Breeding mare with ovarian cysts

[Enchantress]

Are there any risks for the stallion or mare healthwise? Will breeding help prevent future cysts from appearing? Mare is maiden. Thanks for any info!

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Im sure others will answer but what does the vet say about it? Logic says that they would want to treat the cysts before you breed her but Im no expert.

 

[Ashley]

If they are bad alot of times the mare wont get in foal. Mares with them have been bred before, only to find out later they have them. NOrmally when the mare isnt getting in foal and is checked that is when they are found.

 

[HJF]

My favorite horse, my 20 year old Quarter horse mare has ovarian cysts and before we knew she had them, we took her to be bred about 10 years ago...she did not get in foal and we tried again. Wasn't really a big deal that she couldn't produce, because she's still riding and showing but we just had her checked about 3 years ago by the vet because she's been acting like a stallion and all the mares were treating her like one. Don't know if that's a side effect or not but that's the original reason we had her checked out.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Are there any risks for the stallion or mare healthwise? Will breeding help prevent future cysts from appearing? Mare is maiden. Thanks for any info!

Yes, her health, and that of the hoped for foal, should she by some miracle actually carry and deliver. Compromised ovaries do not make babies. Remember the ovaries are where the eggs come from. Cysts do not allow for the egg thus the inability to concieve. I am not a vet or a repro specialist but she really would be fine without being bred. Love her as she is. Ovarian cysts are nothing to play with imho.

 

[Chamomile]

As stated the mare probably won't settle. I had an arabian mare with ovarian cysts and then eventually an ovarian tumor. She was acting like a stallion all the time and was very aggressive. I took her to the vet and they did some tests. Her testosterone levels were very very high, higher than a normal stallion! The tumor was causing these levels. So we scheduled her for surgery. Her tumor was so large that they were going to have to remove it through her flank. During this week, my Aunt was making a video about essential oils and how to use them on animals for the company Young Living, she wanted me to help and she needed my mare for the horsey part of the video. So off we went! Abby was pretty nasty since she thought she was a stallion, but we managed to get the video done. We did a full raindrop on my mare and of course by the end she was much better mentally :bgrin Anyway, when I took her back to the vet for the surgery the next week, there was no sign of the tumor. This tumor had been the size of a grapefruit and it was simply gone!! The vet was amazed and told me to keep up whatever I had been doing! This same mare has now had four healthy foals and her reproductive organs are all healthy and active. I'm no vet and am not saying this would help your mare, just sharing my story! It has a happy ending and those are always nice to hear

:

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

There is no risk to the mare or the stallion by the process of breeding, assuming the mare stands for him.

But I'd want to know why the mare has cysts; if she truely is having issues its doubtful she'll get in foal.

 

[sdmini]

Years ago when I bought my first stallion, AAA rated Red Monk/Merridoc horse. A relative had a hot stuff barrel mare that had won the World AQHA Reserve Title a few years prior. The mare had steadily become more neurotic as the years past. When they had taken her in to the vet they found ovarian cysts. She decided to try and breed her to my stud.

Being young and dumb thought if once is good twice is better. So the mare got bred twice a day till she went out of heat (and that mare was in standing heat forever

: ). She concieved and delivered a healthy filly. She had tried to breed her several times after that but never got her to settle. I know in the end after several years they put her down as she became down right aggressive with everyone.

Don't know if that was of any help at all.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Nathan, I will respectfully disagree. Ovarian cysts can be quite painful and with the stallion's penetration I will wager he'll risk those family jewels and risk the mare as well when she lashes out. AS a female with this, I can vouch for the discomfort, if some guy wanted to...well...I can kick too! Some females just create the cysts. It is a hormonal imbalance usually that is medically difficult to cure let alone control. I also have found only herbal/alternative remedies for the cysts but it isn't always successful. Many times the cyst will burst..pain again only to be replaced by another. I'm an old gal but know about this particular thing.

Mindy how nice for your mare, they do hurt something fierce and the testosterone makes for a confused and unhappy mare. I'm glad she's better.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ovarian cysts don't cause pain in the vagina... I've squeezed ovarian cysts before and I can't say that I've ever seen one that was painful, especially compared to some mares when they are close to ovulating. I've also never seen a cyst burst; its a structure, not a fluid filled pocket. Similar to a corpus luteum, for example. It causes hormonal imbalances, yes, but it isn't caused by one. Its a granulosa tumor usually.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Don't know if the same is true for horses, but yes...human cystic ovarian tumors can burst. I've heard that this can be quite painful when it happens.

Look at the Tumor area on this website.

http://www.oncologychannel.com/ovariancancer/staging.shtml

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Ok I'm gonna do it...Nathan Nathan Nathan...is there anything you can learn from or do you know all? :no:

Being female (alot of us) we know a bit about ovaries, uterus', etc. I have an cyst on my ovary and I dare anyone to squeeze it without pain. Let me equate this discomfort felt in all female species so you can sorta feel it ok?

