WeeFoal VS Blood Test

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I am debating which method to use on my three possibly pregnant mares who should be 3-6 months along in their pregnancy. 

I would really like to do the blood tests on them because I can get the results sooner, the blood tests will be cheaper, blood is easier to collect than urine, and I wouldn't have to wait for the kits in the mail. However I have heard that the blood tests may or may not be accurate?

I cannot have them ultrasounded as I have no access to any vet within my area that will perform one so I am stuck with either WF or blood tests. 

Can I please get some input on the pros and cons of each? Has anyone ever had a blood test be a false positive in mares this far along?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! 

 

[targetsmom]

My preference would be the Wee Foal Urine test (now called 120). Pros are they arrive very quick in the mail, urine really isn't that hard to collect (and doesn't hurt), in my area they work out cheaper than having a vet come over, and they won't give you a false positive if the mare is having a false pregnancy. Once you collect the urine they are very fast to give you results. I don't see any cons.

 

[Mona]

I agree 110% with targetsmom's post!

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

May I ask why you guys are more prone to use WeeFoal?

How accurate is a blood test? Can someone tell me their previous experiences?

Thanks again!

 

[Denise]

I just did a Wee Foal test not 15 minutes ago. I love this test. Was here in less than a week, very easy to collect urine. I just put the mare in a stall with clean shavings and within 5 minutes I have urine. Test is so easy to do, just make sure all is at room temp. She came up positive.

I use to use the blood test but really hated the whole lancet thing on the muzzle. I have never had a false positive using Wee Foal.

 

[targetsmom]

The only blood test I have used is the Pregnamare test, which I think is about the same price as the Wee Foal 120, but the dates that it is effective are earlier (I can't remember the cut-offs). I have used it at around 40 days when my vet was unable to get an US result, and I think it is accurate. However, if the mare has recently aborted, I don't know how accurate it would be. Because of our foaling experiences and false pregnancy I am probably more paranoid about things like that than most people, but it is something to consider.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I'm not talking about Pregnamare - I am talking about a standard blood sample test through a veterinarian?

I would LOVE to hear everyones personal experiences! Thanks for those who have pitched in responses 

 

[eagles ring farm]

We use our vet to do blood tests

with our experience of 11 foals in 4 years until 2008

they were always right

But this past year 2009 season we had

3 test in foal that were not

so I now have doubts of the accuracy

but $25 each compared to $50 each for ultrasound (that was wrong for us the only time we tried that)

we still chose to go with the blood tests through the vet

Edited to add: our $25 test we use with the vet is for Progesterone which is not as accurate as Estrogen but they are $60 and we have except for 2009 season (3 were false positive) had 100% accuracy with it

Thanks Ellen for the 2 different types the names wouldn't come to me

 

[Becky]

The WeeFoal 120 test is supposed to be accurate. I used the WeeFoal 38 on one mare at around 90 days and it showed positive. I wasn't comfortable with the results and I used the WeeFoal 120 test after 120 days. It also shows positive. It tests estrone sulfate which should nearly always be accurate.

I will say that this particular mare still doesn't look pg to me, so I guess time will tell!

My vet charges a $35 trip charge and ultrasound is $45. So the WeeFoal test is less expensive at $38 plus shipping. I like the fact that it's non invasive and collecting urine was quite easy. If it's accurate, it's worth the money!

 

[Russ]

I tried the Wee Foal test a few weeks ago. Found it very easy to do by following the directions and clear readings. It showed positive on both mares. Which was a big surprise to me!

For me the Wee Foal was cheaper and easier to do. My vet did do the blood test...it was 60.00 plus 10.00 to draw blood.....29.00 trip charge....result was accurate...mare was open.

Wee foal ended up costing me only 35.00 per mare.

 

[Ellen]

I had great luck with pregnamare testing, it is accquarate and more timely then weefaol. I think pregnamare ran me about 38.95 each.

I like weefoal, easy to use and an up and coming test accurate within 15 days? I think.... but unsure of actual days. The others accurate at day 120 are a whaste, other the for just checking, not trying to catch them within that season. But are easy and do work.

Now even though my vet tests run me $65 a head, the test is quanative and gives you an idea of how accurate due date will be. He is still unable to diagnose date past a certain date with U/S.

So in my opinion, all are accurate, but it does depend on whate you are using them for.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

My main goal for having my girls tested is just to confirm whether or not I need to change their diets and prepare for foaling season. No use in changing over to non-fescue and excess grain if not needed. Plus, I don't want to be sitting out in the barn waiting on a foal that is not going to arrive that year

So if I am just wanting to confirm pregnancy, which is best? A blood test is $25/mare with my vet and I wil end up saving about $30 by going through my vet instead of WEEFOAL but if WEEFOAL is more accurate then maybe it is worth the extra $30? Just don't want to pay the extra money if it isn't needed. . . .

Thanks guys!

 

[Becky]

If I'm not mistaken, both the blood test and the WeeFoal 120 test, check for presence of estrone sulfate. You might check with your vet on that, but if that's the case, the end result should be the same.

I will say that I got a mare a few years ago that was supposed to be open. Had been blood tested 3 times, according to previous owner, as open. I thought she looked like she could be pg when she arrived in January. I had my vet palpate her and yep, she was in foal. Produced a cute little filly in May that year.

 

[ohmt]

Blood tests aren't any good at the end of a mares pregnancy. I don't know at what point the results start to get 'iffy' so I would ask your vet because your 6 month mares might be too far along for a blood test. I had my whole herd of 25 mares blood tested one year and every mare tested as not in foal. I ended the foaling season with 15 bouncing babies. Those mares were all 5-7 months along. So I'd definitely check with your vet first to see when the best time for a blood test would be.

 

[Ellen]

There are two different hormones the vets can test for. I believe Progesterone as early as 45 days and Estrogen after day 120. My vet gave me a chart that coorelated where they were for their hormone levels. 7 out of 7 tests were accurate.

And yes, further in pregnancy, like after day 300 these tests are not accurate. he hormone levels start to drop to prepare for the impending birth.

IMO, this is the way to go. Especially if it is cheaper for you and you are looking to adjust diet. It works two fold, you get your test and the vets ear about nutrition.

 

[gvpalominominis]

I've used all three methods. Vet, blood & urine. Year before last I used Pregnamare blood test and 2 of the six mares that tested positive, ended up not being pregnant. I cannot say for sure however, if they absorbed the foals or they tested false positive. Several mares objected to the prick in the muzzle to get the blood samples. As far as a blood test goes, I found this test is less expensive also than the vet call and blood draw.... faster too.

I personally prefer using the WeeFoal urine test and I like that it has tests for the different gestation times. Under 120 days and over 120 days... Sample collection is unobtrusive and I earlier posted a very easy way to collect clean samples. We'll see how accurate the tests were come foaling time.... actually, all the mares that tested positive look pregnant now, with all under 4 months until foaling.

Price difference for me was about $200 on 9 mares instead of having the vet out and results only took about 5-7 mins. instead of 5 to 7 days for lab results.