesn't "remember" her having access) 
   
   
   
2. When we brought her home she was ALOT smaller (brought her home May 30th)
3. She is STILL TRIM everywhere except her belly - no crest, no flab, no fat
4. She has been running with my stallion from June 1st through September 1st (pending, yes I know)
5. I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED HER BEING IN HEAT/SHOWING SIGNS OF HEAT
6. I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED HER BREEDING WITH MY STALLION
7. Vet couldn't do ultrasound - equipment too large
8. Vet doesn't trust blood test (he has had poor accuracy with them apparently or something along those lines)
9. By looking at her from the side & looking down on her and trying to feel on the outside - vet thinks she could be 7-9 months along if she is
10. NONE of my other minis have this kind of "belly" - she is pretty darn round
11. She is on limited pasture (1 hour a day and pasture is less than 1 inch high) and a dry lot for 23 hours with a little grain (2 cups per day Strategy)
12. Current on dewormings and we rotate after every worming
13. Does not appear to be gaining milk in her udders

So what do you think are the odds of her being previously pregnant before coming to my farm? Surely she wouldn't be showing from being bred early June even if my stallion caught her in heat. 
I will get pictures of her belly so you can see what I am seeing tomarrow and post on here. Hopefully someone can help me out here - anyways I AM getting her on a pregnant mare feed program just in case she happens to be in foal for a late 2009/early 2010 baby.

Thanks guys. . .I need a hug 

 

[targetsmom]

There are 2 kinds that I am familiar with (and have in my refrigerator) - the Pregnamare test is the blood test where you prick the nose, and it can detect pregnancy from 40-100 days of pregnancy. Valley vet carries them at valleyvet.com. The are about $40 each and it takes about an hour to get the result.

The Wee Foal urine test is good from about 100 (or maybe it is 120 days to 300 days -this one doesn't say on the package) and of course tests urine. Price is roughly the same. Try www.weefoal.com.

I would run a test (or both), depending on how far along you think she is. I had a surprise once (a mule) from a horse I bought and by the time she foaled she had lost a lot of weight. Pregnant mares need extra feed in the last 3 months or so of pregnancy, so I think it is best if you know. In my case, I bought her from a dealer who swore there was no chance she could have been bred.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

"In my case, I bought her from a dealer who swore there was no chance she could have been bred."

Just got in touch with her previous owner AGAIN - and she swears up and down that there is no way that she could be pregnant but IS THERE ANY OTHER EXPLANATIONS TO MY SITUATION?

It looks to me as if maybe the stallion got her through the fence, etc. Or something when she wasnt looking, or she just didnt think that 1 time would "do the job".

I tried to talk to her about getting in touch with the people who bought her stallions after selling-out of minis (to later DNA test to see which one, if any, are the sire) and she absolutely refused to do so. . .my mare is AMHR registered and if she isn't pregnant by my stallion from June 1st 2009-September 1st 2009 (pending seperation) then the foal will just be grade - something I really didn't want to happen. 

I am at a loss either way we go!

Thank you targetsmom for giving me the info - that first one was the one I was thinking of - I am going to do both tests to see what happens. . .do in all theory if the pregnamare comes back positive then she is no more than 100 days but if it comes back negative and the WeeFoal comes back positive, then you can assume atleast 120 days if not farther?

 

[Skittlebittie]

If she is that far along, I wonder why your vet didn't palpate her rectally. He could have easily felt the foal. My vet swears she can feel if the cervix is dilated this way. I am not that good yet, LOL! If not, you can tie her up yourself and put your hand flat on the bottom of her belly just in front of her udder. Push up slightly, (do this around feeding time when the foal is the most active), and hold your hand there. You will feel the baby kicking or pushing against you if you are patient. I can always feel the foals after the 6 month. Good Luck!

Lori

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Not to be funny or anything but the reason why my Veterinarian could not/would not rectally palpate her is because he is 6'5 and let's just say Missy would NOT have been happy with that big of a hand in her and for safety reasons, my vet did not want to chance hurting her, or the possible foal. 

I agree that it was fine that we didn't. . .you should have seen Missy's face when she saw his hand. . .it looked a little something like 

 Anyways I will be ordering BOTH pregnancy tests for safety's sake and try to figure out WHO she is bred to and determine how far along she is 

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:

I only have a fescue/clover mix hay available as of right now (just bought 30 round bales - wasn't expecting to purchase "pregnant mare safe" hay for a good few months) so I would like to either offer her a complete feed and supplement with soaked alfalfa cubes as her roughage. . .how much alfalfa cubes should I be giving at each feeding to start out with? Also, would it be good for me to go ahead and feed beet pulp as well?

Thanks - I appreciate all the help 

 

[kaykay]

A common mistake in minis is people mistaking a bloated belly for a fat or pregnant horse. She could actually be too thin and that would keep her from cycling. What you are feeding isnt much at all so I would have to suspect she maybe too thin which will cause the belly to balloon out even more. no way to know though without seeing pictures of her. If you use your hands her back should be totally flat with no back bone sticking up.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Felt her back this morning. . .she is as flat as a board on her back and when I asked about her weight at the vet yesterday, he said she looked great. My biggest thing is that she keeps getting bigger and bigger when there is no change in the amount of her feed and she isn't fat anywhere on her body.