One word....testicles. Same incredible pain.

This nice lady asked IF there was a possibility of harm to either mare or stallion. IMHO and my 30+ yrs of animal experience I say YES there is risk. Nuf said..sheesh! I wouldn't risk my stallion's privates or the mare's discomfort.

 

[minisaremighty]

I've squeezed ovarian cysts before and I can't say that I've ever seen one that was painful

Ummm, seeing as you weren't on the receiving end of this squeezing, how can you say for sure there was no pain?

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Mares are not women, sorry. They are not the same in many ways. Think of it this way... would birth control pills that woman take work on mares?

You are anthropomorphisizing mares; giving them the same feelings as humans. In this case it does not apply. Ovarian cysts in humans are not the same as they are in mares.

You see pain in mares when you squeeze their overies the same way you would your husband. They squirm and tell you with body language. They do not normally express pain with normal anestrus overies, nor in cystic overies, but it is not uncommon for them to be uncomfortable or even painful when they are in estrus about to ovulate. If you squeeze your husband's testicles, do you need him to say "ouch" to realize he's in pain? Would he hide it and let you squeeze without tensing or trying to remove the pressure? Mares are the same way, they try to avoid pain and express it when they feel it.

Having studied equine reproductive physiology for several years, I challange you to think "outside the box" and perhaps see things from a different point of view. I did not study human physiology, my specialty is the mare and the stallion. In many cases mares and woman are similar, this is not one of them.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

:

: Never mind, you can keep your big words and I will follow my own path and hope for the best. I asked my vet about this and she says there "can be" pain or discomfort. You are telling me in effect that horses are livestock witout emotion. Bye now I won't debate further. Enchantress got her answer and I won't feed your ego. (sorry folks, nuf said)

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

I absolutely did not say that. I said they do not feel pain in this one situation. I also said they certainly do feel pain in another situation. I love my pets just as much as any of you, please do not hint otherwise. I'm saying that this paticular situation does not cause overt pain in the dozens of cases I've seen.

Mares do not have true ovarian cysts, the same that a cow or human would have. Its just not the same structure!

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

This may be OT, but since we're into comparing species................do you know that just in the last 6 months, "man" has decided that fish, indeed, do feel pain??? Think of all the centuries of torture for that species!

I have been taught (as has everyone else on earth) that it doesn't hurt them when hooks are yanked from their mouths, or gees, even when they swallow it & it's yanked from their stomachs. Yeah, I fished as a kid, but my question always was: How do you know it doesn't hurt them? Well, it does. But how do we know that is the truth?

Even if "science" right now would happen to say that mares/stallions/dogs/cats or whatever species you choose, doesn't feel pain for a certain procedure, how do we KNOW??? Is there a pain-o-meter somewhere?

Back to the mares, I can't understand how this "one" procedure would be painless for one species & not for another (humans). I just don't get it. Is the "painlessness" exclusive to horses? Or is it the same for, say, a dog?

I'm not a reproductive specialist or a vet, but I've owned/bred/lived with horses forever. There's a lot more to their lives than meets the eye or the microscope.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Thanks Karen... :aktion033:

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Back to the mares, I can't understand how this "one" procedure would be painless for one species & not for another (humans). I just don't get it. Is the "painlessness" exclusive to horses? Or is it the same for, say, a dog?

Very true. However, mares don't have true cysts like humans do. Their structures, which are refered to as cysts, are usually tumors. True ovarian cysts in mares is unheard of. Cattle and humans do have them. This is one of the reasons horses (including stallions) are a hot topic of research, to figure out why reproductive cancer is so rare. Since mare "cysts" aren't cysts, and are totally different from the human version, they don't have the same symptoms and problems, such as bursting or pain.

I have to ask... everyone tells me to open my ears and listen to people who have been doing this longer than me. Why can't people read what I say through my years of experience and education? I have nearly 20x the reproductive learning compared to your out-of-school veterinarian. I TAUGHT vets and vet students. One might see that and learn some new neat fact that explains some interesting problem that they've been having. Vets spend two semesters, three hours a week, and three weeks of full days learning reproduction, in all species. I spent two years working 60 hours a week with the same teachers to earn my master's degree. If you do not wish to read my posts, please feel free not to. I believe there is a block feature in the preferences. If people ask me to leave, I will. I would like to continue reading people's advice on lots of subjects, and would like to offer mine for their problems in my specialty.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have to ask... everyone tells me to open my ears and listen to people who have been doing this longer than me. Why can't people read what I say through my years of experience and education? I

I have to say Nathan.. I know I dont always agree with you but I do think you are correct on this.

Many people are unwilling to admit that you might have some knowledge and listen to your opinions.

Quite frankly instead of arguing the fact pain or no pain with you since I dont know I do appreciate your insight and it has given me something to discuss with my vet

I am far from perfect and we all have our days however I try very hard to not tell someone not to dismiss any ideas and knowledge I may have and then in turn dismiss all of theres