Pregnancy Confirmation

[PromiseAcres]

Just curious as to what everyone uses and why. Thanks

Please post any other comments if you like.

 

[Leeana]

I had our first mares ultrasound this year, Candy i bought in foal but she was being a tease to the boys, so US her and she is in foal to Little Kings Jr Jinx. Also US another mare i bought in foal, she is in foal. Then i have two that i bred here ...will ultrasound them next month, im pretty sure they are in foal but will US to know for sure.

Our vet charges $45 per mare to US, its worth it for the peace of mind, you get instant results as well

.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I have my vet palpate in the fall, if I have any doubts about a mare. I've used the Pregnamare, and had my vet ultrasound as well, but I found that this works the best for me and it's the cheapest. It's often around or just past the 3 month mark so chance of them reabsorbing is minimal, and they don't have to be sedated for palpation.

If I'm 95% sure the mare is in foal (didn't come back in heat), I just wait until 5-6 months when I can feel movement.

 

[ontherisefarm]

I guess I am kinda a cheap skate when it comes to that. I let my stallion check for me. When I home breed ,I figure by fall it is too late to rebreed anyway so I can save myself some cash but obviously if I breed out I have the mare US so I know if the mare needs to go back. Every now and again I will have one palpated but luckily my vet has small hands so not a problem.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ultrasound, internal. That's the only option I will accept. The others are not accurate, prone to error and false positives/negatives, and can not diagnose twins or other problems. You'll spend more money and worry on unreliable tests than you will doing it properly the first time.

With full sized horses I require my mares to be examinated on days 12/14, 16, 21, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 150, then every 30 days after that until foaling. I want to know without a doubt when the mare was impregnanted and how the pregnancy is going. There are too many things that can go wrong and the risks are too high. Death of the foal is hard enough, but add to that the death of the mare and you are hard pressed to justify saving $50. If you are breeding, you need to know exactly what is happening and what risks you are running.

 

[Erica]

Internal Ultrasounds

 

[PaintNminis]

Internal Ultrasounds (Ditto)

It's the only way I do it anymore

Then you know for sure

esp if you have sneaky mares

 

[shelly]

I just had 3 mares US---all thought to be bred and guess what? only 1 out of the 3 was actually pregnant!!! Sahara is pregnant, Mocha and Joyce's Cookie were NOT! OH!

So glad we US them all and didn't wait and miss this last month of breeding time this season

 

[Miniv]

Most of the time we use our stallions......watch their heat cycles.........and wait and see.

However, if we have a mare we are concerned about for what ever reason, or an outside mare being bred, we use an internal ultra-sound.

 

[barnbum]

My vet doesn't have the right equipment to do internals. I assume, I hope correctly, that the PMSG test is the blood test after 100 days?

That's what I choose. This year I'm 99% sure my mares are bred, solely based on my stallion's behavior. BUT, I wish to confirm that, and I like waiting the 100 days because before that they could have absorbed or had other troubles, so may test positive early, but lose the fetus later. I like to confirm, too, in order to know if/when to give the rhino shots--(another topic).

I think, because this is an every other year event for me, I take no short cuts because it always feels new. If I had more consistent experience, I might make different decisions. An example, I'll always have the vet out to do foal checks... it just make me feel better.

Edited to add--blood tests are the same cost as the tests I can order and do myself.

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

We do internal ultrasounds.

 

[targetsmom]

I bet I have used more types of pregnancy tests than most people on here, and I still don't have a live foal to show for it! Couldn't answer the survey because there isn't a category for me. I have used internal US, most recently about 2 weeks ago when the mare tested open. (She tested in foal last year and aborted at 9 months). But she still hasn't come back into heat after her last breeding in June (yes I use the stallion to check the mares every other day) so I am still not convinced. I will get all the bred mares US again in early August, before we give up for the year, assuming they aren't all obviously open. I have also used Pregnamare tests (2 different mares), Wee Foal urine tests (2 mares), external US (mare with false pregnancy). I especially like the Wee Foal because it can detect a false pregnancy.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Now that I have a decent VET, thanks to Shelly! Without a doubt, internal ultrasound! It also tells us if there are twins! I adore my mare and don't want to put her in that danger, NO WAY! Once confirmed, If I'm wondering if she lost it later, I sure wouldn't mind doing a we-foal. They are as acurate as could be!

 

[Candice]

I can't fathom not doing internal ultrasounds. If I had to I would haul them to the next state just for the peace of mind of "knowing for sure".

 

[wc minis]

Great topic!! I have been breeding for just a couple years and have just went with the guessing and waiting game. I have found that I dont mind waiting, but I dont like guessing. So tomorrow my vet is coming to ultrasound my mares. I have had a few mares that I thought were in foal, and turns out they were not. I have never seen a vet do an ultrasound so I am kind of excited to see. Cant wait for tomorrow!

 

[Frankie]

If I breed again,,,,,,it will NOT be blood test,,,,,,,,,very low percentageright for me,,,,,so would look for something different.

 

[Magic]

I can't fathom not doing internal ultrasounds. If I had to I would haul them to the next state just for the peace of mind of "knowing for sure".

I don't have anyone in this area that has small enough hands to do internal ultrasounds for me, and I don't want to stress a possibly pregnant mare by hauling her to someone who can.

I used to have an awesome vet, he had small hands and was great with the mares, and he was really good at reading an ultrasound, or being accurate at palpating. Since he moved though, I haven't dared try any other vets, as the ones I know are just too big, and don't seem comfortable doing so. I've never had a vet with an internal probe so long that they didn't have to put their hand in the mare as well.

Does anyone else worry about the risks to the mares of palpating and ultrasounding (when a hand has to be inserted as well?)?

 

[shelly]

I agree that US more than once is necessary...I will be getting my vet over again in about 3 months to make sure that (1) Sahara is progressing properly and (2) see if Mocha is/isn't pregnant this time!

 

[chandab]

I don't have anyone in this area that has small enough hands to do internal ultrasounds for me, and I don't want to stress a possibly pregnant mare by hauling her to someone who can.

I used to have an awesome vet, he had small hands and was great with the mares, and he was really good at reading an ultrasound, or being accurate at palpating. Since he moved though, I haven't dared try any other vets, as the ones I know are just too big, and don't seem comfortable doing so. I've never had a vet with an internal probe so long that they didn't have to put their hand in the mare as well.

Does anyone else worry about the risks to the mares of palpating and ultrasounding (when a hand has to be inserted as well?)?

Yes, that does worry me, for the same reasons you state. My regular vet is a very big guy, no way he could/would be able to do an internal US. If there was a vet within a reasonable distance, then I would consider it, but right now, no.

 

[horsehug]

Well I had to check "other".

After 20 years of breeding, my vet's small portable ultrasound machine lead him to believe some mares were in foal who were not. And others are too small for him to palpate, though he is very accurate with palpation when they are not too small.

But my way is to feel for movement, starting at around 5 months. I have ALWAYS been able to feel movement if they are in foal, and on the ones I can't, they ALWAYS are open........ so for me..... this method while it takes a few more months, is VERY accurate.

Susan O.